Paris has had its fair share of trauma over the last year but this did not prevent my family and I from visiting this city brimming with vitality and culture in March this year.

“An artist has no home in Europe except in Paris.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

This was to be a family break spent partly in the centre of Paris and culminating with an adrenalin filled last few days in Disneyland Paris with the children.

However, not wanting to miss an opportunity to document our well-earned break, I made sure I was armed with my camera wherever we went.

From the iconic Eiffel Tower dominating the Parisian skyline, to mingling with the artisan residents of Montmartre sharing their artistic creations to the heaving tourist mass, this eclectic scenery epitomises the French character.

Made famous by movies and musicals, the historical gothic Notre Dame cathedral offers a classic low light interior steeped in history. Climb the narrow stairs to the large open air walkway twisting around the main tower, you are presented with views along the River Seine and across the Parisian roof tops.

Beneath the bustling city a labyrinth of tunnels forms the metro system that shuttles Parisians and tourists alike to destinations far and wide.

There are so many sights and sounds of Paris to write about but I hope that the selection of images I have captured and shared with you will convey the very essence of what it is to be a Parisian.