By Danielle Radojcin
Like a seasonal It-bag or that daily Starbucks fix, holidays in Paris have become something of a luxury for us Brits. But the soaring price of the Euro is no reason to avoid the City Of Lights altogether; with a few clever choices, it's possible for you and your loved one to enjoy a romantic weekend without it becoming a financial headache.
The hotel
The Hotel Concorde Saint-Lazare, a grand old 19 th century building with a mirrored ceiling in its enormous foyer, and bedrooms - over 200 of them - spacious enough to make you feel like a princess for the duration of your stay, offers its guests a special shopping package from a recession-friendly €200. This includes benefits at a range of not-to-be-missed shopping and dining experiences. (As well as the Saint-Lazare, where I stayed, the Concorde chain has five other hotels in Paris.)
Shopping
Printemps, in walking distance from the hotel, is the city's most established department store. The grande dame of Paris shopping, it has recently undergone an extensive renovation, shedding its fusty image to emerge as a shiny competitor to trendy Le Bon Marché on the Left Bank. International brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, YSL and Gucci sit alongside younger, less pricey labels such as Vanessa Bruno, Paul & Joe and Sandro. It offers Concorde guests VIP services and a 10% discount.
A 10% discount is also offered at Annick Goutal, the beauty and perfume brand famous for its exquisite packaging. Try and visit the rue de Bellechasse store, where hopefully you will be served by the gloriously eccentric Madame Marie Nadine - a close friend to the late Annick who remains gloriously devoted to her cause of making women look and feel pampered. Like something out of a French animation, she will bustle about and chatter ceaselessly in her charming broken English to help you find the perfect scent.
Eating
At Fauchon, "the ultimate in luxury contemporary food", you can enjoy 10% off in the restaurant and the delicatessen downstairs. As well as chewing on a few of France's finest delicacies in the pink and silver-lit dining room, it's a good place to stock up on presents to take home, too.
Finally, my tips are: don't forget to head to WH Smith on Place de la Concorde, near the legendary Hotel Crillon, where British expats can be found browsing through the British press of a morning, stock up on your favourite magazines and head to the lovely Café de Castiglione on Rue Saint-Honoré. Follow it up with a brief stop at Colette - only rivalled by 10 Corso Como in Milan and Dover Street Market in London as the coolest boutique on the planet - to get a whiff of what the Gallic trendies are up to. And for the ultimate in traditional working class French dining, take your lunch at Chartier, where the waiters write your order on your red and white checked paper tablecloth, locals mingle with tourists, and a main course will set you back about €10. Bon voyage!
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