A young couple take a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower

Things to do in Paris For Couples

By Stuart Bak

Paris is a playground for couples, a veritable feast of top-rated restaurants, world-beating museums and galleries, and some of the best night-time entertainment you’ll find anywhere on the planet. Dive in to discover our pick of the 10 best things to do in Paris for couples.

Get High on Champagne

There are a few different ways to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower. The smart money is on taking the glass elevator aaaall the way up, but those with a sense of adventure (and buns of steel) can also climb the 674 steps to the second level and then catch the lift. There’s even a see-through floor at level one, from where the boldest visitors peer right down between their legs to the forecourt far below. However you do it, you’ll want a selfie with your significant other, glass of Champagne in hand, when you reach the top. Conveniently, a sky-high bar awaits you. But, at 276 meters above terra firma, best not let the bubbles go to your head.

Take a Cruise on the Seine

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A Seine cruise is a fine way to see some of the city’s most iconic museums and monuments. Board at the Eiffel Tower and meander downriver past sights including the grand gothic melodrama that is the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum’s instantly recognisable glass pyramid. Sunset is a particularly atmospheric time of day to take the cruise, as dusk falls and the Seine’s grand bridges and riverside gardens and museums turn their lights on.

Visit a Museum

Whether you share a passion for the arts or not, you’re sure to find something of interest in Paris’s galleries – there are over 1,000 to choose from, after all. Couples who wish to avoid the crowds should opt for small but perfectly formed collections such as those found in the Rodin Museum or Gustave Moreau Museum. Choose Rodin for the splendid formal gardens, where sculptures including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell lurk among box hedges, rose gardens and ornamental fountains. Or pick Moreau for a fascinating glimpse into the artist’s mind: printed guides to the trippy and fantastical paintings inside his former home were written by his own fair hand.

Go for a Wander

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Paris’s relatively compact center is best experienced on foot, and nowhere more so than on a romantic stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin. Starting where the Rue de Marseille joins the Quai de Valmy, meander past colorful waterside boutiques, and soak up the atmosphere from boho bars and bistros. Take a detour onto Rues de l’Ourcq and Rue Germaine Tailleferre for the wonderful street art, then cross the bridge to enter Parc de la Villette, a vast and verdant Paris playground that’s packed with sculptures, museums and music venues, where you could quite easily while away the rest of your day.

Make Macarons

Ever tried a macaron? These deliciously sweet little pastries are ubiquitous in Paris and come in any number of different colors and flavors. One taste and you’ll be hooked – find them brightening up the window display of every self-respecting pâtisserie in town. Now just imagine you could continue to eat these decadent French treats after you return home. Step forward the popular macaron-making class at the Galeries Lafayette Haussman department store where, in just 90 minutes, you and your partner will learn to mix, bake, assemble (and of course eat) macarons like pros. With your newly acquired skills, we guarantee your friends will love you forever, even if your weighing scales do not.

Browse the Markets

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Paris has around 100 different markets, with something to satisfy every appetite, from farm-fresh produce to flea market knick-knacks, flowers and, yep, even animals. Pick up a selection of fabulous fromages, an oven-fresh baguette, a punnet of ripe strawberries and a bottle of organic wine at Marché Bastille, then head to nearby Place des Vosges for an impromptu picnic. Or satisfy your urge to bag a bargain at the vast Saint-Ouen flea market where the seemingly endless labyrinth of alleyways contains every treasure under the sun, from vintage vinyl to retro fashion, period antiques to old-fashioned toys and games.

Take a Day Trip to a Château

There are dozens of grand palaces and châteaux within easy reach of Paris, perfect for a romantic day trip out of town. A direct train gets you to the ridiculously opulent Palace of Versailles in under an hour. You could easily lose a whole day at this former royal residence, wandering among the countless paths, ponds, fountains and sculptures with your own king or queen, and exploring the almost comically extravagant interiors of the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s private apartments. More tastefully restrained chateaux including fairytale Fontainebleau and Renaissance-style Rambouillet are equally accessible by train from the center of Paris.

