Honeymoon in Paris
Honeymoons have evolved and couples can choose a trip as unique as they are. For centuries, lovers have agreed there’s no place more romantic than Paris. The food, wine, art, architecture and charming hotels are among the city’s seductions for love. In order to avoid disappointment, prepare for a honeymoon in Paris as it will enhance the trip.
Paris is the global capital for romance. Wandering the city together is enough to spark a mood however you can enhance it with adventure. Lovers looking for a fun night out should visit the neighborhoods of Pigalle and Montmartre, which are home to many romantic places. Pigalle contains lively bars, such as the Moulin Rouge and cabaret dancing. If you are looking for something a low-key, wander through Montmartre and visit the quaint Place des Abbesses and take a ride on its merry-go-round. Another famous romantic activity is a visit to Ponts des Arts, known as “lovers’ bridge.” Per tradition, lovers must kiss, make a wish and hang a padlock on its railings to immortalize their love.
Honeymooning in Paris should include not only the perfect places to visit but a luxury place to stay. Consider staying at the quiet luxurious hotel Shangri-La. This was once the home of Napoleon’s grandnephew and the Eiffel Tower will be in your backyard! On the Left Bank in the Marais district is the ground zero for the fashionable crowd. The Pavillon de la Reine is set across from where Victor Hugo, the author of Les Misérables once lived. The Pavillon de la Reine feels like a city home with lovely courtyards, library and honesty bar where guests can help themselves. If your flare is boutique hotels the Hotel Thoumieux will throw you a flamboyant curve with bold floral wallpaper and leopard print throws on its beds. Additionally the Thoumieux offers two chic restaurants and is just steps from the Eiffel Tower and Musée D’Orsay.
Take your love out for a drink at a chic location. Hotel Meurice a clubby pocket off the Hotel Meurice’s main lobby draws the working class Parisians doing business, celebs, and regular people like us. Take your time to soak up every minute and every drop of the heavenly 28-euro kir royale. If you’ve seen Midnight in Paris, you’ll recognize this old-school hotel, on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Le Bar du Bristol. Starchitect Pierre-Yves Rochon styled the new bar with extravagant tapestries, a parquet floor made of Versailles oak, and a mod TV showing street scenes of Paris. You’ll see a fashion-forward crowd coming in for killer cocktails and tapas, and a DJ that spins until 1:30 a.m.
A gourmet meal is always a lovely way to start or top off an evening in Paris. A worthy splurge awaits you at Benoit. Alain Ducasse’s warm, casual bistro feels like the French restaurant of your dreams. Accented with tables set off by red-leather banquettes, crisp service, and decadent portions of savory cassoulet, sweetbreads with truffle jus, and garlicky escargots it is sure to please your beloved. Astier offers an intimate, red-and-white checker-cloth bistro turns out classic French fare with escargots wrapped in a decadent puff pastry, rabbit terrine and reasonable prices: $50 per person, for an app, main course, dessert, and cheese course. For the cheese connoisseur you’ll have your pick of 15 amazing hunks from Maitre Affineur Anthès brought out on a towering plate.
Consider spending time with your love on a day trip from Paris. Take a tour through history, art and culture at one of the many amazing destinations in and around Paris. The Palace of Versailles; Giverny, the home of Claude Monet’s inspirational gardens; the Loire Valley, with a corridor of magnificent castles are a reminder of the wealth and splendor of France’s Renaissance; the beaches of Normandy, where Allied forces landed and began the liberation of France and the end of World War II. Consider spending a day in Champagne sampling bubbly, and then return to Paris the same night. Fitting in one or two day trips will enrich your experience and will give a better perspective of the beauty, majesty and history that is just outside the Paris city gates.
Chateau de Versailles Tours
Versailles is a huge palace, 520,000 square feet, where you will find the best of the Chateau de Versailles — the Royal Quarters, the Hall of Mirrors, and the French gardens.
Small-Group Day Trip to Champagne
With its world-class vineyards, rolling hills, fascinating history and prestigious Champagne houses, a visit to this region makes for a romantic day trip. Stunning landscape to the town of Epernay awaits you on a visit to a wine grower where you can learn how champagne is grown and created. After lunch featuring the region’s traditional fare visit Moët et Chandon, a favorite stop for Napoleon. Here you can visit their cellars and enjoy a flight of champagne, tasted in the majestic salon.
Monet Gardens at Giverny
Claude Monet’s contribution to Impressionism is unparalleled. Step back in time as you stroll through the splendid gardens and cross the famous Japanese bridge. Monet created the perfect palette for himself with his grand pink house, lush gardens and the pond where lily pads flourish. There are daily tours from April to October.
The Chateaux of the Loire Valley
Day trips offer a trio of the most majestic Renaissance castles in the Loire Valley. The Clos Lucé, home of Leonardo da Vinci, Château de Chambord and Château de Chenonceau.
Day trips are easy since the destinations are close to Paris , Versailles is thirty minutes away; Giverny and Champagne an hour; and both the Normandy Beaches and the Loire Valley are just a few hours from the center of Paris. With so many to choose from, planning a day trip is easy. You do not have to rent a car, negotiate the Metro or trains many of these tours will pick you up directly from your Paris hotel and return you back at the end of the day.
La Vie Romantique in the City of Love. Can there be anything more romantic than a Paris honeymoon. From luxury and romantic hotel packages, to romantic things to do and places to see, your honeymoon will create the memory of a lifetime.
Photo by Pedro Ribeiro Simões
