A half- term break in Paris ...the perfect city destination for a short break. Gill Fisher went with her guide book, walking shoes and teenagers in hand...

I was delighted to be able to spend a few days in Paris during October half-term, travelling with my daughter Lindsey , her boyfriend, Tom and his mother, Christine.

We travelled from Waterloo on Eurostar and arrived mid-morning, allowing time after lunch for a full afternoon's sightseeing. We thought we should take advantage of the reasonably clear skies and take a trip up the Eiffel Tower. As ever, the queues for the lifts meandered on for miles, so we decided to walk up! Well, I say walk – we slowed considerably the higher we went - still, once at the top, it had all been worth it, with fabulous panoramas out over the city.

I've been to Paris a couple of times before and as there's so much to see, it's nice to still find things to do for the first time. The next morning, we took the Metro to La Fourche, and spent an hour or so strolling around the cemetery at Montmartre. Beautifully landscaped, with tree-lined avenues for its celebrity inhabitants, such as Hector Berlioz, Offenbach, Degas and Dumas, to name but a few, and tightly-packed but nonetheless, delightfully ornamental resting places for the not so well off. All but a few were beautifully tended and the whole place had a timeless air. From there we wandered down Boulevard de Clichy, towards Pigalle (enough said!) and found ourselves looking up at the Moulin Rouge, which I hadn't seen before. Whilst the windmill stood proud, the theatre itself was slightly jaded, which was a pity.

From there we headed up towards the Sacre Coeur. The two teenagers were accosted by street traders, keen to entwine coloured cotton threads round their wrists in exchange for ‘a donation'. Christine and I were keen to check out a fabric store that we'd heard about, Dreyfus on the rue D'Orsel ( Close to the funicular to take you up to the Sacre Coeur) , so while we poured over incredibly cheap but first-class quality rolls of wool and cashmere, Lindsey and Tom investigated a good spot for lunch up in Place de Tertre. We ate in the sunshine in a little café overlooking the square, and watched the artists at work.

Next morning we strolled down Champs Elysees for a spot of retail therapy. Mixed in amongst the shops were a couple of quality car showrooms, notably Peugeot, who had an exciting display of some of their amazing concept cars – a thrill for any car enthusiast! Then, for us ladies, our next stop was the perfume and beauty store Sephora – a showroom of infinite colour palettes!

We had been given a recommendation for a restaurant, and were by no means disappointed. As well as a full à la carte menu, Les Bouchons de Francois Clerc, 7 rue du Boccador, offers a delightful 4-course set menu at Euro 43 (approx. £30). As expected in top quality French restaurants, not only was the food exceptional but the presentation and service were first class.

During our brief visit, we also sauntered along the banks of the Seine, popped into Notre Dame for a quiet moment and had a quick look at the Pompidou Centre.

All of which still leaves plenty left to see on another visit...!