My Paris by Sam Taylor-Johnson via Conde Nast Traveller

What galleries do you love?

'I recently saw the Van Gogh exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay. It was so interesting because it challenged many misconceptions about the artist. At the same museum, I always go to look at The Origin of The World by Gustave Courbet. It is a painting of a vagina, and is so simple and sensual yet so powerful. At the Louvre, I like to see Géricault's epic The Raft of Medusa.'

What are your favourite films shot in Paris?

'Les Amants du Pont-Neuf because it's so evocative and, at the other extreme, Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris for its Americanised view of the city.'

Ideas for a long weekend?

'Whenever my husband Aaron and I visit, we rent Vélib' bikes and go through Saint-Germain and along the Seine. Once, we crossed unwittingly between a set of barriers and fourn ourselves on the Tour de France route. We had to make a quick exit. The perfect weekend would be to stay at The Ritz. I also like L'Hôtel, where Oscar Wilde spent his last days. Then dinner at Le Voltaire, shopping at lingerie store Fifi Chachnil; Sunday brunch at Café de Flore. Chez Georges is a favourite for escargots and frites. When I became pregnant with my daughter, Wylda, I had a craving for snails and still do.'

Where do you like to shop?

'Céline, Isabel Marant, APC, Chanel on rue Cambon and the many boutiques along the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. I know the flea markets are meant to be incredible but I never visit them. I've a phobia of clutter and piles of dusty stuff. I always go to a pharmacy and stock up on Marvis toothpaste and homeopathic remedies you can't find anywhere else.'

What do you think of Parisian style?

'I don't dress differently in Paris but I definitely take a second look before I leave my hotel room. There is such fashion awareness in the city. The modernity and hand-in-pocket nonchalance that Coco Chanel made her own really does permeate the look.'

What sums up the city for you?

'The majestic Haussmann boulevards, the soft light cast from the sandstone buildings and the languid atmosphere and pace of life. The Eiffel Tower is a monumental piece of engineering and the way the lights change throughout the year is magical. It is Paris.'