The Perfect Getaway: A couples’ trip in the City of Love
Discover hidden gems and peaceful moments on a weeklong getaway in Paris. | By Joanna Tweedy | April 12, 2023
Nothing says romance like a week in Paris. Escape to the French capital with your significant other for a romantic break and fill your days devouring leisurely lunches in elegant bistros, walking arm-in-arm through beautiful parks and discovering the city’s wonderful museums.
After dark: Ascend the Eiffel Tower at night for a glittering view of the city
Head to Versailles: Enjoy a bike tour for two of France’s grand 17th-century palace
Wander Montmartre: Take in hilltop views at Sacré-Coeur Basilica
Day one
Begin your romantic getaway in Paris with a lunchtime bistro table à deux under the striking red canopy at foodie favorite, Le Relais de L’entrecote. The prix fixe menu centers around one classic — a supremely tender sirloin served up with a secret sauce. Best of all, the people-watching opportunities are as enticing as the food.
After lunch, check in to your swanky abode at Maison Astor Paris, a Curio Collection by Hilton, primely located in the city’s high-end fashion district. Dating back to 1907, the property offers a stylish and intimate retreat for couples within a former private mansion featuring contemporary guestrooms and views of Sacré-Coeur Basilica and the Eiffel Tower.
A firecracker first night in Paris should include cabaret at Moulin Rouge, the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance.
Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge cabaret first welcomed guests back in 1889, and this avant-garde (and at times, eye-opening!) theatrical spectacle continues to thrive as a tourist attraction. You can buy tickets just for the show or watch the glittering revue performance — featuring a troupe of 60 dancers — while enjoying dinner and a coupe of Champagne.
Dine, dance and be merry at this celebrated institution, easily identifiable by the iconic red windmill on its roof. With plenty of feathers, sequins and rhinestones, you won’t regret snapping up a pair of tickets for an memorable dinner and enchanting show.
Day two
Make for the Marais, a historic Parisian neighborhood in the fourth arrondissement that’s perfect for a lovers’ stroll. Brimming with chic boutiques, hip coffee shops and innovative restaurants, the Marais is also home to vinotherapy spa Caudalie, which uses French grapes for its menu of soul-soothing therapies.
For lunch, there’s a global melting pot of cuisine to pick from – the famed eggplant and hummus falafel at L'As du Fallafel is so desired by locals and tourists alike that there’s almost always a long line out the door. Nearby, picturesque Place des Vosges, the oldest designed square in the city, is a serene place to eat and enjoy being together.
Other great picnic spots in the city include the Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg) near the Latin Quarter, the banks of the river Seine and the tranquil belle epoque-style gardens at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. And, of course, a trip to the top of the tower flies high on any romantic must-do list. Open late year-round, the attraction's highest point gifts a 905-foot (276-meter) high vantage point of the city.
Add some bubbles to take it all in in style. Head for the Champagne Bar, found at the topmost level of the Eiffel Tower, to toast the moment with two flutes and caviar, or you can dine on refined sustainable cuisine at Madame Brasserie on the first floor. The glamour of the surrounding sights mixed with the tower’s elegance and history is all-encompassing – as every moment on a romantic getaway should be. On your way down, be sure to explore the riveting lawns below.
Champs de Mars
Extending from the Ecole Militaire (Military School) to the Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars is a hot spot for national events and includes expansive lawns under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Spend a little time in the picturesque gardens that were redesigned in 2018 and now perfectly complement the soaring landmark above it. Don’t miss the 200-year-old sycamore tree, near the tower’s west exit for prime leaf-peeping.
Still feeling peckish? Join the locals for a picnic on the Champ de Mars as you enjoy the up-close perspective of the Eiffel Tower’s twinkling lights at nightfall.
Day three
To the north of the 7th arrondissement, the higgledy-piggledy quartier of Montmartre has wooed many artists (and doe-eyed couples) with its maze-like streets leading to hidden squares brimming with quaint cafes and souvenir shops. Make the trip to the top of the 150-year-old hilltop Sacré-Coeur — there are 300 steps to the basilica's dome for a soul-stirring panoramic.
