Ah Paris, the city of love! A city that immediately elicits romantic vibes and gushy feelings.
Whether you’re visiting for a honeymoon in Paris or just on vacation with your boo, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of Paris’ romantic magic.
Not sure what to do? Here are my top 10 tips on the most romantic things to do in Paris, France.
Schedule a romantic photo shoot in Paris
For a unique souvenir of your trip, schedule a romantic photo shoot in Paris.
Even if you’re not on a honeymoon in Paris or newly engaged, a photo shoot is a fun way to see a few sights and get non-selfie photos of you and your boo.
Bonus points if you can get yourselves up early on vacation for sunrise photos with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Totally worth it.
If you’re not sure how to find a photographer in Paris, I recommend checking out Flytographer. Flytographer is a company that helps match you with photographers in popular vacation spots, like Paris.
And I hope I shouldn’t have to mention this, but NO, I’m not getting paid or compensated in any way to send you their way.
Visit the Love Locks Bridge in Paris
For a long time, the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris was covered in padlocks left by lovers, somewhat like carving their initials in a tree.
While some saw the love locks as a nuisance, most saw the love locks as public art.
However, over the years, the weight of the padlocks caused structural issues with the bridge, and a portion of the railing collapsed into the Seine River.
The rails on the original Love Locks Bridge in Paris have since been replaced with panels to prevent new locks from being added.
Of course, no matter what the city does to prevent new locks from being added at the Pont des Arts bridge and elsewhere in Paris, locals and tourists find new spots to say “We were here.”
Head on down to the Pont des Arts bridge to see if you can spot some of the new places where lovers have left their locks.
Until the city of Paris finds a way to allow the tradition to continue in a safe way, hold off on adding your own love lock.
TIP: Save yourself from sore feet by taking the Paris Metro on your hunt for love locks.
Relax with a picnic in Paris
An activity you’ll often see in Paris is couples and groups enjoying picnics in Paris’ best parks and gardens.
Grab a blanket and few simple foods, like a baguette, french cheese, prepared salads, some sweet macarons, and sparkling water, and head to a park with your sweetie.
Picnic Delivery in Paris, France
If you’re looking for something more formal or less work, a number of cafes and independent businesses offer picnic kits for sale.
Zia Paris is one such café that provides pick-up service for Parisian picnic kits. Located just blocks away from Parc du Champ-de-Mars, Zia offers picnics for 2, 4, or 6 people.
Zia’s picnic kits include a baguette, cheese, charcuterie, wine or champagne, water, dessert, and a salad or sandwich made with seasonal ingredients. A blanket, cutlery, and other necessities are also provided – all reusable or recyclable.
If you’re setting up a Parisian picnic as part of an engagement, honeymoon, or anniversary, definitely check out Love Picnic.
Love Picnic also operates at the Champ de Mars park. They have 4 menu options, as well as an add-on option for a photoshoot. They happily specialize in helping you document a proposal – making your engagement surely one to remember.
Can you drink wine in Paris parks?
Before you set off on your picnic, be aware that Paris has some confusing laws when it comes to drinking wine in public.
Drinking in public is allowed in some areas of Paris, but not all. Plus, it is often not allowed at night. In addition, open glass containers in general are not allowed in most parks.
In short, if you want to enjoy wine on your picnic in Paris, do so in the afternoon (before 4pm) and be sure to put your wine in a thermos or other non-glass container.
Best spots to picnic in Paris, France
Last up – location is everything for your picnic in Paris! A few of the best spots for a picnic in Paris include:
- Parc du Champ-de-Mars near the Eiffel Tower
- Bois de Vincennes nearby the Château de Vincennes
- Jardin des Tuileries nearby the Louvre and Musée de l’Orangerie
I picked these 3 spots to picnic in Paris as they all have lovely scenery, excellent people watching, and are close to big attractions in Paris that you might be interested in visiting.
Take a leisurely stroll through the parks in Paris
If you’re visiting Paris in the warmer months, spend an afternoon taking a leisurely stroll, hand in hand, through some of Paris’ most beautiful gardens and parks.
Maybe you’ll find a tree or 2 to hide behind to sneak a kiss or a snuggly selfie.
My favorite romantic park in Paris is Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. This gorgeous park is filled with cherry blossom trees, quaint bridges, and a man-made lake with a secluded temple atop a large rock.
