8 a.m. Leave your suitcase at the airport locker, buy an Octopus Card (prepaid card, ideal for transport) at the Airport Express or MTR counter and hop on the Airport Express.
9 a.m. Direction Sheung Wan, the local Marais, with small houses full of traditional shops and designers. We browse humorous porcelain at Loveramics (37, Tung Street) and local design at Konzepp (50, Tung Street) with its canary yellow storefront. We follow Hollywood Road, lined with antique shops, to n° 124-126, to enter the incense-scented Man Mo Temple.
1 p.m. Lunch at the Yardbird (33-35, Bridges Street), a yakitori with a New York atmosphere. Then, stroll through the narrow streets on a human scale.
4 p.m. Aboard the mythical Star Ferry, we reach the Tsim Sha Tsui district for a stroll on the Avenue of Stars then a walkabout on Nathan Road, the local Champs-Élysées. We rave about the trinkets (Mao and Co watches) and accessories (many copies) sold for a few yen at the Ladies Market and other nearby markets.
8 p.m. The choice is yours:snack on a corner of the table at the market or enjoy a fine dish at the Hutong (8/F, One Peking Road Tsim Sha Tsui), in a North China atmosphere. Mandarin seats and yesterday's red lanterns face the Hong Kong skyline, including the luxurious Mandarin Oriental hotel (www.mandarinoriental.com).
10 p.m. Two options:go up in the clouds, on the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton, at Ozone (ICC, 1 Austin Road West), the highest bar in the world, or opt for Salon n° 10 (10, Arbuthnot Road) in the neighborhood from Central. Its improbable decoration is an encounter between customs officer Rousseau, Captain Nemo, E.T. and Gaudi.
10 a.m. We take the tram which climbs on a slope of 4° to 27°. Vertigo from the heights:the city appears draped in lush vegetation floating above the sea.
12 p.m. We come back down to earth but not for long:tea and dim sum at the Lock Cha Tea House (K.S. Lo Gallery, Hong Kong Park) take us to paradise.
3 p.m. Head to 27th Heaven for a divine foot massage at 10 Feet Tall (27th Floor, 139 Queen's Road) in Central. Pure happiness!
4 p.m. Hop! A taxi to Wan Chai, another nice shopping district. The crush? Kapok (5, St Francis Yard), a concept store with cutting-edge local and international products. Have a drink at Tai Lung Fung (5, Hing Wan Street) in a pretty Asian vintage decor or nibble a bite at Ted's Lookout (17A, Moon Street).
7 p.m. On the way to the airport!
Flights. Cathay Pacific and Qantas offer a stop-over (stay 24 hours or more on a layover at no extra charge) in Hong Kong on the outward or return journey.
Hotels. In Tsim Sha Tsui, the Hop Inn on Hankow. Tiny, the rooms (sometimes windowless) are signed by artists. At Mid-Level, the Bishop Lei International House is run by the Catholic Diocese.
Info. O T of Hong-Kong:01 42 65 66 64, www.hongkongtourisme.fr. And The Mustache guide to Hong Kong:www.moustachehongkong.com.
