Who can forget the famous line in the 1942 movie Casablanca when Humphrey Bogart tells Ingrid Bergman “We’ll always have Paris” referring to their love and the time they spent in Paris.

Paris has been called the City of Lights largely due to the fact that it was one of the first European countries to use gas street lighting on a large scale to light up its many boulevards. But it is also referred to as the City of Love.

Its difficult to understand why a city would be associated so strongly with romance and love. I went to Paris in June 2018 and found out for myself what makes this city a place for lovers, where romance flourishes and love overflows.

The Eiffel Tower

When we think of Paris, we think of the Eiffel Tower. It’s no wonder then that the first thing you want to do once you arrive and settle in, in Paris, is make your way to the Eiffel Tower. This iconic landmark stands as a symbol of romance in the centre of Paris and few who has visited Paris can deny that it represents all that we’ve come to associate with love.

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Whether its by day or night, when the Eiffel Tower is lit up with 20 000 light bulbs, lovers find themselves drawn to its mesmerising beauty. One would think that a structure which has been constructed with wrought iron would appear cold and dis-engaging but the opposite is actually true. As soon as you spot the Tower in the distance you feel moved to find your way towards it to marvel at its brilliance.

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The Champs Elysees

The Champs Elysees is regarded to be one of the most recognised avenues in the world. As a cyclist, I associated the Champs Elysees with the Tour de France before visiting Paris last year. It is in this famous avenue where the race finishes after riders spent just over 3 weeks in the saddle racing through France and sometimes passing through nearby countries over 21 day long stages.

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The Champs Elysees (pronounced as Cha-za-lee-zay) is also well known for its theatres, cafes and luxury shops. One of the most well known brands have a luxurious store on the Champs Elysees. In 1854 Louis Vuitton opened his first store in Paris, but it wasn’t until 2005 that this famous brand opened its doors to a 1900 square meter luxury store on the Champs Elysees.

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Strolling down the Champs Elysees is a must do on your holiday to Paris. If you are a keen fashionista and love walking, then this avenue will give you the best of both worlds.

Couples favour the avenue for a romantic stroll because it provides so much to see and offers cosy cafes to stop at for a quick coffee or a leisurely lunch.

The River Seine

Capturing the essence of Paris and running through the city is the Seine River which is an important commercial waterway of the Paris Basin in the north of France.

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A cruise on this river will leave you in awe as you pass by the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Musee d’ Orsay and Invalides.

We decided to do a cruise on the River Seine on the same day that we saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time. We had also been to the Notre Dame Cathedral so it was fitting to now have a view of these two iconic landmarks as we cruised down the river.

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Wherever you find water, boats and cruises, you find couples cosying and cuddling, right? Ofcourse. Now add to that cruise the Paris skyline with the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral passing in the distance and you have the makings of the most romantic moments.

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Louvre Museum

The world’s largest and most visited art museum can be found in Paris. With its famous glass pyramid standing 21 meters high, the Louvre, was opened in 1793 with only 537 paintings collected mostly from royals and confiscated church property. Today it is home to more than 380 000 pieces of art including the world famous Leonardo di Vinci’s, Mona Lisa painting.

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Fun fact : It is humanely impossible to see every single piece of art in a one day visit to the Louvre.

Just like the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees, the Louvre Museum has an energy which attracts and mesmerises. Once in the vicinity of this famous landmark one finds yourself feeling all warm and fuzzy and cosy. I’m not sure if it’s the Parisian air or the sound of violins playing in the background by street buskers, but something about the atmosphere in and around the Louvre, speaks directly to romance and love.

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Can Paris be considered to be the city of love? Absolutely!

I would say that Paris gives lovers the space to explore and marvel at its mesmerising landmarks much like Venice gives lovers intimacy and closeness while strolling along its narrow alleys and cruising its narrow canals.

Read more about my Venice travels here : https://withnarriman.travel.blog/2019/04/11/what-i-discovered-i-didnt-know-about-venice/