Here is a complete guide on what to do in Paris for a romantic couples trip! Paris is one of the most romantic cities for couples and there are SO MANY ways to have a unique experience here whether you’re here for a romantic weekend, a first visit, or for a holiday getaway for valentine’s […]
Here is a complete guide on what to do in Paris for a romantic couples trip!
Paris is one of the most romantic cities for couples and there are SO MANY ways to have a unique experience here whether you’re here for a romantic weekend, a first visit, or for a holiday getaway for valentine’s day or Christmas (or just because!).
The French capital has tons to offer and is the perfect place to adventure and discover a new place with your partner. Let’s start with some basic recommendations… (Scroll down for our google map with all of these pinned!)
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
The Best Time for a Romantic Couples Trip to Paris
Top 5 Things to Do in Paris For Couples:
1. Hire a Professional Photographer 2. Paris Guided Art Tour for Romantic Couples Trip 3. Sunset Cruise on the Seine River in Paris 4. Watch the Eiffel Tower Sparkle 5. A Romantic Couples Picnic by the Seine River
The 7 Most Romantic Neighborhoods for a Couples Trip to Paris
A Map of Our Favorite Locations in Paris for a Rmantic Couples Trip
Book Your Paris Couples Photoshoot With Us Today!
The Best Time for a Romantic Couples Trip to Paris:
One of the best things about Paris is that it’s always a good time (rain or shine). You don’t come for the weather!!
In Winter, expect it to be cold and occasionally rainy (lots of grey skies!).
Paris in the Spring is amazing because you have all of the cherry blossoms around the city in bloom between April and May.
Summer in Paris is HOT (don’t be surprised if the apartment you’re staying in doesn’t have AC!).
Paris in the Fall is crisp and colorful. Paris can be rainy all year regardless of the season so I’d definitely recommend bringing an umbrella, however I find that as long as you’re dressed appropriately, Paris can be the most romantic city at any time. (After all it IS the city of love, haha)
TOP 5 Things to Do in Paris FOr Couples:
1. Hire a Professional Photographer
The city of light is an incredibly special place and you’ll absolutely want to take it home with you!!
We specialize in joyful, natural, and iconic portraits in Paris for people who love love!! So many of our clients say it was one of the best parts of their trip (check out our reviews and what clients say!!) and having a gorgeous piece of artwork and an album to look at everyday at home and relive your romantic getaway is icing on the cake.
Paris Photoshoot Pricing and Info
Our Paris photo sessions start at 150e, get in touch for lots of info, pricing, and for availability! We have loads of helpful guides and prep-info to make sure that every client, young couples, couples who have been together for 50 years, if this is your first time or 15th time here in Paris, that it’s an amazing experience with gorgeous portraits.
Click HERE to check out our website for more information.
You can book your Paris dream photoshoot with us HERE!
2. Paris Guided Art Tour for Romantic Couples Trip
I took a group of artist friends to the Louvre Museum and we hired a guide for a 2.5 hour tour and learned SO much!! I want to try their tour through the Saint-Germain-Des-Pres art galleries next time! Zoe is an incredible tour guide who you can hire hourly or for multiple days, she has a background in art history and is just about the nicest person you’ll ever meet. Our clients LOVE her!
One of the most romantic activities I’ve done in Paris was a seine river cruise. I truly feel like this is the best way to see Paris all lit up at night from this different perspective.
Funny enough, both times I’ve done it have been in the winter and both times were MAGICAL. The first was when it was absolutely down pouring but it didn’t matter at all. The boat is filled with huge glass windows to see the whole city lit up in the evening and the lights sparkling in the river was so beautiful.
My other time on a Seine river cruise was in February when it was SUPER cold. But we stayed outside on the roof the whole time as the sun was setting. Without a meal, the whole cruise is about an hour long and easily booked in advance or on the day of.
We used the Vedette du Pont Neuf last time and thought it was great! They even had a tour guide who spoke multiple languages so everyone could enjoy.
This is probably on every list, but there’s a reason for it. It’s absolutely one of the most romantic things in Paris.
Seeing the iron lady sparkle is easy from a lot of places in Paris but the best is probably from the Trocadero and the Champs de Mars.
Restaurant Recommendations with Eiffel Tower View:
If you’re looking for a restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower, La Girafe (in the Cité de l’architecture) is wonderful for this and has amazing food. Another amazing option is Les Ombres (on the top of the Musée Quai Branley) with its floor to ceiling windows overlooking the tower.
