Paris delivers its magic through surprises good and bad, and despite hotel's bad mattresses

The things that defy expectations are the ones that make a good story. Thus in these upcoming Paris reports, you’ll find the surprises getting the most attention.

There’s the restaurant on our first night that was far more formal, expensive and gourmet than we expected. We loved it, but wished we could have prepared timing, wardrobes and budget to match its magnificence.

Crowds, poor management and a horrific modern art display at Versailles all prompted disgruntled disbelief, turning a day we thought would be our best into the nadir of the short break. On the other hand, the weather was a pleasant surprise. A forecast of consistent chill and rain was often, in reality, crisp blue skies and clement temperatures. The transformation from one state to another took place, magically, on our way up the Eiffel Tower.

My boyfriend’s much-anticipated visit to the army museum disappointed, but a last-minute pop into the church of La Madeleine left him gasping in wonder. I, never before impressed by Notre Dame … which, being very early Gothic, is dark, gloomy and squat compared to many English cathedrals … was moved to a state of reverence this time by a combination of a choir delivering an ornate accompaniment to All Saints’ Day mass, sunlight streaming through the stained glass and the sobering news of the premature death of a family friend.

One thing did, however, live exactly up to expectations, and was all the better for it. As the song says, Paris loves lovers. This was an anniversary trip, celebrating a very happy year and looking forward to more. I have been to this city many times. There’s no doubt it’s a different place when wandering hand in hand with someone special, or standing in an embrace on a darkened bridge admiring the illuminated spires of Notre Dame while the sounds of an accordion drift over the Seine.

But enough mush. You want the inside scoop on the food and travel. So let’s start out with the basics of accommodation.

We stayed in the Latin Quarter, on the Rue Des Ecoles just below the Pantheon. It’s a convenient area, jammed with great restaurants (of those, a dedicated entry to come), connecting easily to Charles de Gaulle airport via line B of the RER train and within easy walking distance of the bulk of the major tourist attractions. The trip had been a somewhat last minute decision and spanned what was a holiday weekend for most of Roman Catholic Europe, so I couldn’t get into either branch of my usual favourite, the Hotel Saint Louis (see 4.12.09), and had no luck with any other small, charming boutique hotel.

Defaulting to Expedia, we ended up at the Hotel Sully Saint Germain. Functional and adequate, though lacking the Saint Louis’ quiet elegance. The public spaces are lovely, with exposed stone walls, historic decorative touches and a pretty little courtyard kitted out with formal topiary. It out-does the St. Louis on the lift, useful for the higher floors (we were on 5) and central air conditioning (which would be great in the summer). But the rooms themselves lack charm. In ours, terra cotta coloured walls and striped fabrics were functional, but didn’t carry the promising charm of the ground floor upstairs. The bed was distinctly uncomfortable and the pillows tiny. A broken shelf in the closet and chipped enamel in the bathroom showed some wear.

For a room price of 115 euros a night, this is pretty much up to expectation. But I did find myself wondering if, at this price point and with the St. Louis again unavailable, I might get over my aversion to the big chain hotels. Their bulk provisioning might at least result in better pillows and mattresses. Charm is pointless icing on the cake without a good night’s sleep.

We arrived at 5 on a Friday afternoon, staying until 7pm on the Monday. Time for three fairly aggressive days of sightseeing, three magnificent dinners and more than 30 miles of walking. It’s enough to feel like you’ve had a good break, and to tick off a number of the key sites. Staying much longer would, to be honest, risk serious crowd fatigue and break the bank on food and admissions expenditures.

Starting tomorrow, four entries: three on sightseeing, one on our culinary adventures. Read on.