Nearly twenty years ago, on my first “sort of” independent visit to Paris, I randomly selected a hotel from the pre-internet French budget travel bible, Guide Routard.

I say “sort of” independent because we were accompanied by my in-laws for the occasion of my sister-in-law’s 21st birthday. My in-laws had vouchers for some cheap ferry deal and after a squabble about who would or wouldn’t fit into their car the upshot was that myself and husband were bound for Eurostar rather than the ferry and an eight hour car journey arriving the day before to have a longer trip.

[Read it now!]--> The Coolest Neighbourhood in Paris (I found 20 years ago)