5. A Romantic Couples Picnic by the Seine River
With your dinner date, gather some wine (don’t forget the wine opener!), cheese, baguette, and some charcuterie and head over to an open space on the banks of the Seine. If it’s a warm summer evening, it’ll be packed with people. But for good reason!
Picnicking on the banks of the Seine River is a favorite pastime for Parisians. I think it’s an amazing way to get a feel of the city, snuggle up, and people watch. I just love the feeling of community when all of Paris is by the river, sipping wine, laughing, and sharing snacks and stories. It doesn’t get more local than this!
6. Visit the Palace of Versailles
Take a day trip a half hour outside Paris to the gorgeous city of Versailles.
You can easily get to The Palace of Versailles from central Paris by taking the RER C (check the RATP map for any line closures and changes! This app is so helpful for your time here if you’re going to be using the metro).
How to Experience Versailles and Transportation OPtions:
Versailles is a whole day affair. You have 3 chateaux, the huge main one, and the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon. Then there are the expansive and spectacular gardens.
If you’re planning to walk it all, wear good, comfortable shoes! You can also rent a golf cart, go on a small train, and rent bikes as other options.
Some of our clients have come back raving about Fat Tire Bike Tours in Versailles!
Versailles has an incredible history and is filled with artwork and stories. You can easily use an audioguide, hire a private tour guide, or go on a group guided tour offered by the Palace. Personally, I love just wandering around and exploring different rooms, getting lost in the labyrinth of the gardens and discovering Marie Antoinette’s hameau – a working village that she had constructed so she could essentially play “farmer”.
On my first trip ever to France to visit my then boyfriend (now husband!) we spent an entire day just wandering about the chateau and gardens and it was SO romantic. It was the middle of winter and COLD and even more opportunity to snuggle up and buy some chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) from the stands you see in the gardens. A must do.
7. View From the Top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
I mean, amazing view of Paris… need I say more? There are 2 restaurants in the Eiffel Tower, one of them is a Michelin star restaurant and the other is a French Brasserie.
You can walk up or take an elevator but either way, I’d recommend reserving tickets if possible, to avoid waiting in a very long line.
8. View from the Top of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris
This is more easily accessible and has less of a line compared to the Eiffel Tower. You still have to walk up lots of stairs but the Arc de Triomphe offers a stunning view of Paris and the Champs Elysees.
What I love is that the Eiffel Tower is IN this view where as when you’re inside the tower, you don’t see it.
To get to the entrance you DO NOT RUN THROUGH 10 LANES OF TRAFFIC!! Please!! The Arc is in the middle of a HUGE roundabout and there are stairs down to an underground tunnel that lead directly to it. Please be safe and use this specifically designed route to get there.
The Paris opera house is absolutely spectacular. Just walking around is incredibly beautiful and seeing a ballet there is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
The inside of this building is adorned in the most exquisite gold and when you walk in (even just to do a self guided tour!!) you feel like royalty. Would absolutely recommend visiting the opera – especially if you’re a music, arts, and culture lover.
10. Petit Palais in Paris
I love this museum. It’s so beautiful and right by the Champs Elysées and the Pont Alexandre III bridge (which are worth visiting too!).
The Petit Palais does not have huge lines to get in (!!) and yet it still has a beautiful collection along with great expos. If you just want to go in to have a seat in their winter garden (free!) and drink a coffee, you can do that too!
I love that it’s big enough to wander around and get lost in but small enough to not be overwhelming.
The 7 Most Romantic Neighborhoods for a Couples trip to Paris:
1. Eiffel Tower: 7th Arrondissement of Paris
The Eiffel Tower is located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. What does “arrondissement” mean? It simply is a “neighborhood” or district.
So, the “7th arr.” would mean it’s in the 7th, or the postal code is 75007 (That last two numbers designate the arrondissement, so 75007 is the 7th, 75010 is the 10th, 75001 is the first, and so on). You can find what arrondissement you are in by simply looking at any street sign located on the buildings. Just above the street name, it’ll tell you where you are in the French capital!
Want to Learn more about Paris Arrondissements?
For more information on how the Paris arrondissement system works, you can read all about it in our blog HERE!
ANYWAY, the Eiffel Tower is such a special place. You can just walk around or you can go up it (watch out for long lines!)! The Eiffel Tower is located in a park called the Champs de Mars.
If you’re looking for a great panoramic view of the Eiffel Tower, head over to the Trocadero. This is an amazing platform that’s on the right bank across the Seine river from the Eiffel Tower and is a great place to see the tower right up close! (This is also one of our favorite spots for Paris photoshoots!).
