In making a list of things to do and things to look for in Paris, it occurred to me that I had to say something about the magic. Real magic. Most people don't talk about it explicitly. But the fact is, that if you are open to it, Paris will reward you with a piece of magic. This may come in the form of a rainbow on the hill at Montmartre, a chance meeting with the mayor, street art that smiles at you, a cloudburst that puts you next to a pleasant stranger, a sentimental object at the flea market, a free cluster of daffodils or muguets de bois, or a stunning snowfall as you walk home from the Garnier. For you, the visitor, or for you, the Paris resident, real magic is a daily possibility. Only the hardest hearts are immune.
