If you're a design lover like me, head to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs on rue de Rivoli (opposite the Louvre). This small museum is full of gorgeous furniture, art, crafts and decorative interiors, each rich with history. After seeing a wrought iron candelabra in one of the Musee's beautiful period rooms, months later I found a tabletop model of the same design at a brocante just west of Paris. Turns out my candlestick - like the one in the museum - is 17th-century and worth a mint! The museum also has a fantastic bookshop, with design and art books from around the world. And the gift shop features everything from silver jewelry to handbags to felt hats to porcelain to smooth sculptures, hand-crafted by modern artists, but inspired by centuries past.