Perched on a high hill north of the city centre, Montmartre remains a contained and only sightly sullied throwback to a bygone era, with winding streets, ivy-clad houses with gardens, and artists'studios remaining just as you imagine they always were.

Sacré Coeur is endlessly besieged by coach tours, as is the Place du Tertre, peopled by so-called artists. But as soon as you get off the main drag, the area is surprisingly villagey. The tiny 12th-century church of St-Pierre de Montartre ranks among the oldest of the city, while the quiet streets, cafés and squares have a character quite unlike the rest of Paris.

For a total change of mood, head down to Pigalle, the area along Boulevards Clichy and Rochechouard, with the odd diversion into dimly lit streets on either side.

Tourists are still driven in to inspect the neon-lit peep shows, but Pigalle is also increasingly the centre for music, lively clubs and quirky latenight bars, as more and more of former cabarets reopen to new forms of decadence.