For too many years inept Mayors of Paris have spent their time doodling as other world class cities have roared ahead with new museums, galleries, transport infrastructure et al. I mean how do you spend allegedly 100 million euros on Gare du Nord - it's a shocking terminal and its Eurostar hub is appalling.
However, there were signs of green shoots.....
Here are five cracking restaurants to try:
Le Petit Medicis
13 rue de Medicis running alongside Luxembourg Park for a lazy lunch
Le Timbre
A cracking tiny bistro at 3 rue Sainte-Beuve but you need to book
Restaurant l'Opera
At Garnier's opus where you can sit out in the sun
Bouillon Racine
3 rue Racine where you can drink or eat in an art nouveau surrounding
and
Pompidou Centre Restaurant
On the eighth floor where again if you are lucky with the weather you can see the whole of Paris and watch some of its more illustrious members eat a late Sunday lunch......