As you would expect, there are some really spectacular restaurants in Paris. One of the best is Alain Ducasse at 59 av Raymond Poincaré, 16e (tel 01.47.27.12.27) which has beenawarded three Michelin stars. It's run by the enterprising Alain Ducasse, who has also been awarded three stars for another of his restaurants, Le Louis XV , in Monte Carlo, making him the only chef to have been awarded six Michelin stars. At midday during the week, the menu at his Paris restaurant is around ?45.73-60.21; prixe fixe menus range from ?73.17 to ?228.66; and there's no limit to the amount you can pay for beautiful wines. Ducasse has also recently opened a smaller, less fussy establishment, Spoon, Food & Wine , at 14 rue de Marignan, 8e (tel 01.40.76.34.44), with cheaper, though no less superb cuisine.

The other greats include: Lucas Carton , 9 place de la Madeleine, 8e (tel 01.42.65.22.90), with splendid Art-Nouveau decor, run by chef Alain Senderens; Taillevent , 15 rue Lamennais, 8e (tel 01.45.61.12.90); Les Ambassadeurs , in the Hôtel Crillon , 10 place de la Concorde, 8e (tel 01.44.71.16.16); Ledoyen , 1 av Dutuit, 8e (tel 01.47.42.35.98), headed by a Flemish woman chef, Ghislaine Arabian; and Guy Savoy , 18 rue Troyon, 17e (tel 01.43.80.40.61).