Midnight in Paris: Time Travel Not Included

Across the Seine, all of the lights

I've been back in the UK for two months now, and when I look back over my time in Paris, one moment really sticks out: my final evening. Knowing I was leaving, and having made the most of my day in Montmartre, I invited some of my favourite Parisians out for a celebratory evening. We began, late-afternoon, on Île-de-la-cité drinking something sparkley.

Île-de-la-cité is one of the two little islands in the middle of the Seine. It's home to Notre Dame de Paris and is the centre of the capital*. There is a fantastic book, The Seven Ages of Paris, that explains the history of Paris in a really great way. Thanks to this modest knowledge, when I'm there I  imagine I'm where it all started. Before Revolutions, Sieges, World Wars, Piaf, Artists and the Palme d'Or. This island really is the heart of Paris and has a magical quality, but then I'm a Paris Romantic.

So we drank above the flowing river and under the bizarrely-placed willow tree before heading off to eat in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Obviously lovely company, lovely food, lovely wine all created a perfect final night but really, it was the ending that made it so special.

Do you remember when I took a bike ride around Paris? I was desperate to cycle but afraid to go at it alone. Well I finally rented a Vélib'. The remaining three of us giddily set off searching for our rentals. In a perfect twist of fate/destiny/timing we pedaled off to la Tour Eiffel, arriving just in time for the midnight sparkles. Clichéd? Maybe. But beautiful and memorable, which is enough for me.

Christmas Trees and Giant Broccoli taking over Paris one monument at a time

 *Disney fans, can we just take a moment to remember The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Esmarelda's map necklace. Did it really take them so long to figure out that it was Paris? The thread was blue for goodness' sake. Poor effort.

DisneyLand Paris / DeeznayLond Paree

Just like real life

Depending on the day you ask, my top five Disney films are: Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Tangled, Frozen. As much as I appreciate the older classics, you can tell I was born in the 90s. The Fates were on my side last week as I met a Finnish girl who, with her annual pass, could get me into DisneyLand for the lovely little price of 21€ on Sunday. I have been to the American parks in Florida and California but it was over ten years ago and now that I am A Grown Up, it was time to relive the magic. If you are a Disney-sceptic, please be so kind as to turn back now because what follows will be unabashed enthusiasm for everything.

Monsieur Disney et Mickey Mouse

Since my friend was an expert, we had a complex plan involving Fastpasses and Tactical-Park-Moving that I've completely forgotten but that meant that we easily saw everything we wanted to, even leaving time for a leisurely cocktail. Turns out I love a good adrenaline rush and my highlights were The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and The Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. But the smaller rides are still pretty awesome with special shout-outs to the Le Carrousel de Lancelot and Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains. Just like the names of the rides, the whole park is in a mixture of French and English which was fun. The French C-3PO is pretty charming.

The perks of being A Grown Up: Disney cocktails, staying up late, last métro home

The park quietened down as it got darker so we made the most of it with a peaceful wander through La Cabane des Robinson which was the Best Tree House Ever and if they posted it on airbnb, I'd be there. It all felt so magical at night with the copious amounts of fairy lights and instrumental music. We settled down for the fireworks show. If you don't well up then your heart is frozen cold and we need to get you to Pabbie, the troll king, ASAP.

Projections! Fountains! Music! And a few explosives...