In Paris, The first thing I notice is the little row of classic French novels on the taxi floor, just behind the two front seats. 
A taxi with a library. Nice. 
The driver asks if I know Paris well and I say not that well, in my simple French. 
She swings past Notre Dame Cathedral and I tell her I am reading Victor Hugo\xE2€[TM]s novel about its hunchback, which is surprising me.
 \xE2€oePourquoi surpris,\xE2€ she asks, wondering why I\xE2€[TM]m surprised and sensing a conversation forming. 
We discuss how the book is more about French history and the cathedral\xE2€[TM]s architecture than simply the storyline with which one is so familiar from that old black- and-white film. 
Hugo wrote the book to bring public awareness to the building and thus rally support to prevent its proposed demolition. It is a wonderful encounter in a taxi.
By contrast, at the Palace of Versailles the next day, I am horrified that the French have invited British artist Anish Kapoor to ruin this beautiful place (and the artwork of the landscapers and architects) with inappropriate art installations that ruin the balance and design of all the splendour that is Versailles. 
It really is disgustingly intrusive. 
Forget the Palace of Versailles while his artwork is there \xE2€" if you want to see a beautiful palace, ditch France and head to the Schonbrunn Palace near Vienna, featured recently in these pages.
I have been in Paris twice in recent weeks and last Saturday in our Travel supplement wrote about the precarious business of speaking French to the French. It brought quite a response from readers.
Glennys Kirk writes: \xE2€oeLoved your article on the French language. It struck a chord with me. Touring through France in 2013, our coach party stopped for morning tea. Feeling quite proud of being able to progress to the next level of communication and after  the usual \xE2€˜bonjour\xE2€[TM],\xE2€ I added \xE2€˜Comment allez-vous\xE2€[TM] (How are you).
\xE2€oeThe young man behind the counter then told me at great length and with great fluency.\xE2€
Glennys says: \xE2€oePerhaps it was as well that I just said \xE2€˜Bon\xE2€[TM] faintly, and moved on.\xE2€
And reader Ron Jarvis recalls that, years ago while holidaying in France, \xE2€oewe also had trouble with the French not understanding us. 
\xE2€oeJudy had five years of high- school French. I had had three. But tell them \xE2€˜Je suis Australian\xE2€[TM] and it was an immediate understanding. 
\xE2€oeThey at first mistake you for British and do not co-operate as they still hate them. Australians they understand, albeit (in) English or French.\xE2€
Join Stephen Scourfield in France with his full picture gallery, online at thewest.com.autravel.