A grey, slightly chilly March morning was a perfect backdrop for some wandering around Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis. I love Paris, and maybe it’s unfair to say this given how spectacularly beautiful Paris is, but those two islands and the views from both are, for me, quintessential Paris. So this will be a bit of a love letter in photographic form to the Seine and one of my favourite locations in the city of lights.

Love letter might be the right term – especially on the Pont Neuf where so many have placed a “love lock” on this bridge.

And a closer look. I love the feelings Paris makes people feel

Notre-Dame Cathedral is another place that evokes deep feelings.

On a dreary March morning, even I, a non-believer, feel something standing here among the whispers and hushed sounds.

The beauty isn’t limited to the inside. I could spend hours looking up at the gothic architecture and the jagged angles set off against the stark sky.

I left the church and crossed over Pont Saint-Louis. Just on the other side, Notre Dame still dominates the view.

Away from the tourist crowds around the cathedral, things get quiet very quickly over here, especially on a mid-week March day. It felt like I had this island to myself.

Now that I live in the Paris of the Prairies, the bridges over the Seine drew more of my attention on this visit. I admit to initially laughing at the moniker Saskatoon has drawn, but it’s really not too far off.

Perhaps it is an odd feature of Île de la Cité to love as much as I do, but I think the Cité metro station is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen in any city I have visited. The curve, the lights and the tranquility of the platforms remind me that Paris is gorgeous even underground.