How to plan the perfect romantic getaway for your partner?

A favorite walking spot for Parisians, the Tuileries Gardens is an inescapable stop for anyone wanting to join the Champs-Élysées from the Palace of the Louvre. Created by Catherine de Medici and later laid out in its current form by André Le Nôtre, the gardener of Louis XIV known as “the Sun King,” the Tuileries Gardens forms an island of relaxation in the heart of the city.

The works of renowned sculptors such as Giacometti and Rodin embellish your walk to the large basins, where you can stroll before taking a detour to the Musée de l’Orangerie. Located in the Tuileries Gardens, this institution exhibits the majestic canvases gifted to France by Claude Monet in the days following the armistice of 1918. The famous water lilies dear to the impressionist painter are represented on several monumental frescoes, the largest spanning seventeen meters long, offering an extraordinary spectacle.

Leave the Tuileries Gardens and head to the banks of the Seine to embark on a private cruise on an elegant riverboat. Cruise up the river as you skirt the sides of the Île de la Cité, the cradle of the city of Paris, which the Gallo-Romans once called Lutetia. You will admire the Palace of the Louvre from a new angle before discovering the famous cathedral which inspired Victor Hugo’s book The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

If you chose instead to encounter Paris’ “iron lady,” built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1899 World’s Fair, you will have the opportunity to pass underneath the sumptuous Pont Alexandre III. Intended to symbolize the friendship between France and Russia, Tsar Nicolas II placed the cornerstone of this historical monument. The four gilded statues overlooking the bridge’s pillars will guide you along your cruise.

The splendor of the Palais Garnier leaves no one indifferent as this Parisian treasure knows how to combine nearly every art to perfection. Music and dance are naturally given the place of honor, enhanced by painting, architecture, and sculpture. Even literature is included, as the Palais Garnier itself inspired Gaston Leroux for his famous Phantom of the Opera. Watch out for the phantom when passing by Box 5, you may even catch a glimpse of it!

Frescoes, gilding, chandeliers, and marble columns are sumptuous details that will captivate you everywhere you look in this place full of history. Commissioned by Napoleon III and inaugurated in 1875, the Palais Garnier has only grown more beautiful over the years. The sumptuous concert hall offers more than ballets and operas: look up and admire the monumental canvas painted by Marc Chagall, which adorns the ceiling.

You can visit the Palais Garnier on your own or with a guide, but to fully appreciate the magnificence of the decoration and give your partner an unforgettable moment, opt instead for a performance.

What better place to end your romantic getaway in style than the most beautiful avenue in the world? The famous square where the Arc de Triomphe stands was once called Place de l’Étoile because the roads converge there in a star-shaped pattern. Today, Michelin-starred restaurants gravitate around this iconic monument from which military processions head off on the annual July 14th parade.

The Atelier de Joël Robuchon is one of these restaurants. The French chef crowned “Chef of the Century” in 1990 holds the most Michelin stars in the world, and his restaurant on the Champs is no exception. You will find fine cuisine to enjoy at a table or at the counter according to your liking.

If your preference is for the Place de la Concorde at the other end of the avenue, head to the Pavillon Ledoyen. Under the eye of chef Yannick Alléno, this prestigious place which is unique in the world, features three restaurants to fulfill any desire. Pavillon, l’Abysse, and l’Alléno –respectively, one, two, and three stars in the Michelin guide– are the perfect finishing touch to your day