(18 Rue Flatters, 5th. Tel. 01 4535 1127) Authentic Vietnamese cuisine made with only the freshest ingredients, served in a bright and colourful dining room on the edge of the Latin Quarter. Expect a friendly welcome by the young owner, who took over the legendary, yet humble, restaurant from her parents four years ago. Open for lunch and dinner.

  (67 Rue de Lancy, 10th. Tel. 01 4803 1734) This tiny and funky little wine bar is a longtime favourite with bourgeois bohemians of the Canal St-Martin. Reserve a table in the packed dining room, where you can browse the wines lining the walls or watch your dinner of foie gras, roasted rabbit, or lentil-and-ham stew being prepared in the open kitchen.

  (49 Rue Pierre Charron, 8th. Tel. 01 5836 5836) If you’re dressed to the nines and looking to mingle with the trendy jetset, book a table overlooking the vertical gardens of this hip boutique hotel off the Champs-Elysées. The Franco-Asian fusion cuisine is dotted with anomalies like the Pershing Cheeseburger, and served with a heavy dose of techno lounge tunes.

  (84 Rue de Varenne, 7th . Tel. 01 4551 4733) Chef Alain Passard’s cuisine is practically vegetarian, with a few fish and chicken dishes thrown in for the carnivores. The vegetables are stars here, shipped into Paris daily from the chef’s own organic farm in the country. The décor is low-key and contemporary, keeping the spotlight on the plate. Closed on the weekend.

  (7 Rue Quincampoix, 4th. Tel. 01 4278 2350) An eclectic bar decorated with funky flea-market finds, on a quiet street around the corner from the Pompidou Centre. L’Imprévu is an ideal place to while away the afternoon with a book and a glass of wine or happy-hour cocktails with friends.

  (Quai François Mauriac, 13th. Tel. 01 4349 6868) This wayward Chinese junk moored at the foot of the François Mitterrand National Library is one of the more famous music peniches on the Seine, formerly known as La Guinguette Pirate. In 2008 it celebrates its 30th anniversary with an eclectic programme of world music, jazz, folk and blues. Parisians of all ages come to dance on the swaying boat.

  (16 Rue Pot de Fer, 5th. Tel. 01 4587 3443) Clearly targeting the young and lively expatriate crowd, this South-African owned bar (a shebeen was a clandestine bar under Apartheid) has a trendy purple-and-white décor, open mic nights and live bands, sports on the satellite TV, and regular soirées packed into a pint-sized pub.

  (109 Rue Oberkampf, 11th. Tel. 01 4357 5740) Tucked behind the Café Charbon, this futuristic club hosts live rock concerts, turning more into a DJ club with electronic music from about midnight. Its low entry fees keep it one of the most popular venues in this laid-back East Paris district. Sneakers and designer T-shirts are more common than bling.

Looking for authentic vintage threads without the hefty price tag? Check out Casablanca, a large vintage clothing boutique located in the down-to-earth Oberkampf district. Designs range from the Roaring Twenties to the 60s, with menswear as well (17 Rue Moret, 11th. Tel. 01 4357 1012).

The legendary jazz venue Duc des Lombards has reopened its doors with a new look. On Saturday and Sunday, jazz fans get in free after midnight for the Autour d’un Piano improv sessions (42 Rue des Lombards, 1st. Tel. 01 4233 2288).

Montmartre (18th) is the area of winding, cobblestoned streets of Paris’ steepest hill, lined with alternative clothing boutiques, tiny bars, and monuments to the heyday of Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec. Most tourists crowd onto the tacky Place du Tertre, but the virtually empty streets behind Sacré Coeur Basilica hide some charming architecture, the old Lapin Agile cabaret, and even the Montmartre vineyard. Take the little white sightseeing train if you have bad knees!

Foire de Paris is the biggest fair of the year, taking place from 30 April-12 May at the Paris Expo, with more than 2,000 stands, including the popular food and wine hall, and Concour Lépine showcasing the winners and runners-up of the famous new invention contest (Porte de Versailles. www.foiredeparis.fr, French only).

 – See spring come alive in the Parisian countryside with a day cruise along the bucolic Marne River, home to the historic guinguette dance halls. Canauxrama (www.canauxrama.com) departs at 9am on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from the Porte de l’Arsenal (Metro Bastille), with a stop for lunch—bring a picnic or try one of the riverside cafés (Tel. 01 4239 1500).

La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, was written as a marching song for soldiers in Strasbourg. The song was sung by soldiers as they marched from Marseille to Paris at the outset of the French Revolution, and quickly adopted by the people as the call to arms. It became the official anthem in 1879.