Paris was made for biking. The picturesque streets are hardly witnessed by chronic subway communters. By bike, every backend street can be reached and absorbed. Paris has the second largest “Bixi” system in the world called the vélib (the French require the word liberté everywhere). It is extremely practical. Check-in and check-out stations exist on essentially every block.

Biking on Sunday, however, was impossible. The overnight snowfall had covered Parisian streets with a beautiful but dangerously slippery blanket. Happy youngsters affectionately lobbed snowballs at each other, excited by the peculiarity Canadians know all too well. Paris is accentuated by snow. It becomes ever more romantic.

A typical travel day might begin with a breakfast of croissant, freshly squeezed orange juice and espresso, then a loosely planned bike ride that veers to your heart’s desires. On one day, I peered into the idyllic Jardin du Luxembourg, where Cosette and Marius first met eyes. Cafés with espresso machines and on-tap beer are useful when it gets too cold or for a bathroom break. I also might consult my Michelin guide for a good lunch spot. By the end, I probably have reached the outskirts of the city so I subway back to headquarters (1st Arr., my home). Repeat for afternoon/dinner.

After almost a week of this, I have travelled to most arrondissements. Paris is like an onion that grew layers through the ages. There are more or less three layers, each its own circle to resemble the walls built to protect the city from barbarian invasions. The walls are now down and replaced with boulevards, though apparently a mental wall still exists. The outer circles have not been affected as much by tourists. English becomes useless and you become surrounded by French. The shops and restaurants are more authentic. The cultural pockets are charming: the Italians in the 13th, for example.

There are more than enough sights in the city to preoccupy tourists. My best advice is to pick a few and not to try to do too much. The results of my efforts: voilà!