Explore one of the many decadent palaces near Paris
Spend a day at one of the many royal palaces near Paris, where you can pretend you’re royals for a day.
The Palace of Versailles is my favorite pick for this romantic activity. While the palace itself is lovely, visiting the Temple of Love is a must.
The Temple of Love, located away from the main palace, behind Petit Trianon, is an elegant structure with a replica of a statue of Cupid.
Legend says if you and your bae kiss in the middle of the temple, your relationship will be strengthened. Silly? Perhaps. Fun? You bet!
Lastly, if you time your day right, you can watch the sunset together over the lush landscape and gardens of Versailles.
TIP: Many of the palaces in and near Paris are included as part of the Paris Museum Pass, a pre-paid Paris tourist card that can help you save money. And everyone loves to save money, right?
See the city on a Seine River cruise
For a unique and romantic way to tour the city of Paris, join a river cruise along the Seine.
What makes this activity particularly romantic?
Many of these cruises include open-air rooftop seating, where you can also cuddle up and admire Paris’ most beautiful structures, like the Eiffel Tower and Musée d’Orsay.
I recommend Bateaux Parisiens for Seine River cruises, as their boats have the coveted open-air rooftop seating.
Bateux Parisiens also offers dinner cruises, though you’d be inside for the majority of the tour.
Admire the best views in Paris together
Admire the gorgeous Paris skyline with your sweetie from one of Paris’ many spectacular viewing spots.
The 5 best views in Paris can be found at the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Mont Valérien, Sacré-Coeur Basilica, and Tour Montparnasse.
The only dilemma is deciding whether you want a daytime or nighttime view!
Stop by the Wall of Love in Paris
Visit the Wall of Love mural in Montmartre, a hip neighborhood in Paris, with your loved one. This mural features the phrase “I love you” in 250 languages. So cute!
Don’t forget to get a selfie with the Wall of Love to remember your visit.
While you are in Montmartre, head on over to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica to see stunning views of Paris or find a cozy cafe for a romantic meal or break to share a sweet snack.
Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle
If you’re looking for a romantic activity for nighttime, be sure to make your way toward the Eiffel Tower to watch it sparkle.
Every hour, starting at dusk, the Eiffel Tower lights dance and sparkle like glitter. It’s a lovely sight to take in from Jardins du Trocadéro or from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.
Enjoy dinner for 2 at a romantic restaurant in Paris
Get dressed up and treat yourselves to a fancy dinner for 2 at one of many romantic restaurants in Paris.
Restaurant le Jules Verne, aka the restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, is an easy pick with its spectacular views of Paris and delicious food.
Le Consulat, as seen above, is another excellent choice for a romantic meal in Paris. It’s in Montmartre, home to the Wall of Love, as features cozy seating outdoors that are set up for prime people watching.
What is one of your favorite romantic things to do in Paris?
Hey, Meg!
Did you take all of these photos yourself?? They’re great. Curious to know what kind of camera you use. Thanks!
Hi Amber,
Some photos in this post I took myself using an iPhone 6, while others are stock photos. That said, getting great photos depends more on skill than on the camera itself. You can have the most bomb camera on the market and still get ‘meh’ photos if you don’t know how to use the camera, compose a photo, edit a photo, and so on.
You can learn a lot from blog posts and YouTube for free, but sites like Skillshare or LinkedIn Learning are also super helpful. I also really like the Classroom in a Book series for learning Adobe programs (Photoshop, Lightroom). (Disclaimer: My employer provides a LinkedIn Learning subscription for free and publishes the Classroom in a Book series; I pay for Skillshare on my own.)
That said, if you’re looking for a new camera, I am currently using an iPhone X and GoPro Hero 7. I love how portable both options are, and the durability of the GoPro Hero 7 is top notch. I love that I don’t have to worry about it getting wet when it rains and I can take photos in pools, the ocean, etc as it’s waterproof (to a certain depth).
I’m on the hunt for a mirrorless camera, too. Mirrorless cameras are lighter than dSLR cameras, so they are better as a travel camera in my opinion. I’ve used Fujifilm in the past, but am also looking at Sony models. My mentors use the Sony A7R III mirrorless camera, but advised the Sony Alpha a5000 or a6000 are great options, too.