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Go Wine-Tasting

Established in the 18th Century by King Louis XV’s personal sommelier (how the other half live, eh?), Les Caves du Louvre offers a different kind of wine-tasting experience. Descend into a network of tunnels beneath the streets of the 1st arrondissement, where your guided tour of the royal cellars culminates in a tasting experience with three different French wines. If you fancy viewing some fine art with your newly acquired double vision afterwards, it’s just a short stagger to the Louvre Museum.

Take in a Show

Get your glad rags on and hit the cabaret clubs. No self-respecting visitor should leave Paris without experiencing at least one of the myriad burlesque shows on offer at the likes of the Moulin Rouge, with its famous neon-red windmill. Or, if you prefer your entertainment a little less... risqué, you can take your date to see a classic opera or ballet at the refined Palais Garnier or Opéra Bastille. Or enjoy an old-fashioned movie night at one of the city’s historic picture houses, such as The Louxor, a sumptuous century-old mash-up of Egyptian and Art Deco design. Don’t forget the popcorn!

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Watch the sunset from Montmartre

Hopeless romantics will be unable to resist Montmartre, with its atmospheric cobbled lanes, sultry bars and ultra-Parisian café culture. Take the funicular up to the top of the hill and stroll round the Sacré-Cœur to grab a selfie at Le mur des je t'aime (the Wall of Love). Ask one of the resident artists in the Place du Tertre to sketch a cutesy caricature of you and your beau, before heading back to the steps in front of the basilica and sharing a chocolate crêpe as the sun sets over the city.

Save on things to do in Paris for Couples

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The boating lake in Bois du Boulogne park in Paris
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Things to do in Paris During The Day

