Whether you are a magician or whether you just like watching magic, there's a huge amount for you to enjoy in Paris. For me, seeing some good magic enhances a visit to anywhere but it suits Paris particularly well, I feel. The chic, intelligent elegance of smooth conjuring is very much in keeping with the atmosphere of the city of light.



The first port of call for my friend and me was Le Double Fond, a magic caf-bar with a theatre underneath. Magic duo Dominique Duvivier and his daughter Alexandra perform close-up and cabaret magic here, along with a constant flow of some of the top names in magic, many of them local.

You'll also find magic in many other places around Paris: mainstream theatres, restaurants, on a boat cruise, at parties? There's even a Museum of Magic. For magicians, Paris has several excellent magic shops. The one we visited was as good a magic shop as you'll find anywhere in the world, I'd say ? and yes, I've been to Las Vegas.

Paris has other attractions than magic, of course, and - fortunately for the visitor - a huge number of them are packed into a relatively small space. But I think you'll get more out of it if, instead of trying to see as much as possible, you focus on a couple of areas and do them thoroughly. For example, in Montmartre you can not only see the beautiful Sacr Coeur basilica and get a tremendous view of Paris from outside it, you can also experience the Dal museum, buy a bottle of wine produced in the vineyard right there in Montmartre, visit Degas's grave and walk back past the Moulin Rouge.

Having had some delicious North African food in Paris and been inspired to buy a tagine, I plan during my next trip to see the Islamic sights there. The Institute of the Arab World sounds interesting - as does the Mosque, which has not only a great caf but also a Turkish bath.

Further afield, you can spend a day at Disneyland Paris, tour a champagne vineyard or visit Claude Monet's house. The public transport is regular and reliable, so a day trip out from Paris is comfortably doable.

There is no doubt that Paris is a magical city, on many levels. I came home feeling satisfied, inspired and raring to go back as soon as possible. I suggest you book your tickets right now and give yourself a well earned treat.