Summer’s over, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as far as visiting Paris is concerned. August rarely finds Paris on good form. The locals have either packed their suitcases into a Citroen and patriotically headed down to the gorgeous beaches the line the coast from Brittany to Bordeaux, or else airported themselves out to exotic locations around the world. Meanwhile Euro Disney seems to have expanded its borders to encapsulate the whole capital as the tourist hordes who queue for the Eiffel Tower, or pace the corridors of Le Louvre in the hope of catching a glimpse of the world’s most over-hyped painting, give the city a distinct theme park vibe.

Autumn brings a measure of calm. Yes the locals might grumble about getting back to work, and the weather has become distinctly grey, but at least the city has been returned to its rightful owners and the daily – and nocturnal – rhythms have been restored. And for the romantic visitor there’s the splendid sight of the leaves along The Seine entering their colourful death throes. For Monika Chodakowska, this is undoubtedly the best time of the year to visit the French capital, and her photos reflect the foggy splendour of the season.