Hanna's birthday trip to Paris

It took some planning but we did it! On Hanna's birthday we flew to Paris from Luton, arriving at 11am. By 12.30 we were in the Marche Biologique (Organic market) in Boulevard Raspail, in St Germain des Pres. It was a perfect spring day with a deep blue sky. We snacked in the market and bought apples and cheeses for later, then walked to our hotel in the Rue des Saintes Peres, near l'Ecole des Beaux Arts.

After settling in to our cosy, very French room, we set off again to walk along the ultra posh Boulevard St Germain and then back towards the river through a maze of galleries and boutiques. We crossed close to the entrance to the Louvre and then walked west with thousands of Parisians who were enjoying the warm Sunday afternoon sun. We crosssed back over to the Left Bank by an elegant footbridge to enter the Musee d'Orsay which is housed in an old railway station. It is very spacious and has a huge collection of the impressionists on the top floor. It also has a good shop and three places to eat, if you can afford it. We spent a fabulous evening there and strolled back to the Hotel Academie as the sun set. Fortunately we found a tiny shop on the way where we could buy wine and other nescessities at sensible prices, to consume in our room. Next time we will bring a corkscrew and a set of plastic plates and cutlery. We intended to explore the jazz clubs and other hot spots later on, but we were exhausted and foot- sore, and we had finished our bottle of Bordeaux. French TV being what it is, we were soon asleep.

Monday was another fine day, so, after a large buffet breakfast, we set out early to visit Notre Dame and Ste Chapelle on the Ile de la Cite, then by Metro to Montmartre which we scaled from the East; so avoiding the tourists. We found a lovely restaurant where we could sit outside and enjoy the sun, the peace and the view, before wading into the tourist hot spots on the other side of the hill. All the same, it was great fun tracking down all (well, not exactly all) the places that Picasso and his chums used to frequent. It's amazing how you just fall into no-man's-land as soon as you veer off the tourist trail. (Very like the Royal Mile in Edinburgh where smart shops and cafes line the route but, round the back, it's all decay and dereliction.)

Despite it being a Monday in February the well known cafes were full, especially outside where we wanted to be, so we settled for a very pleasant meal in less fashionable Place des Abbesses, close by the notorious Pigalle district and the Moulin Rouge.

All too soon we had to make for the airport for the Easy Jet flight home, but we were refreshed and really delighted with ourselves and Paris. Even more importantly, Dan had a wonderful time without us, in the safe hands of James and Jo, supported by Nick and Sarah, Jake and Thea, and carers Roy, Bridget, Nina, Hannah, Bridget and Sarah who came in shifts. Dan went to sleep for Jo and slept quite well, cuddling up to James in the morning and playing really well with Jake and Thea. We can't thank you all enough for making the trip possible. We're delighted.

Please have a look at our Paris photo album in Photobucket, where you can watch it as a slide show. (Click here to return to our website, then click on the Photobucket button.)