15th Arrondissement - Vaugirard: Paris

The true charms of the 15th, with a population of 230,000 people the largest of all Parisian arrondissements, are largely hidden in its deep interiors while tourists only come here to nibble at its edges. Visitors flock to the extreme south of the arrondissement near the Porte de Versailles: for the annual agricultural show. Or to the futuristic row of hotels alongside the Seine in the west (more Blade Runner than Amelie Poulain): to sleep. And to the Heliport de Paris in the southwest: to fly away.

Away from its western and southern fringes, however, along Rue de la Convention and Rue Vaugirard, the 15th is a haven of petit bourgeois respectability. Not the most exciting of the Parisian arrondissements, admittedly, but perhaps the perfect antidote after an overdose of hip and cool down Boulevard Barbès and the Canal Saint Martin.

Personally, I would recommend a visit to the enchanted artists' colony of La Ruche at the Passage de Dantzig, followed by a stroll through the neighbouring Parc Georges Brassens and a leisurely lunch at the Belier d'Argent just opposite where they serve the best warm salads in all of Paris. Just do it like the locals of the 15th: take it easy!