A Romantic Weekend in Paris

This is an idea for people who have already been to the City of Light, and seen the major tourists’ attractions. You won’t find here any of the famous sights. In fact, this article focuses on a particular area of this large and diverse metropolis: Saint-Germain-des-Prés  . It was once a separate village by that name, and it covers the 6th arrondissment (district) on the left bank of the Sein river.

First order is to select a place to stay. There are many boutique hotels in this area. One to note is L’Hotel, a very elegant and unique building which claim to fame is that it was where Oscar Wilde’s spent his last days. Even if you don’t stay there, go visit the building and have an afternoon drink at its beautifully decorated bar.

I would like to recommend Hotel Luxembourg Parc, situated right next to Jardin du Luxembourg, on rue Vaugirard. It is conveniently located to all the places mentioned here. This 200 years old building has only 23 rooms, not very large but well appointed. You will find the staff to be very friendly and helpful.

You can have breakfast at the hotel but one morning you should take a five minutes’ walk to Café de Flore, on Boulevard St. Germain. This is one of two very famous cafes (the other is Les Deus Magots, just next door) which boast a long list of celebrities who were regular diners.

Visit the church of Saint Sulpice and find out some of the clues from the Da Vinci Code book. Take a look at the impressive Great Organ and don’t miss the murals by Delacroix, which include hints related to historical internal strife in the church.

Walk along rue Bonaparte and indulge yourself at the Pierre Herme chocolate place. Make sure to try one of the wonderful macarons.

Take any of the side streets and stroll around the area – if you are interested in art there are numerous galleries on rue Mazarine.

Make sure to visit the Jardin du Luxembourg – possibly the nicest gardens in Paris – with its many sculptures and fountains.

If you would like to know more – like the best place to have a hot chocolate, a great little Champaign boutique that sells unique labels, a “must” try personalized tour to show you hidden gems in this neighborhood.