Holiday of Champions

This season's Champions' League may have only just got underway but some fans will already have their eye on the final next May. This season the honour of hosting the biggest game in club football has been bestowed upon Paris. Poor consolation for missing out on the Olympics it may be but the Champions' League final is still a massive sporting event.

Just ask the hoteliers of Istanbul where last season's final between AC Milan and Liverpool was held. When a major football match comes to town most are guaranteed a full house – and in many cases at recently adjusted room rates.

Tickets are already available for the final even though the group stage of the competition has not yet been completed. Aimed mainly at hospitality clients tickets start at €750 meaning that you would not only have to be a very committed fan, but also a rather confident one - even more confident than The Special One himself, Jose Mourinho, who will be expecting his team Chelsea to be turning out at the Stade de France.

British hopes of a place in the final are not however limited to the Premiership champions. Perennial Champions' League underachievers Arsenal, 1999 winners Manchester United, current holders Liverpool and Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers are all fighting it out for a place in the knockout stages.

If a British team does make the final on May 17th, Paris will take a sudden leap up list of most popular short break destinations. The promise of traditional French cuisine, riverside walks and a tour of Le Louvre might not be what most football fans normally look for when choosing a short break. Cheap flights and late online bookings mean that a few days away to watch a top European game is easier than ever, but Barcelona v Real Madrid or the Milan derby would likely come ahead of Paris St Germain v Lyon.

But all that will change next May when fans from the top two clubs in Europe this season descend on the French capital. As well as a chance to see their teams in action these loyal supporters will have a chance to take in one of the most famous cities on earth.

After travelling by train, plane or car and paying double the normal price for a hotel, the cost of a beer at a Parisian cafe will not seem quite so painful. For the British fan there will be a chance to experience first hand this cafe culture that politicians talk about when they bemoan binge drinking.

Paris is very proud of its food and with good reason. Visitors to the French capital can enjoy some top local eateries along with international cuisine, with prices to meet most budgets.

Culture is another area in which Paris is happy to blow its own trumpet. Le Louvre is one of the most famous gallery/museums in the world, featuring the work of eminent artists including Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

May is in fact a great time to visit Paris, as you avoid the sweltering temperatures of the summer months. Thanks to the Eurostar getting there has never been easier. London Waterloo to the heart of the French capital now takes less than three hours.

Look for cheap flights to Paris today and enjoy the beautiful game in style.