With over 1,000 museums, around 400 parks and more boutique shops and cute pavement cafés than you can shake a very large stick at, there are dozens of things to do in Paris during the day. Here’s our pick of the crop. See the Sights Paris’s relatively compact center is easy to explore on foot but if you really want to max out your daytime sightseeing, there’s an abundance of other great ways to see the city. For sheer convenience, you’ll find Paris’s near-ubiquitous electric scooters tough to beat. Known as trottinettes to locals, these zippy little machines can be picked up and dropped off at hundreds of locations around the city, making them a super-easy way to get from A to B with minimal effort. Note that for safety reasons the speed limit for trottinettes is restricted to 10km/h in most parts of Paris. Join a guided Segway tour to tick off some of the city’s big attractions in, um, style. A self-deprecating sense of humor and a decent ability to stay upright are all you need to participate. Pass the mandatory training session and in no time you’ll be whizzing to big-hitting Paris landmarks including Les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe and the soaring Pont Alexandre III with its photogenic Art Deco lanterns. Alternatively, plan your own tour itinerary and rent a Vélib bicycle – also available for pick-up and drop-off pretty much everywhere in central Paris. Meander riverside and through the city’s stunning parks, pausing to admire the fabulous architecture and smell the roses, and, of course, to pick up some still-warm pains au chocolat from a boulangerie along the way. Seine sightseeing cruises depart from the Eiffel Tower throughout the day and are particularly enchanting at sunset, while hop-on hop-off bus tours are another fine way to see the city, especially from the top deck on a sunny afternoon. Have a Picnic in the Park Picnicking in the park should be considered mandatory on any trip to Paris. Open-air markets and street food abound in the city, so putting a gut-busting lunch together is pas de probleme. Rue Montorgueil is brimming with fab boulangeries, fromageries and street stalls that runneth over with juicy, fresh fruits. Pick up some just-baked bread, aromatic cheeses, plump grapes and artisan wine then hit the oldest pâtisserie in town for a decadent dessert of creamy rum babas and éclairs. Or head to Marché des Enfants Rouges in the Marais for gut-busting fried sandwiches, galettes that fairly ooze cheese, and some of the best Moroccan street food this side of Marrakech at Le Traiteur Marocain. Now fully equipped for your al fresco feast, the question is which park? Decisions, decisions... In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars is a picture-perfect location for whiling away a few hours. Its sprawling manicured lawns and ringside views of the tower makes it an inspired location for your picnic – and a dozen or so selfies. One of Paris’s biggest parks, Bois de Boulogne contains – among other attractions – a château, a botanical garden and several lakes. Hire a boat to row across the largest of these (you’ll work up an appetite for sure), then walk off your picnic with a wander to the beautiful Parc de Bagatelle botanical garden, with its bountiful rose gardens and heavenly scents. The exquisite Luxembourg Gardens promise some low-octane pursuits including giant chess and the ancient French sport of pétanque. Head to Parc de la Villette for its fascinating series of architectural follies – there are 26 to find across the 137 acres of this huge green space, plus open-air music and cinema in the warmer months. Also in summer, take your picnic down to the banks of the Seine for the annual Paris Plages, where golden sands, deckchairs and ice creams are the order of the day. See Some Great Art Paris is a paradise for art lovers – and artists. Matisse, Modigliani, Manet, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec are just some of the painters who went on to become household names after being inspired by this great city. No surprise, then, that you’re rarely more than a stone’s throw from an amazing museum or gallery. Of course, you can’t come to Paris and not visit the Louvre, home of the world’s most famous painting. Once you’ve ticked off the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo it’s time to experience what is hands-down the finest work of art in the museum. That would be the Mont Blanc, a decadent, gravity defying French fancy comprised of whipped Chantilly cream, meringue, chocolate shavings and chestnut vermicelli. You can view – and demolish – this bona fide masterpiece in Café Angelina on the first floor of the Richelieu wing. If you find the Louvre just a tad overcrowded for your liking, nearby Musée d’Orsay provides a less hectic alternative within the picturesque surroundings of the old Gare d’Orsay train station. The museum boasts one of the biggest collections of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art on the planet, with many pieces from Toulouse-Lautrec’s Moulin Rouge series and a number of Monet masterpieces, including one from his Water Lilies series. Other smaller but equally unmissable galleries include Musée de l'Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries, the Rodin Museum with its extraordinary seven-acre sculpture garden, and Renoir’s pretty garden at the Musée de Montmartre. Spend a Day in the Marais Picking a favorite district in Paris is like being asked to choose a favorite French fromage. There are just so many good ones to choose from! Set on the Seine’s Right Bank in view of Notre-Dame, the Marais is an entrancing maze of narrow, winding streets and alleyways that are chock-full of tiny independent boutiques, tempting pâtisseries and adorable pavement cafés. Grab a spot beneath the linden trees and watch the world go by in the Place des Vosges. This formal garden sits in the oldest planned square in Paris, hemmed in by atmospheric arcades and immaculate 17th-century townhouses with steeply pitched slate roofs. One of these – the former home of Les Misérables author Victor Hugo – is now a museum exhibiting furniture and works of art that belonged to (or were created by) the man himself. Indeed, for such a diminutive district, the Marais packs in a fairly impressive number of museums and galleries. Make for the Maison Européene de la Photographie for the best in contemporary photographic art, and don’t miss the Musée National Picasso-Paris, a stellar collection of over 700 paintings and sculptures by the father of Cubism. The legacy of Paris’s former Jewish quarter lives on in the Marais, primarily via its selection of kosher restaurants and bakeries. Make sure to treat yourself to a falafel wrap or pastrami sandwich at one of the excellent takeaway joints on the Rue des Écouffes or Rue des Rosiers – just follow your nose to discover true manna from heaven. Save on things to do in Paris during the day Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
A woman looking at getting around Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background
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The complete guide to getting around Paris

Only those with a machoistic streak would ever consider driving in or around Paris unnecessarily. At their worst, roads can be likened to parking lots, which is ironic given how hard parking can be to find.
Ian Packham
Parisians sitting at exterior cafe tables
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5 reasons to visit Paris in July

