1 Rue Botzaris May - Sep, 7 - 22 Sep - Apr, 7 - 20 This elaborately landscaped park is a great way to escape the crowds of the city. Less touristy than other parks it has a waterfall, bridges and miles of paths and trails, from the high island in the centre you can get a great view of the skyline. http://butteschaumont.free.fr/

261, Boulevard Raspail Tue, 11:00-22:00 Wed-Sun, 11:00-20:00 Free Designed by Paris favourite Jean Nouvel, this 12000 sq ft building is dedicated to modern art. The glass facade brings in the lovely gardens reflecting the world class, innovative art. http://fondation.cartier.com/

1, Place de la Bastille. Every Day, 7.30 - 2am Taking up almost a whole city block the Café Francais is one of the largest bistros of its kind. The lavishly decorated contemporary interior is overwhelming in its reflective sheen and clashing patterns and colours. www.cafe-francais.fr

1 Place de la Porte de Versailles Opening times Vary Designed like a classy dystopian vision, this centre of culture hosts numerous disparate events within its perfectly located space. The views from the balcony are worth the trip in itself. http://www.electric-paris.com

6 rue Fontaine Tue - Sat, 8pm - 4am Le Bus Palladium's past regulars are quite legendary, from The Beatles to Salvador Dali. This creates a good crowd looking to emulate their heroes in the shabby-chic interior. Good food and DJ sets upstairs bring people back for more. http://www.lebuspalladium.com

47 rue du Faubourg-St-Denis Caipirinha €8, beer €2. 8am-2am; food served until 11.30pm. When this bar was bought over the new owners didn’t change a thing, retaining the tacky wallpaper and formica tables. Sincle then it has become one of the places to be in Paris for a casual beer. The atmosphere is buzzing on weekends with DJs on a Friday night. www.chezjeannette.com

69 Port De La Rapée Every Second Sunday, 7am - 4am The savior of Parisian clubbing sailed up to the Port De La Rapee to change Sundays forever. The Sabbath is now used for parting from 7am all day and night to some of the world's most stellar acts. http://www.concreteparis.fr/

213 Rue Saint-Honoré Mon - Sat, 11 - 7 This influential boutique has, since its inception in 1997, been the benchmark for retail in the city. Over three floors there is an ever changing collection of fashion, books, arts, food and many other things. If you only go to one shop in Paris, make it Colette. http://en.colette.fr/

104, rue d'Aubervilliers Tues - Fri, 12 - 7 Sat, Sun, 11 - 7 Occupying a large 19th century undertakers building is a centre for 'all the arts' there is a quarterly festival where a disparate range of works on show. www.104.fr/version-anglaise

8-10 square du Docteur Blanche Mon 1.30 - 6 Tue - Thur - 10 - 12.30 , 1.30 - 6 Fri - 10 - 12.30 , 1.30 - 5 €5/3 free U14 The King of modernism designed this building in 1925 in his signature style, buffs will appreciate the pillars white walls and flat roofs. It contains a museum to his works featuring drawings and photographs. http://www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/

17 boulevard du Temple Mon - Sat, 10am - 7pm This cycling concept store is full of the most beautiful bikes and accessories. This store meets the technical and the aesthetic demands of the modern cyclist with nicely designed accessories and clothing for the posers and proper kit for the serious cyclist. http://www.bicyclestore.fr

14th July On July 14th the storming of the Bastille is celebrated throughout France in style. In Paris there are fireworks over the Eiffel Tower and fire stations throughout the city open their doors to the public for dancing along with numerous other parades and events. http://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/major-events/paris-celebrates-july-14th

75 rue de Seine 25cl beer €3 Daily 8am-2am. Overlooking St-Germain-des-Prés market is the laidback cool of the Bar du Marche where dungareed staff serve aperitifs' and good omelets at lunch. bardumarche.co.uk

39 Galerie Vivienne Tues - Sat, 11am - 7pm This Tokyo based label recently brought their wares to a shop in the Beautiful Galerie Vivienne, the first outside Japan. The clothes are minimal in shape and design and utilitarian with Japanese fabric, the boutique itself is populated by reclaimed furniture from local flea-markets. http://www.arts-science.com/shoplist/galerie_vivienne/

8 rue de Belleville Mon - Sat, 6 - 12 Sun, 7 - 11 This Belleville institution packs its terrace with locals everyday regardless of the weather. This cheaply priced bar is the best in the buzzing area where crowds can spill out into the streets in a festival atmosphere. http://www.aux-folies-belleville.fr/

3rd and 4th Arrondissement The Marais is an oh-so Parisian mix of relaxed cafes, bars galleries and unique shopping. All set in amongst beautiful 17th century architecture.

