Katelyn O’Quinn strolls down the banks of the Seine chatting quietly with friends on a Sunday afternoon. She heads toward Paris’ bustling Jewish business district in Le Marais to visit the few open shops and bakeries in town. She stops on the way home to watch the famed street performers. These are just a few experiences O’Quinn would like to relive if she wins a contest for a free trip to Paris for New Year’s. “I love the culture,” O’Quinn said. “I love the people. And I have some friends I’d love to visit.”The Yves Saint Laurent Experience Parisienne contest promotes the company’s new fragrance, Parisienne, and rewards the winner with round-trip airfare and three nights in a hotel for two. O’Quinn is one of 10 finalists selected by “a panel of fashion and beauty experts” to compete for the trip, according to the contest Web site. The contestant with the most votes by 11:59 p.m. on Monday will win. O’Quinn, a 24-year-old French senior, said she entered the contest a few weeks ago on a whim at the suggestion of a long-time friend, who will accompany her to Paris if she wins. She was notified by e-mail she was a finalist less than two weeks ago, she said. “I thought it was a joke, so I just put something,” O’Quinn said. “I’m surprised I even typed something up.” But O’Quinn started taking the contest more seriously when she became a finalist. She now has about 5,000 votes — more than any other contestant. O’Quinn’s main competitor studies journalism at Western Washington University. As of Tuesday, “Leah S.” was trailing closely behind O’Quinn with 4,409 votes. All the other contestants have fewer than 800 votes. —————Contact Emily Holden at [email protected]