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 When I first arrived in Paris, all I knew was the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Throughout the years of living in Paris, I avoided these two monuments primarily for that reason. The 4th district quickly became my firm favourite for years, but has dropped to my second favourite district. It remains one of my favourite walking and drinking haunts in the City of Lights.
 Start off at the mad elbow - Le Coude Fou 12 Rue du Bourg Tibourg - 75004- TEL 01 42 77 15 16. This place is a real gem with a great choice of wines. I had my first Cote Roti in this place - Rene Rostaing and I have never looked back. They have a wonderful choice of dishes -‘cuisine familiale’- that complement the wines, or just go for a plate of charcuterie and cheese.
 After this cosy place you may want to stretch a leg a bit. In this area you won’t be short of things to do and see, as well as being the old Jewish quarter there is a thriving gay community with many bars and clubs to go to. There are also the two islands, Ile Saint Louis and Ile de la Cite. They divide the left and right banks of Paris. You will find lots of cafes and bars on the islands, particularly on the Ile Saint Louis. But the highlight is the ice cream shop Berthillon at 31 rue Saint Louis en l’Ile 75004 Paris. The sorbets here are just out of this world- but this is no secret so you may have to queue to get one of these- my favourite is passion fruit sorbet. With the ice cream in hand wander around this area for it has become fashionable all the while retaining its 18th Century outlook.
I recommend staying on the island. There are two very sweet hotels- Hotel Saint Louis- 75, Rue Saint Louis en l’ile 75004 Paris TEL 01 46 34 04 80, or the Hotel des Deux Iles 59 rue Saint Louis en I’ile, 75004 TEL 01 43 26 13 35. Both of these hotels are 3* and are absolutely charming.
 And so to dinner- if you do take my advice and stay on Ile Saint Louis then you will have an alluring walk to the restaurant- across the Marais and you will see the change from a busy daytime shopping area to a lively evening hangout for Parisians and tourists alike. It makes the transition without hesitation, have a quick aperitif at Le Petit Fer a Cheval 28 Rue Vieille du Temple TEL 01 42 72 47 47. Try to get a table on the terrace because this is well worth it. Watch the world go by while getting your appetite back after that ice cream. There is a stunning bar in the shape of a horse shoe (thus the name) and the toilets are alone worth a visit. I’ll say no more...
It will take you fifteen minutes- walk towards the Pompidou Centre- which is one of Paris’ finest museums for modern art. I am not sending you to the museum but the restaurant at the top- Chez Georges TEL 01 44 78 48 93.
Don’t turn up without a reservation- you’d get one of those famous wry Parisian looks- a table here without booking ‘vous etes fou’ (are you mad). However it’s all worth it- the view alone is spectacular; the modern décor is stunning- with some surprisingly personal touches- fresh roses on the tables- and wonderful lighting. Although this is a large space it appears intimate creating a really romantic setting. Chez Georges has been open for a while now, but it hasn’t lost any of its freshness. This isn’t traditional French food- it is modern with some Thai influences. It has a real buzz about it and you’ll find the ‘beau monde’- the beautiful people, all without losing sight of the fact that this is a great restaurant with attention to detail in the food and service.
Imo
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