'I went to Paris from Manchester Airport for a day trip and it felt like a dream'

The City of Lights, the Capital of Romance - Paris is a place with many different characters, and it’s definitely one of the most chic cities in the world. Luckily for us, Manchester is around a 60-minute journey from the French capital.

That makes it perfect for a short break - like a long weekend, or a bank holiday - or, perhaps, a day trip? I spent a day in Paris and was able to jet back to Manchester and my own bed after a day of French culture.

Turning up for a flight at Manchester Airport, it’s quick and easy to get through, thanks to no luggage. Would you bring a checked bag for 12 hours? Me neither.

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My handbag had a few essentials - wallet, book, phone powerpack - and I was through security in mere minutes. With a flight leaving at 8am, it wasn’t too horrible an alarm call either.

Once at the gate, we were called, boarded and in the air quickly. In just one hour and 35 minutes - the taxiing at Paris Charle De Gaulle takes a little longer than at the Manchester end.

I disembarked, jumped on a RER B main line train for around 12 euro and was deposited at the Gare Du Nord in 30 minutes. The bustle and activity around the massive station and outside is a lot, with street hawkers milling around trying to persuade you to buy their wares.

For those who haven’t been to Paris, it’s pretty much what TV and films would have you believe. The beautiful, architecturally awe-inspiring streets are packed with impossibly fashionable people - of all ages - and there is a general air of haughty indifference to tourists.

That’s not to say unfriendly. The first stop I made was at a cafe on Rue De Dunkerque near the station, where my schoolgirl French was able to secure me a black coffee.

The waitress was sweet and smiley, and it helped that she laughed when I stumbled over French grammar which I have not conjured to mind in almost three decades. She didn’t treat me like someone intent on butchering her beautiful language, and was happy to speak English too.

I had pre-booked a trip to the Louvre, but instead of taking the Metro the 40 or so minutes across the city, I walked through leafy neighbourhoods in the June sunshine. Parisians were walking dogs, having coffee and going about their business, seemingly unaware that the buildings and roads which surround them were picture-perfect.

The lines of second-floor balconies which became part of the city’s look around the 1850s under Napoleon III give every street a regimented neatness, many with their iron railings entwined with flowers and giving the air of an attractive holiday apartment. The French are stylish in this as in all things, it seems.

On my travels, I found Rue Cadet in the ninth arrondissement - or area - which was packed with eateries and delis, and seemed to offer food from around the world. At shortly after midday, the French were out in force for leisurely lunches, and I grabbed a table to myself at a little place called Nook.

A confit chicken tagine and glass of red wine later - at less than 16 euros with tip - I was back on my feet on Rue Richelieu heading to the most-visited museum in the world.

On the way, there was so much street art which showed the modern side of the city, sitting comfortably alongside centuries-old fountains and park areas. On a hot June day, it was a pleasure to rest by the Louvois Fountain with lots of young people seeking to cool down from the humidity which seemed to be gripping the city.

On arrival at the Louvre, I was taken by the crowds and the expanse. People milled around the famous glass Louvre pyramid as I nipped inside in search of the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.

There was a large Olympics exhibition on, with fascinating sculptures of hunters and soldiers. I could have spent hours in the museum, but I had another appointment to keep, so I dashed through the crowds back to the River Seine.

The artery of the city, walking up and down the Seine could constitute a holiday in itself, lined on the pavement with poster sellers and thrifty antiques dealers. There were plenty of others walking along the river, with more American accents than French reaching my ears.

My destination was Shakespeare and Company, a bookshop which has built its name on housing aspiring writers and artists in exchange for helping out around the bookstore. Naturally, there were queues upon queues to get in, so after a short browse, I ordered a coffee from the attached café and looked out on the view - the Notre Dame cathedral, still being rebuilt and fixed up after the devastating fire in 2019.

A walking tour which I had booked left from that spot, so I joined the group and our guide, Jay, led us through the most fantastic tour of the Latin Quarter. The pay-as-you-feel tour was full of nuggets of historical and cultural wisdom which I otherwise would have missed.

We wound our way through the fifth arrondissement and up the steep Rue Lagrange to St Etienne Du Mont, a neo-classical church which was playing host to wedding pictures as we heard about its history. After spending some time at the Pantheon, we headed back down, past the Sorbonne - one of Europe's oldest universities - and finished the walk at Luxembourg Gardens.

The afternoon heat had slightly dissipated, so after paying-what-we-felt to Jay for his two-and-a-half hour whirl through the history of the Latin Quarter, I had a glass of chilled white wine with a fellow traveller. We also sampled a truly French macaron while gazing at the palace, which is now the home of the French Senate - their equivalent to our upper house of government.

It was a short hop to the Metro and back on the RER B, which sped me away from the city and back to Charle De Gaulle. Landing back in Manchester a little over 12 hours after I left made the trip feel like a dream, but then there is something magical about Paris - and it's much closer than you'd think.

Kirstie flew from Manchester Airport on a Thursday at 8am, landing in Paris Charles De Gaulle at 10.35 am. The return left Paris CDG at 10pm and arrived back into Manchester at 10.35pm (all times local)

The flight, with EasyJet, was £96.47 return, however the prices of fares changes frequently dependent on offers.