Sold out on Paris

With the world-wide release of the film version of the musical Les Miserables, (www.lesmiserablesfilm.com) Paris (www.parisinfo.com) is back in the spotlight. Forget the cold, now is a great time to visit.

During the winter months, much-loved visions of Paris complete with sunny boulevards, outdoor cafés and flower-filled gardens are still a few months away. That said, there is no reason to think that the City of Light loses its charm when the temperatures drop. Paris during winter is packed full of great things to do in a warm and dry environment. Head to the winter sales before enjoying fine food culture and art, all without getting your feet wet.

The oh-so-chic area around the Louvre Museum (www.louvre.fr) is the epicentre of high fashion and all that glitters in the French capital. This is where women parade with pampered pooches on diamond studded leads and pout over Prada and Gucci before meeting their husbands for a gourmet lunch. Lucky visitors to Paris can take advantage of the winter sales which see up to 50 per cent off the original prices of jewellery and haute couture.

Even when it’s cold and raining, the underground shopping complex, the Louvre Carrousel, (www.carrouseldulouvre.com) is warm and dry and offers a world of shopping, food and fun to enjoy. You can easily spend a whole day inside this wonderful area which is directly connected to the great museum. Shop till you drop at the exclusive stores which include Apple, Lalique, L’Occitane en Provence and Bodum, or stock up on souvenirs and art books to take home. Refuelling also is a delight. Within the Louvre Carrousel you’ll find the food section, Universal Resto, up on the mezzanine level. Thirteen gourmet cuisine stations offer excellent French, Moroccan, Italian, Japanese and Mexican dishes as well as exquisitely light French pastries and coffee to linger over as you plan your next move.

Just a short walk from the Carrousel du Louvre, through the underground passageway, brings you to the unmistakable glass pyramid suspended over the vestibule of the Louvre Museum. From here one of the world’s largest repositories of art is yours to explore.

For families, make sure you visit the amazing underground remains of the medieval castle which sit directly beneath the patio of the museum. It’s an amazing sight with battlements and a moat and offers the perfect chance to imagine life here 700 years ago.

Upstairs in the galleries are over close to one million masterpieces spread across three wings. Apart from the must-sees: the Venus di Milo and the Mona Lisa, at the moment there is a fascinating special exhibition covering the later works of the master Raphael. Once you’re ready to go on to the next destination there is direct access to the Metro without having to step outside into the cold.

Just a few Metro stops on from the Louvre is Forum Les Halles. (www.forumdeshalles.com) This massive underground shopping centre is spread over many levels and cleverly designed so that natural light comes into most areas. All under one roof you’ll find over one hundred name brand stores including Zara, Desigual, H&M, Muji and Gap. Add to this a vast multi-cinema complex and dozens of food outlets and you can happily spend many hours.

Just a few streets away is the enormous modern art museum, the Pompidou Centre. (www.centrepompidou.fr) For the best of 20th-century art head directly to the top floor via the emblematic external escalators where you’ll find works by all the greats including Picasso, Kandinsky, Matisse and Gauguin. Right through January there are two special exhibitions that shouldn’t be missed — Salvador Dalí and Fruits of Passion which includes 72 works by talented up-and-coming artists.

Enter a world that will tempt you to never leave. The Hotel Plaza Athénée, (www.plaza-athenee-paris.com) just a few steps from the famed Champs Elysées, brings luxury accommodation, fine dining, skating and festive fun to its guests.

Each winter the hotel becomes a winter wonderland with activities perfect for all the family to enjoy. Put on your skates and glide around the central courtyard by day, or rug up tight as you enjoy the after-dark, après-ski experience when the ice is set up with tables and chairs to become one of Paris’s most original open-air restaurants.

For gourmands, Alain Ducasse’s restaurant ADPA (www.alainducasse.com) offers a three Michelin starred experience below the thousands of tiny crystals that hang above the tables. From here it’s just a gentle lift ride to the Plaza Athénée accommodations which include the famous Eiffel Tower Suite which offers unparalleled views of the city and its monuments.

Allow yourself to succumb to the winter pleasures of this wonderful city that offers during the colder months, great shopping opportunities, fine food and entertainment for all the family.