10 Best Romantic Things to Do in Paris

Rich with historic context, this hidden passage near the Bastille played a role during the Revolution of 1848. For generations this area was famous as being the home to the wood crafters, a guild finally designated by none other than Henri IV in 1598. As the world modernized, the main cross street, rue Fbg. Saint-Antoine became renowned as the furniture district. This is still true to some extent today, though much less so than even 20 years ago.

In this historic passage, you will still find furniture restoration boutiques and artisanal craftsmen. Its proximity to the Bastille is what is said to have lent itself to Number 10s famous role in the revolution of 1848. It was here that the ‘key maker’ actually covertly fashioned ammunition for the revolutionaries.

Mint your memories. Nothing speaks more voluminously than photos of a wonderful vacation. Sure, everyone has selfie sticks and camera phones, but is that really the best way to capture those candid moments of you and your travel companion(s), family members when you’re all busy vacationing?

Schedule an hour or two with this photographer, specialized in portraiture and cityscapes, in order to capture the magical memories. Certainly they are the keepsakes that will be treasured throughout the years to come. Bespoke packages are available for every reasonable budget. Get fancy, or keep it real. Choose from several iconic Paris landmarks as backdrops around the city. What’s more, if you want to mint your favorite photos from the session as NFTs, the photographer can do that for you, too.

A newer edition to the city’s cultural landscape, this aptly named ‘Light Workshop’ for the City of Light, draws you into an immersive art experience. Housed in a cavernous building in the trendy 11th arrondissement, once you step through the black doors, you enter into not just the chosen artist’s world, but his/her imagination, too. Digitally projected images from the artist’s repertoire and life are projected on all walls, the floor and the ceiling, creating a swirling light show all around you.

It is a sort of Sound & Light show 2.0…but the immersive experience, the sound of music and narrative that accompanies the spectacle and the overall sensory stimulation makes this better than going to the movies. It’s also a great family activity.

Wonder what the Illusionists and Magicians from the 18th century France were like? Look no further than this quaint little museum tucked right in the heart of the Marais, one of the most authentic and ancient parts of Paris.

Potions, sleight of hand and other magicians’ tricks are on full display here. The visit is guided by a docent who offers commentary throughout the visit. The short tour ends with a performance by a magician.

Yes, this is a bit offbeat and unusual. Perhaps it is not the kind of outing that one readily thinks of when thoughts turn to romance… But, still, what romantic interlude couldn’t benefit from a healthy dose of magic, or, at the very least, some illusion?

This is Europe’s largest movie theater and its location right on Grands Boulevards means it’s walking distance from the major department stores and one of Paris’s best shopping districts. With 2,650 seats it was purportedly modeled after NYC’s Radio City Music Hall. It opened in 1932 and its kitschy interior is still a mix between Art Deco and neo-classical Oriental. Best to see for yourself, and you can, as there is a 50-minute tour of the cinema that you can take year-round. The theater is not to be confused with its dance club, the Rex Club, which is adjoined and whose entrance is just a few yards down the way (known for its electro-pop music). Le Grand Rex is hands-down the most most impressive movie theater, in terms of largesse, d�cor and history, in Paris.

This museum, set in the Hotel Biron, is a tribute to one of the world’s finest sculptors. Thanks to Rodin’s own donations, the facility offers a wealth of objects, including terra cotta, bronze and marble creations. Plaster and wax studies are available as well, along with his sketches, drawings, engravings, and his own collected art. Among the items on display are “The Kiss” and the sculpture that brought Rodin much fame, The Thinker.

The museum is now re-opened after 3 years (2012 – 2015) of renovations on the main building, Hotel Biron, which is an early 18th c. building.

The gardens are an idyllic draw unto themselves. They were also the setting for the scene where former First Lady of France, Carla Bruni, played her role for Woody Allen’s film, Midnight in Paris. A café in the gardens offers refreshments.

This museum in Paris is devoted fully to the art of perfume. It is a private museum funded partially with state funds and partially by private investors. Perfume is as integral to French culture as couture, fine wine and art. That there had not yet existed in the French capital a museum wholly devoted to perfume, unaffiliated with a perfume brand, was seen as something of an empty space that needed filling.

The museum’s location is just a block or so away from the French White House, the Elysee. It is devoted to sensory perception and has been designed to be highly interactive. Visitors are easily and luxuriously drawn into testing their olfactory senses and playing at finding the scents that most please them.

In the four floors of the perfume museum (including the Roederer-like champagne cellars basement) of the renovated private mansion, the visitor is introduced to the history of perfum and its importance at the King’s court especially Versailles. The upper floors are devoted to sensory and smell perceptions. This is a museum that is certain to appeal to both young and old, male and female.

Paris is often considered to be the city of love, ideal for romance, and epitomizing that Paris aura is the Le Mur des Je T’aime, aka the I Love You Wall. This understated work of art is in a Paris park (Square Jehan Rictus Place des Abbesses in Montmartre) amidst flowers and trees, which add to the romance of the wall. What makes this wall so appealing for love that it has become the meeting place for romantics? On the black wall are 311 declarations of love in 250 different languages written in white. It’s a simple, but powerful work of art paying homage to one of the most powerful phrases in all languages: I love you.

The Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge across the Seine, connects the Louvre with the Latin Quarter while offering some of the city’s most stunning views. It is also known as the Lover’s Bridge since lovers have been coming here for centuries to gaze into one another’s eyes.

In recent years, the phenomena of Love Locks has swept not just Paris but romantic spots throughout the world. Alas, this bridge, however, became one of the epicenters for this cultural tradition and its 19th c. railings crumbled under the weight of all that love. The city replaced these with plexiglass panels.

In the evenings it is a popular spot to come share a bottle of wine that special someone, and also just to sit and revel in the sounds of the street musicians, the passersby and other lovers such as yourselves, while basking in the breathtaking views.

A cruise that lasts for hours here in Paris isn’t along the Seine, but along the Canal Saint Martin. This escapade is famous for lasting hours, not so much because of the distance covered, but because of the canal locks that must be opened, then closed behind the boat before it proceeds on its way.

You can book the cruise for the crepes and cafe version or you can book it for the ‘guingette’ version which is a drinks-and-fun atmosphere. Count on a 2-hour minimum excursion where the Parisian cityscape is at your fingertips.

Starting up again in April this year are their 8 hour cruises which start on the Seine but bring you out along to the Marne riverbanks. You can always pack a good book and just relax into the day. Now doesn’t that sound enticing?