Paris is a place to connect with the great traditions of jewellery and at the heart of those traditions is Place Vendome. I thought it might be helpful for jewellery aficianados visiting Paris to offer a short guide to some of the great jewellery houses there.

Let’s begin, facing north, at the cross roads of rue Castiglione and rue du Faubourg St Honore, looking towards Vendome, rue de la Paix and the Opera House. On the corner is Guerlain’s flagship, pop in for a few sprays of their limited edition perfumes on the counter on the left to fortify yourself for the trials ahead and then off we go. Immediately on your right on the corner of Castiglione and Vendome is Buccellatti, the great Italian jeweller covered in an earlier article. Don’t miss the fabulously crafted silver animals. The octopus has been replaced in the window for now by an amazing silver boar. But it’s the rings and pendants that will take your breath away. Buccellatti is about fine workmanship rather than huge stones. The work may be too ornate for some but I love it for what it is.

Turning right on to Vendome, don’t miss Breuget, one of the pioneers of the wristwatch. Amongst Breuget’s early clients were Marie Antoinette and Napoleon. Breuget is now owned by Swatch but don’t let that put you off. There are watches of great complexity and stunning simplicity. At a price of course. A Patek Phillipe boutique is just alongside so you can compare easily.

Back to jewellery next with Chanel, although there are also some special versions of Chanel’s watches. For me the main draw is the amazing brightly coloured cocktail rings.

A good warm up for the glories of Van Cleef and Arpel’s flagship store, followed by Boucheron. I particularly like Boucheron’s woven gold scarf sprinkled with small diamonds. But diamonds, seriously big diamonds, are the major key here.

This will bring you on to the corner of rue de la Paix. You should then cross over, because a series of jewellers of greater or lesser renown will take up towards the original Cartier store. The lovely gemmologist M Paul Bassene is in charge of the fine jewellery there. If you want to make him smile then ask him about his ostrich farm – no, really – his personal passion aside from great jewellery.

After your exertions you have a wide choice of options to eat, drink and recuperate. Here are some ideas:

For something inexpensive and informal, turn off rue de la Paix on to rue Casanova and walk towards the Palais Royal and the numerous sushi and noodle restaurants on the way.

Join the tourists – nothing wrong in that – at the cafe de la Paix opposite the Opera House or in the bar at the Ritz on Place Vendome. Both are worth doing at least once.

If you want a sense of slightly edgy glamour and a fashion crowd – think Jimmy Choo, Gucci and Russians – then it’s back on to rue du Faubourg St Honore, turn right and off to Hotel Costes, the original boutique hotel. You can always come here for a cocktail before eating somewhere else.

For fine dining, there is the very discreet Carre des Feuillants restaurant in an enclosed courtyard off rue Castiglione. The set weekday lunch with wine is tremendous value (about 85 Euros a head) for what it is and where it is in Paris. If you want to stray more adventurously a la carte on food and wine or go for dinner, then be prepared to pay rather (well, an awful lot) more.

Finally, if you can’t make your mind up, then turn left on rue du Faubourg St Honore and march the short distance to Marche St Honore. Eat oysters and other seafood at the L’Ecume St Honore crab shack and fishmongers or window shop the numerous restaurants, cafes and bars until something takes your fancy.