As people become increasingly conscious of their carbon footprint, a Eurostar trip to Paris leaves the skies and the conscience clear. Mark Pratt gets onboard.

PARIS may not be the obvious choice when thinking of a green holiday destination, but in recent years the city has been a perfect example of a careful, ecologically-aware city.

And with the Eurostar train service to the capital so convenient for people in the North-East, a trip to the romantic capital of Europe makes even more eco sense.

All Eurostar passenger journeys are carbon neutral – at no extra cost to the traveller. And with the East Coast Main Line cutting straight through our region, making the Eurostar connection is a breeze. On arriving at King’s Cross station, a few hundred yards walk lands you at the check-in desk at St Pancras. No need for three-hour advance arrivals here.

The station has the perks of dutyfree shopping without the tension often felt in airports. Those on business trips should persuade their bosses that the first-class lounge is worth the extra to arrive bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

The trip through the tunnel is surprisingly relaxing. The quality of food is good and the extra leg room and fixed table (as opposed to flimsy foldaway flight ones) are most welcome.

The final advantage to letting the train take the strain is felt on arriving in Paris. There is no need to traipse in from the capital’s outskirts.

The Gard du Nord station is smack bang in the city centre.

My usual first point of call when taking my children to a new city is to jump on the open-top bus that almost every city seems to have nowadays.

It offers a brief glimpse of all the city can offer before committing yourself to which attractions should make it onto the agenda.

Paris boasts a fun, green alternative to these fuel-guzzling doubledeckers, with its personalised carbon- neutral guides in the form of the Cyclobulle.

Cyclobulles resemble a Little Tykes Cosy car, with the driver using pedal power assisted by a kind of dynamo.

While your guide cycles through the streets of Paris, pointing out attractions on the way, two or three passengers can sit back in relative comfort, free to ask questions or request a stop for photo opportunities.

The busy capital’s traffic stops to make way for chauffeur-ridden tourists, either through courtesy or maybe they are simply bemused at the spectacle.

In the UK, when people consider a bed and breakfast holiday, it is usually in a bid to keep the costs down.

In Paris, B&B is not a particularly cheap option, but is worthy of consideration.

There is no better way to experience the culture of a nation than living with its people.

The Paris-based programme, Meeting The French, offers tourists the opportunity to do just that. It specialises in creative tours and activities to discover French lifestyle, culture, gastronomy, arts and crafts.

Parisians are a friendly bunch, and the French have quite a different attitude to life than the average Brit.

Houses are often passed down from generation to generation with extended family living together in the same building. If a three-day week will pay the bills why work four? A much healthier outlook than our own perhaps.

As with any capital city, Paris can be expensive, but with proper planning this does not need to break the bank.

One treat well worth the money is a trip to Les Ombres restaurant. Situated on a museum rooftop opposite the Eiffel Tower, it’s easy to see why this has been the site for many proposals of marriage. When the tower lights up at 10pm there can’t be many more magical places to be. The food is exquisite, the service highly polished and the setting unbeatable.

The bill will be no more than a night in a Paris pub, but the experience is far more memorable.

WE stayed in the four-star Meridian Etoile, near the Champs-Elysees, which is the only hotel in Paris to have been recognised with the Clef Verte French environmental standard. It strives to ensure all of the food is grown within 100km of the table where it is served and the chef has reason to be proud of his imaginative and healthy menu.

The Lounge of the Jazz Club Etoile is celebrating 30 years of welcoming the best live performers to its stage.

Since its inception, internationally celebrated jazz musicians such as BB King, Cab Calloway, Fats Domino, and Count Basie have performed at the club. But at 27 euros a pint, I just had to take their word for it that there’s a great night to be had there.

The fast-flow nature of capital cities anywhere can be stressful, but by letting the train take the strain, you are left in a relaxed state of mind to enjoy what this exceptional capital has to offer. I’d give it a Euro-five-star.

Travel facts

Mark travelled with National Express East Coast from Darlington to connect with Eurostar at St Pancras.

Advance fares to many European destinations offer discounts, with a guarantee that if trains via London are delayed, you can travel on the next available service.

Book via nationalexpresseastcoast.com call 08457-225-225 or visit a staffed rail station.

Throughfares enable travellers from UK regions to book tickets from their railway station to Paris and 75 connecting destinations across France and to any station in Belgium.

Throughfares from Darlington to Paris with Eurostar and National Express East Coast start from £81 standard return.

Contact eurostar.com or 08705-186-186 or nationalexpresseastcoast.com or 08457-225-225.

Mark stayed at the Meridian Etoile. starwoodhotels.com