The mass exodus of Parisians keen to head south to the shores of the French Riviera begins in July, which seems a little like Monet putting down his paintbrushes in favor of some gardening. Why? Because July is one of the best times of year to visit Paris. Paris in July experiences wonderful summer temperatures of around 23°C, and also hosts some of France’s top annual events. Intrigued? You should be! Here’s 5 very good reasons to visit Paris in July. 1. Bastille Day celebrations Better known in Paris as Le Fête Nationale (National Celebration) and Le Quatorze Juillet (July 14) Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison. Taking place on July 14 1789, it kicked off the French Revolution. Little remains of the prison itself, except for a star-shaped outline on the sidewalks of Place de la Bastille. However, as France’s national day, it’s far from forgotten. The main event is a military parade – the largest in Europe. This makes its way along the Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. Attended by the French President and notable guests – most famously US President Donald Trump – it ends with a magnificent fly past by the Patrouille de France aerobatics team. For more on them, head to the Museum of Air and Space. The attention then turns to the Eiffel Tower. Constructed to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the base of the Eiffel Tower is the location of a major concert. As darkness falls, the biggest fireworks display of the Paris year erupts around the tower. Whilst that’s enough for many, the celebrations continue all night long at the central fire stations of each of the 20 arrondissements (districts), which fling open their doors to the public. 2. Museums by night Part of the European Night of Museums extravaganza, Paris’s Nuit des Musées (Museums Night) sees many of the city’s much-loved collections offering free after hours opening. Guests can explore their treasures and take part in special events including workshops. Just some of those which take part are the Picasso Museum and the Museum of Arab History. But if you miss this one-night-only event there are several other options for exploring Paris’s landmark attractions after dark. Nights at Les Invalides combines an immersive sound and light show with the chance to explore Napoleon Bonaparte’s burial place on the banks of the Seine by candlelight. Alternatively, you could turn to the Palace of Versailles gardens on Saturday evenings throughout July. Specially lit for the occasion, music drifts around the groves and fountains before the sky erupts into a sea of fireworks. 3. Make the most of the good weather With glorious July sun and warm evenings pretty much on tap, there’s plenty of reason to linger in Paris’s public outdoor spaces. Take a Bateaux Parisiens Seine river cruise and you might be surprised to see beachgoers lining the river’s banks. Those unable to up sticks to the French Riviera for the summer season are at least able to sink their feet into the imported sand of the Paris Plages beaches. Of the many reasons there are for exploring the parks and gardens of Paris in July, one of the best has to be the Fête de Tuileries. Located just behind the Louvre, it takes the form of a traditional funfair, complete with wooden carousels, a ghost train and hall of mirrors. Meanwhile, Parc de la Villette hosts an open-air cinema for much of the summer. One best suited for night owls, screenings can only take place once it’s got dark enough, meaning the mix of classic and modern movies don’t get their curtain call until 10:00 – 10:30PM. 4. Join the festival crowds On the eastern side of the city, the Parc Floral within the Bois de Vincennes becomes the site of the two month long Paris Jazz Festival. The eclectic line-up includes many of the greatest names in jazz, which in the past has seen both Gregory Porter and Sandra Nkaké take to the stage. Crossing musical genres, Festival Fnac Live has a commanding position in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) building. The free event lasts three nights and welcomes somewhere in the region of 100,000 revelers keen to see acts that have included Sting, Shaggy and Ed Sheeran. The lesser-known Canal de l’Ourcq around the Bassin de la Villette also comes into its own in July. As well as being a lovely place to soak up the sun with a canal-side stroll, it hosts a number of July events ranging from concerts to urban art trails suitable for all the family. 5. Bikes and shopping bags If one major July spectacle on the Champs-Élysées in July wasn’t enough in the form of the Bastille Day celebrations, then there’s the grand finale of the Tour de France to look forward to. The bike pack arrives in the capital after a route covering approximately 2200 miles. Ending with several laps of the Arc de Triomphe – and the impressive feat of cycling over cobbles whilst sipping from a Champagne flute – it’s a great way to get close to any cycling heroes. If it’s shopping bags rather than bikes that interest you, Paris in July is still the place to be. The time of the traditional summer sales, stores throughout the capital can offer significant discounts on ordinary retail prices, with the best deals generally appearing towards the end of the sales period. Should luggage space prevent you from making too many purchases, the stores of streets like Boulevard Haussmann are still well worth visiting. They include department stores Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, whose impressive art nouveau interiors have been drawing crowds for over 100 years. Saving on attraction admission in Paris in July With so much going on, you might think you’re going to need a significant win on the loto (the French lottery) to pay for it all. But even if lady luck isn’t standing by your side, it’s still possible to do all you want without worrying about the cost. Although Paris is considered an expensive city to both visit and live in, there are ways visitors to the French capital can ensure their money lasts. Explore Paris with Go City and you’ll get the benefit of reduced admission on many of the city’s top tourist attractions. What’s more, you can do this without needing to make any firm decisions about what you’d like to visit or when until you’re all set to immerse yourself in Paris in July.
Ian Packham

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