32 Quai d'Austerlitz Wed-Sun, 12:00-06:00 This huge terraced space sits a centre dedicated to a great mix of cultural events. It Hosts a cinema, bar restaurant and club. A hub of creativity. http://wanderlustparis.com

Mid-September – December 31 The Paris Autumn Festival celebrates contemporary art over forty events. Attracting over 100000 people and international companies to venues throughout the city www.festival-automne.com

12 Rue Perrée Tue - Sat, 9 - 6 Amongst the fashionable boutiques of Paris The Broken Arm stands out due to its collaborations with up and coming designers and quality multi-disciplinary goods. The shop also features a chic cafe. http://www.the-broken-arm.com/

1500 locations Free first 30mins €1 next 30 mins Hire one of 20 000 bikes from all over the city, the cheapest and most fun way to get around. If you can brave the Parisian traffic www.velib.paris.fr

End of July Champs Elysees At the end of July stage 21 of the greatest cycle race on earth battles up the Champs Elysees. Stand with groups of flag waving supporters to watch the yellow jerseyed rider claim their win. One of the world's great sporting moments http://www.letour.com

13 Avenue du President Wilson Fri - Wed, 12-2am Part of the Excellent Palais de Tokyo, Tokyo Eat is the Industrial chic restaurant. The place to be for the creative crowd. http://www.palaisdetokyo.com/fr/lifestyle/le-tokyo-eat

142 rue Montmartre Tue - Wed, 11pm - 3am Thurs - Sat, 11pm - 6am This hipster spotting venue is the place to be seen in Paris. If you want to discuss the latest Vice video you watched or how Grizzly Bear changed your life, this is the place. Good regular DJs and Live Electro acts such as Justice make it musically one of the best clubs in town. http://www.parissocialclub.com/

37 rue Bûcherie Mon-Fri, 10 - 11 Sat 11 - 11 The creaking shelves and uneven steps of this bookshop have seen some of the world's greatest writers. Whether or not you want to buy anything This place is worth a visit as it so completely symbolises the Parisian literary golden era. http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

19 Rue de Vaugirard Every Day, 10 - 7.30 Mon and Fri until 10pm €12.50/9 Free U16 Paris' oldest public museum opened in 1750 and since then has held exhibitions of the world's great artists. Retrospectives of prominent impressionists are common. http://www.museeduluxembourg.fr/

4 Boulevard du Palais Every Day: 1 March to 31 October : 9:30 am to 6 pm 1 November to 28 February : 9 am to 5 pm Under 25 Free € 8.50/5.50 Sainte Chapelle possesses the most beautiful interior of all the churches in Paris. The highest example of gothic architecture, the thin, weightless vaults allow an abundance of blue glass and light to flood in. http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr/

142 rue Montmartre Tue-Sun 6pm-6am Members and their guests before midnight, free after midnight Cocktails €15 David Lynch created this subterranean bar/club in the image of the one in his film Mulholland Drive. It is a warren of differing styles, a gold leaf tunnel, a Twin Peaks style forest, a private cinema, smoking room and a stage for small concerts and DJs. Mingle with the elite of the fashion and arts scenes in the atmospheric rooms. If you can get in... www.silencio-club.com

Rue de Castiglione Mon - Thurs, 9.30am - 8.00pm Fri - Sun, 9.30am - 8.30pm Visible from the road due to its interior vertical garden, this spa is an escape into another world. Inside there are six wooden cocoons of varying sizes inside which various treatments are performed. Views of Paris from the cocoons are provided by a constant projection on inside walls. http://www.sixsenses.com/spas/rue-de-castiglione

Avenue de la Porte de Clignancourt Mon 11 - 5 Sat - Sun 9 - 6 The world's largest antiques market contains almost everything you could possibly imagine from furniture to clothing and much more. Visit on a weekend when the area is buzzing with activity

2 Rue Palatine Mon - Fri: 9-12 2-6 Free The second largest church in the city dominate the Place Saint Sulpice with its huge classical façade. There are fascinating sculptures inside and the organ is one of the finest in the city. www.paroisse-saint-sulpice-paris.org