It might be the dreamy architecture, the intimate bistros or secluded gardens - whatever the reason, Paris sets hearts aflutter like nowhere else. Book a hotel in romantic Paris to see why it's called the City of Love.Cobblestone backstreets and lamp-lit stairways wind up to the top of Montmartre, one of the most bewitching districts in Paris. Seek out the area’s two remaining windmills – Moulin de la Galette and Moulin du Radet – and the last vineyard in Paris for a taste of the countryside in the city.
Montmartre Website (www.montmartrenet.com)
As twilight turns to night and the lights across the city sparkle, the panoramic views of Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower are made for sharing. Stay on for dinner at Jules Verne, the tower’s second-floor restaurant, for a candle-lit meal to remember.
Champs de Mars, 75007
Jules Verne Website (www.lejulesverne-paris.com)
On the Left Bank of the River Seine, the Rodin Museum has a special place in visitors’ hearts. Perhaps it’s the 19th-century sculptor’s renowned marble The Kiss, or that Rodin’s Paris hôtel particulier (grand private home) has one of the most tranquil gardens in the city.
Hôtel Biron, 79 rue de Varenne, 75007
Rodin Museum Website (www.musee-rodin.fr)
There’s an audible gasp as visitors emerge from the stone stairwell into the shimmering light of Louis IX’s 12th-century chapel. On the Île de la Cité island in the River Seine, the chapel is made almost entirely of stained glass, and the effect of sunlight filtering through the soaring windows’ jewel-box colors is pure magic.
4 boulevard du Palais, 75001
Sainte-Chapelle Website (http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr/en)
Pack a picnic and spend the day in the woodlands of the Bois de Boulogne on the western edge of Paris. Walk hand-in-hand through the Bagatelle rose garden, hire rowing boats or bicycles, or watch the horse races at Longchamp.
Time seems to stand still when you enter the two oval rooms lined with Monet’s ethereal water lily paintings. The rooms were specially designed by Monet to display his luminous masterpieces.
Tuileries Gardens, 75001
Orangerie Museum Website (www.musee-orangerie.fr)
The final resting place of famous Parisians, this cemetery in the eastern Paris quarter of Ménilmontant is crammed with angels and obelisks. Tree-lined avenues lead to the graves of songbird Edith Piaf, writer Colette and, of course, two of history’s most famous lovers, Abélard and Hélöise.
boulevard de Ménilmontant, 75020
Père Lachaise Cemetery Website (www.pere-lachaise.com)
Cruising the River Seine is an essential romantic Paris experience – especially at sunset. Paris lights up its monuments and bridges at night, and the riverboats are glass-lined for 360-degree views.
Bateaux Mouches Website (www.bateaux-mouches.fr)
Romantic couples and lovers of French cuisine can’t resist dining at this Michelin-starred restaurant near the Louvre, with its chandeliers, velvet banquettes and gilt panels. It’s predictably pricey, but as in many top Parisian restaurants, the lunchtime menu is a cheaper option. Book well in advance.
17 rue de Beaujolais, 75001
Grand Véfour Website (www.grand-vefour.com)
The Latin Quarter’s medieval cellars are dimly lit and moody - a perfect location for one of Paris’ oldest jazz clubs. Grab a seat at underground Caveau de la Huchette, in business since 1946, and dance together to swing or big band jazz.
5 rue de la Huchette, 75005
Caveau de la Huchette Website (www.caveaudelahuchette.fr)
