I am returning this book to the library today without having read it all. Russell writes about Paris at a different time, but it is recent enough to be interesting to me as I consider new places to explore on my next trip. I just read his chapters on the 5th and 6th - it amazes me how many places exist in one small area of a city that a traveler might never see, even after wandering through that district numerous time. I especiallly enjoyed his comments on a painting by Balthus - The Street, which is owned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It depicts an area in the 6th near rue Buci that I know well. The last chapter of this book talks about villages in l'Ile de France that were used extensively by painters. Oh to be in Paris!