Paris, unlike London, Brooklyn and err Chester, isn’t famed for its zoo. That’s because there isn’t anything quite as big here, but if its quality as opposed to size you’re looking for then the zoo in the Jardin des Plantes won’t leave you disappointed. There are about 1800 animals here, a third of which are endangered species, like the Amur leopard, pictured. The reptile house has big snakes and snap-happy crocodiles. There are even kangaroos and some other animals you wouldn’t have thought hardy enough to adapt to the cold chill of the Paris winters. The only drawback is the monkey house, which is a rather forlorn place with depressed-looking chimpanzees and gorillas gazing through shit-stained glass cages.

Great place to have a drink at night, take a coffee or eat. The dishes are very well prepared and very qualitative, reasonable prices.

Climb your way up the escalators to the 9th floor of the Printemps department store (the Beauté & Maison building) for possibly one of the best panoramic views of Paris. You can see pretty much everything from here and unlike the views from the Eiffel Tower you’re right in the middle of the city and can almost reach out and touch the monuments around you. Go up on a sunny afternoon and take a seat on one of the benches, lay down on the fake grass lawn or have a drink and a snack at the Deli-Ciel café.

Since 1946, this bakery and traiteur has been offering Jewish and eastern European specialties, from cheesecake and strudel to pastrami. One item you can’t miss is their signature Super Sandwich, the “Big-Pletzel,”. You have your choice of pastrami or turkey, which gets layered with eggplant caviar, red pepper caviar, cucumbers, pickles and fresh tomato slices, all on one of their soft homemade onion and poppy seed rolls...BIM

La Villa Rose is an elegant and beautiful private town house in Paris with a gallery and many events as cocktails, presentations, showrooms, dinners. I love the decorative identity combining artistic contributions, a collection of design objects and rare pieces of furniture to be discovered throughout the year.