Where were you born?

Enghien-les-Bains, near Paris.

Where do you live?

In Paris, the 11th arrondissement.

What’s best about your neighbourhood?

It’s like a little village and it’s not overcrowded.

If money was no object, where would you live?

In Paris, but I would also have a loft in New York, an apartment in London and a house in Italy so that I could move easily depending on my mood or my jobs.

Which are your favourite Paris stores?

Chez Chiffons on rue de Lancry, a small vintage shop; Bubble Wood, a very cool street-rock concept store in the Marais on rue Elzevir; Artazart, a nice design bookstore on the quai de Valmy.

And your favourite restaurants?

Takara on rue Molière, the oldest traditional Japanese restaurant in town; Chez Flottes, a typical Art Nouveau brasserie on rue Cambon, near rue Saint-Honoré; La Briciola on rue Charlot; Maria Luisa on rue Marie et Louise; and La Pharmacie on rue Jean-Pierre Timbault, a cute 19th-century pharmacy where you can have a nice brunch, tea or dinner.

Can you recommend any local dishes to try?

Probably a lentil-foie gras soup and a croque monsieur or a croque madame with French fries.

Do you have a favourite local café or bar?

The Pop In on rue Amelot for good indie-rock music and concerts; the Zelda, a brand new bar on rue Bichat, and Stolly’s in the Marais with its little terrace.

Where do you take out-of-town friends?

I like to show them the invisible little spots you could easily miss, like the Marché des Enfants Rouges on rue de Bretagne, and little secret gardens or unknown streets.

Do you have a favourite Paris walk?

Yes, I do, along the canal Saint-Martin.

Which is the best attraction in Paris?

A day in Montmartre: the Sacré Coeur, the stairs, the absurd lift, the incredible view, the carousel and, just near by, the place du Tertre, the Moulin Rouge and the Dalí museum.

Which do you think is the best museum in Paris?Beaubourg, for four reasons: the exhibitions, the library, the bookshop and the terrace.

Which Parisian do you most admire?

If Paris is a woman, Sarah Bernhardt, Gabrielle Chanel, Jeanne Moreau, Leonor Fini. If Paris is a man, Serge Gainsbourg, Boris Vian, Yves Saint Laurent.

Any advice for visitors?

Don’t follow the crowd, don’t schedule your day because you will miss all the magic. Never forget your umbrella but forget about your high heels.

What can’t you live without?

Clichéd but true: coffee and cigarettes!