"4 Years living in Paris...not" Vincennes by dollfaced

When people visit me, they think I live in Paris. Actually, I live in a suburb very close to the South East side of Paris, called Vincennes. However, since it takes me less time to get to the centre of Paris than it does some Parisians, so I just tell people I live in Paris, to save confusion.

France is divided into regions, then departments. Vincennes (and Paris) are in Ile de France region, but are in different departments. Vincennes is in Val de Marne. It's such a small geographical difference, but in terms of bureaucracy (and we have a lot of that), there are differences.

But enough of the geography lesson. What makes Vincennes a great place to live in?

Vincennes has two main claims to fame: the castle and the wood.

The castle was bult in medieval times, around 1300 I believe, and has been added to many times over the years, so that the front looks Medieval and the back like a mini Versailles. There's not a whole lot to see inside, but it's still a pleasure to walk past a pretty castle on your way to the Metro and eat a sandwich on the drawbridge.

Behind the castle is the massive Bois de Vincennes, one of the two major wooded parks outside Paris (the other is the Bois de Boulogne, but we Vincennois don't really care for that one). There are wide grassy fields, football pitches, baseball diamonds, tennis courts and cricket grounds. There are lakes and ponds, ice cream sellers and shady bike paths. It's a wonderful place to stroll or roller skate around. There's also one of France's biggest hippodromes for racing fans.

Vincennes has a great main street (rue du Midi), with all the food stores people in rainy English towns dream of: great bakers and patisseries, buchers being harangued by housewives over the price of a veal's foot, cheese shops, greengrocers, and the venerable institution that is the traiteur (like a deli, but with home-cooked meals you can take home, much nicer than a ready meal). Also the wine shops, chocolate shops and the most beautiful florists. Everything you need for a romantic picnic in the woods!

• Pros:Compact, lively, excellent transport
• Cons:Tiny, expensive apartments
• In a nutshell:Urban French living, without the clichés