Sacré-Coeur Basilica
The striking white-stone Sacré-Coeur, which was started in 1875 and consecrated almost 50 years later, bestows a breathtaking view of the City of Love. Couples can sit on the hilltop that surrounds it and, on a clear day, see for almost 20 miles (32 kilometers).
If you’ve worked up an appetite climbing those stairs, consider a Parisian favorite – an oyster platter. The staff at the nearby upscale bar Huitrerie Regis will guide you through the different varieties, before presenting a delectable feast for two, served simply with half a lemon and a dash of Tabasco sauce.
After, head for the Musee d’Orsay on the Left Bank to browse masterpieces by van Gogh, Renoir and Degas. From here, return to your hotel on foot — perhaps with a chocolate-filled crêpe or ice cream in hand. The 25-minute walk includes some stellar sights: Cut through the Tuileries Garden and peer back at the Louvre before passing Place de la Concorde and Elysee Palace.
Day four
A fun day trip for couples in Paris is the 40-minute RER C line metro to the regal palace of Versailles. The former 17th-century home of Louis XIV — known as the Sun King — remains one of the most opulent palaces in France. Spread over 1,976 acres (800 hectares) of leafy grounds, Versailles boasts baroque beauty and manicured gardens that will leave you feeling like extras in a period drama. Rent bikes and tour the estate of Trianon, the Queen’s Hamlet and Little Venice for a lovely way to make memories together.
The estate of Trianon
Explore the tranquil estate of Trianon while in Versailles. Here you’ll find the more practical — but still lavish — homes that the kings chose to live in away from the grandeur of the main palace. Wander the estate, including the Grand and Petit Trianon and Queen's Hamlet — all of which have gorgeous ornamental gardens.
Such a divine day trip deserves an equally grandiose dinner. Back in Paris, the opulent 18th century gastronomical restaurant Le Grand Vefour, which is adjacent to the gardens of the Le Palais Royal, is one of the city’s oldest fine dining restaurants. Its ornate dining room is a decadent place for dinner for two. Reserve a table well in advance and don’t skip the profiteroles on the dessert menu — the perfect sweet treat to share.
Day five
On your final day in Paris, take to the Seine. Local tour companies offer everything from dinner at dusk to shorter river cruises, all with sublime views of Paris from the water.
Continue a more laid-back day with a stroll through some of the city’s unique green spaces. Pere Lachaise, Paris' atmospheric cemetery, is surprisingly romantic with its woodlands reflecting the city's seasons.
Pere Lachaise
Pere Lachaise cemetery, the city's largest and most famous necropolis, is a fascinating place to while away a few hours, hunting for prominent names laid to rest. Nestled among the cemetery's 5,000 trees, you'll find the tombs of Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde, whose tomb used to be covered in infamous bright red lipstick kisses of appreciation before being cleaned and protected with a glass barrier for preservation.
Follow up your walking tour with lunch at a cafe on Ile Saint Louis – one of the two natural islands on the Seine. Try a classic grilled cheese sandwich with ham (croque monsieur) accompanied by a crisp green salad. The island was once a 17th century playground for King Louis XIII and his wealthy friends, and its historical architecture and pedestrian-ruled streets are framed with charming cafes, romantic restaurants and ice cream parlors selling delicious flavors.
Head to Montparnasse Tower for a final show-stopping view of Paris away from the crowds. This 689-foot (210-meter) skyscraper has a bar, small shop and observation deck at the top and serves up arguably the best view of the city, including the Eiffel Tower in its 360-degree vista. After dark, it sets an ideal stage for romance as the cityscape twinkles as far as the eye can see.
You’ll find opportunities for romance around nearly every corner in Paris. Make time to wander and soak up the chic French ambiance that is sure to inspire love.
Joanna Tweedy is an award-winning travel writer and editor who lives in London. A former UK national newspaper travel editor, she now contributes across many titles, and specializes in writing about family travel, wellness breaks and luxury vacations.
Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton
Our hotel was built in 1907 by John Jacob Astor IV, located on a quiet road in Paris' luxury and fashion district. The fashion houses of Avenue des Champs-Élysées, boutique shops along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and world-renowned art at the Louvre are all within two kilometers.
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