A weekend in Paris

After work, on a Friday night, you catch one of the last trains and arrive at Gare du Nord weary and needing a hearty supper. The next morning, you awake to embrace the city: a bit of shopping, a spot of art, a night on the town. Then follow that with a lazy Sunday to prepare you for the week of work ahead. Here’s how to play it if you’re in town for a weekend break.


Le Relais de L’Entrecôte 
Dismiss impersonators. Squashed in the heart of St-Germain, this is the only place to eat steak-frites. No menu. Just say how you want it: bleu (v rare), saignant (rare), à point (medium), bien cuit (well done). Then prepare for a light green salad with walnuts, followed by tender beef slices slopping in a secret-recipe sauce (pepper, garlic??) aside crispy golden fries. You devour the lot. And then get seconds, without asking. Heaven. Wonderfully, there are no reservations but there is always a long queue outside. 
Metro: St Germain-des-Près (line 4)
Address: 20 rue St-Benoît
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 49 16 00
Opening times: Daily 12:00-14:30, 19:00-23:30
Prices: €23 for set menu
Web: www.relaisentrecote.fr


Rue des Francs Bourgeois and rue Vieille du Temple 
A crossroads of stylish shopping: find Manoush with its ethnic pom-pom hats and fur-lined wellies (No.75 rue Vieille du Temple); Loft for sporty but chic staples like cashmere hoodies (20 rue des Francs Bourgeois); Et Vous for beloved classics with a twist (6 rue des Francs Bourgeois); Zadig & Voltaire to up the ante with edgy rock chick garb (42 rue des Francs Bourgeois); or Bensimon for the lightest of luggage, perfect for a weekend getaway (8 rue des Francs Bourgeois).
Metro: St Paul (line 1)


L’Orangerie 
After six drawn-out years in the dark, Monet's sublime 'Water Lilies' are back in the spotlight. Architect Olivier Brochet has carried out a beautiful gallery restoration which transports you right to the banks of Monet's pond in Giverny. Muted daylight streams into the oval-shaped rooms, which contain wall-to-wall pastel panels painted specially for the space by Monet. Get in line before the doors open at 12:30 when most people are having lunch.
Metro: Concorde (line 1, 8, 12)
Address: Jardin des Tuileries
Opening times: Wed-Thu, Sat-Mon 12:30-19:00, Fri 12:30-21:00
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 77 80 07
Prices:  €6.50, reduced €4.50; under-18 free; free to all on the first Sunday of every month
Web: www.musee-orangerie.fr


Jardins du Palais Royal 
Weave between the striped, fragmented columns inside the courtyard of the Palais Royal, a contemporary design flourish to this classical venue. Duck under the arches to window-shop, from the latest shoes by Marc Jacob to Didier Ludot’s divine vintage labels.
Metro: Palais Royal (line 1, 7)


Restaurant of Hôtel Costes 
Nothing beats a summer lunch in the Costes’ Italianate courtyard, where the chicest shoppers rest their tired tootsies. Everyone’s too skinny to be eating more than a salad, and don’t leave your attitude at the door; everyone else has it in spades.
Metro: Concorde (1, 8, 12)
Address: 239 rue St-Honoré
Tel: +33 (0)1 42 44 50 25
Opening times: Daily 07:00-02:00
Prices: €50 for lunch
Web: www.hotelcostes.com


Avenue Montaigne 
Montaigne Market is an absolute gem: a huge 4000-square foot concept store for mix-and-match shopping, from Behnaz Sarafpour to Matthew Williamson and True Religion jeans. Next door is Marni, and opposite Jil Sander, so be prepared to spend on this strip. There’s also Dolce & Gabbana, Anna Sui, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel and Pucci, with its psychedelic swirls and the best bikinis on earth.
Metro: Franklin Roosevelt (line 9) or Alma Marceau (line 9) 


Bar at Hotel Plaza Athenée 
Just so elegant it hurts. Menus are mini-computers, the log fire is, in fact, a flat-screen TV showing a DVD of flames, with the faux-smoke on another screen above. Under the black chandeliers sip ‘blue hour’ cocktails from €20. Later, during the ‘red hour’, prices climb to €26 a pop.
Metro: Alma Marceau (line 9)
Address: 25 avenue Montaigne
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 66 65
Opening times: Daily 18:00-01:30
Web: www.plaza-athenee-paris.com

L’Étoile 

Metro:  Charles de Gaulle Étoile (line 1, 2, 6)
Address: 12 rue de Presbourg
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 00 78 70
Opening times: Club Mon-Sat 23:00-06:00 (Restaurant Sun-Fri 12:00-15:00, Mon-Sun 20:00-01:00)
Web: www.letoileparis.com

Café Beaubourg 
Enjoy a spot of shameless people-watching from the rows of metallic terrace chairs in black, white, red or beige. Perfect for Sunday brunch while you listen to buskers playing outside the Pompidou Centre, or just coffee, smoothies and cocktails. 
Metro: Rambuteau (line 11)
Address: 100 rue St Martin
Tel: +33 (0)1 48 87 63 96
Opening times: Daily 08:00-02:00
Prices: Brunch: the works €22, croque monsieur €12