2. Banks of the Seine River: Best Neighborhoods in Paris
I love the cobblestoned streets and the classic Hausmann style buildings in the center of Paris.
My favorite spots on the River Seine include: Pont Neuf, Ile de la Cité, Pont des Arts, and Hôtel de Ville. I would recommend navigating to one of these spots and then looking around until you find your perfect river bank location for a picnic.
This walk is so beautiful and randomly you might run into groups of people salsa dancing, or a food festival, or LOTS of people picnicking or having “apéro” (basically charcuterie, snacks, wine, and cheese!) with their feet hanging over the side.
One of my best memories of this year was sharing a bottle of wine with a childhood friend on the banks of the Seine as we caught up after 13 years.
3. Cobblestone streets of Ile Saint louis in paris
Okay this is another absolutely CHARMING area and perfect for a romantic walk.
In the center of Paris, there are two small islands. One is “Ile de la cité”, and the other is “Ile Saint Louis”. Notre-Dame cathedral is on one end of Ile de la Cité and a short walk away from Notre Dame cathedral is Ile Saint Louis.
Best ice Cream shop in Paris!
On this island, you’ll find an array of charming bistros, restaurants, and ice cream shops (This is where Berthillion is located, the best ice cream in Paris!!).
It’s a BEAUTIFUL place to just stroll. And good for all weather too!
4. Montmartre: neighborhood for a ROmantic Couples Trip to Paris
If you find yourself in Montmartre on a romantic couples stroll, be sure check out the Wall of Love aka “Le mur de je t’aime.” You can easily find it on Google Maps and so worth a stop.
Montmartre is an amazing neighborhood to get lost in. It’s all cobblestones and cute shops. You can walk over to Sacre Coeur (the huge white cathedral on a hill). I’d also 100% recommend going up to the top of the dome of Sacre-Coeur (the entrance to this is on the side of the church.). From the dome, you have an incredible view of Paris.
Pro-tips about Accessibility:
To get to the top it is NOT handicap accessible as you’ll need to walk up a winding small staircase. It’s worth it if you are able to make the climb!
5. Palais Royal Garden
If you visit the Palais Royal Garden, don’t miss the Buren Columns! Across the street, you’ll find the Louvre Museum and the Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden). Just be aware that the Louvre and the Tuileries can be absolutely PACKED at any time of year.
However, across the street is the gorgeous Palais Royal which is STUNNING, and absolutely lovely for a romantic stroll (This is where we photographed a client’s surprise proposal recently!!). One side of the Palais Royal has these picturesque striped columns and the other part has a garden with a fountain and chairs in the middle.
I love heading over to Café Kitsuné for a coffee or an iced Yuzu in the summer and just enjoying the garden and people-watching.
There are some other great restaurants around there that I love too –
There’s also the gorgeous Galerie Vivienne to stroll through that’s right by the garden side of Palais Royal.
OH another thing I LOVE about this place and is definitely one of it’s major attractions: The STUNNING magnolia blossoms in March. They are spectacular.
6. Jardin du Luxembourg
The Luxembourg garden is my absolute favorite place in Paris. Probably 90% of my days in the last decade of living here has included the Jardin du Luxembourg in some way or another (btw we LOOOVE it for Paris couple/ engagement photo sessions!!).
What I love about it is that it’s stunning at all times of the year. The Luxembourg Gardens are impeccably maintained and have lots of classic green chairs to sit and lounge in.
It’s actually located in one of the most historic neighborhoods in this beautiful city, and has loads of coffee shops around it for a takeout coffee and stroll. Not to mention, it has actual green space! It’s the perfect place to take a book and read/lounge in the sunshine.
The Chateau in the center of the park is where the French Senate is located. All in all, the jardin du Luxembourg is incredibly historic and in my opinion one of the most beautiful parks in Paris.
7. Place de Furstemberg
This is absolutely the most charming place in Paris! Start here and walk up towards Rue de Université for an absolutely gorgeous view of the latin quarter!
This tiny square is also where you find the Musée Delacroix and it’s hidden and stunning garden. It’s a small museum and perfect for art lovers.
A Map of our favorite locations in Paris for a ROmantic Couples Trip:
Check out our map below to find all of these spots in Paris!
Click HERE to book your Paris couples photoshoot with us at Katie Donnelly Photography!
We specialize in gorgeous wall-art portraits for your home to capture your special memories together in Paris. We offer in-studio and outdoor shoots for couples, families, and solo travelers! Let’s bring your vision to life! You can find out more about the Katie Donnelly Photography studio HERE.
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