Forget the Emily in Paris fantasy tour, it’s not a patch on the life I live here

Best-selling American author says the new Netflix-endorsed city break doesn't show the best features of her adopted home - free preschool, university and healthcare

The news flashed up like a red beret: Netflix has endorsed a real-life Emily in Paris-themed trip to the French capital, based on its hit TV show. The four-night visit includes a masterclass on the art of flirting" (taught by a woman meant to resemble Emily's cruel-but-sexy boss); a lesson on baking pain au chocolat; optional runs along the Seine, like Emily takes in the series; and many evening aperos.

There is no shortage of Emily-themed activities in Paris. The tourist office publishes its own guide to destinations from the show, and there are dozens of unofficial tours (several warn participants not to attempt their three-hour walks wearing stilettos). Last autumn I attended an American's Emily-themed bar mitzvah here; the party T-shirt had stars of David inserted into the cross-hatches of the Eiffel Tower.