This year, instead of doing my Christmas shopping in Glasgow, I decided to visit Paris. Alone. I needed to maximise my shopping time and minimise the time away from my family, so I booked a Ryanair flight and hotel room for one night and sent my family off to school and work. After a train ride to Prestwick airport, I soon arrived at Beauvais. A quick bus ride later and I was in Paris, alone and charged with the responsibility that everyone at home expected the best presents ever.
I checked into my hotel (Golden Tulip Le Pera), within sight of 'Les Grands Magasins' and set off in search of lunch, which I found at Galleries Lafayette in the form of a perfect salad Niçoise, then on to the shop floor. First stop was the toy department for cuddly tigers and purple bears, next the perfume hall for glamour in a bottle. Oh, the joy of buying 10 little gifts and having them all beautifully wrapped at no charge. Next Printemps, for an unexpected treasure trove of unusual gifts, hairclips with blinking eyes, feather duster pens, silver cocktail sticks and now very sore feet!
My meal at the hotel that night was superb: salad, grilled chicken and pasta, and very indulgent tarte tatin. After calling home to check all was well, I settled down in bed with the last of the wine and slept like the proverbial log.
Next morning, after a hearty breakfast, (well, food IS Paris) I set off for Place Madeleine to visit Fauchon, a shop which sells little jars of coffee, bags of fragrant herbs and tiny tins of bonbons. Next, in to the Caviar House for that special Christmas treat (expensive but divine). Last of all to the Maille Mustard shop for my husband's favourite mustard in a charming china serving pot, complete with tiny wooden spoon. Now came the real test: to see whether all of this would fit in my modest suitcase. Luckily, it did, so all packed and taxi booked, it was time for a proper Parisian lunch. Just round the corner from the hotel nestles Le Persil Fleur, bustling with business folk and just enough lone lady diners to make me feel comfortable. The food was sublime and the service perfect.
Back home, the verdict on Christmas morning was a unanimous "Wow, Mum". For me, I really appreciated not having to do all that wrapping, (I'm a demon with sticky tape) but my post-Christmas diet had to start a little early!
Audrey Burns visited Paris in December 2001
