But for those looking for a more inspired scenario that won’t evoke images of Tom Cruise proposing to Katie Holmes (at the Tower), here are a few romantic spots to consider, depending of course on you and your partner’s style.

Geting romantic in Paris:
• The best romantic hotels in Paris for budget travelers
• Save big on a fun shopping spree in Paris
• Enjoy a romantic meal without blowing your bank account

Proposing in Paris

Paris Luxe

Brides in white flowing dresses with husbands in tow can be seen along the Pont Alexandre III (pictured, top) taking their photos after their weddings — but why not start the engagement there? When we think of Paris, we think of the Champs Elysée, gold-domed buildings and splendid views of the river. The Pont Alexandre III offers it all.

A bridge over the Canal St. Martin. Photo: Sylvain Bourdos

The most ornate bridge in Paris with glowing globe lights and gilded statues, it’s one of the perfect places to get romantic at night as the Eiffel Tower glitters in the distance and the lights of the boats reflect off the Seine. It’s a jolt of old world glam that never seems to die in Paris.

Bohemian Paris

If you like the idea of something less glitzy but more gritty and real, head to the Canal St. Martin and choose one of the arching bridges for your special moment. The neighborhood is known for many artists and bohemian-bourgeois locals that dress shabby-chic with carefully de-coiffed hair.

The pedestrian bridges have a rustic, quaint feeling that evokes Amélie skipping stones along the still water. Local picnickers along the banks of the canal will surely applaud if your partner says yes and then you can share a romantic meal at the trendy Hotel du Nord, ending the evening with a candlelit dinner among the other bohemian lovers that fill the neighborhood.

Fairytale romance

For something a little more whimsical, head to the top of the Parc Buttes Chaumont. Crowning this little man-made hill is a gazebo fit for Rapunzel that, despite the graffiti, can be a splendid place for the question. The views overlooking the park and the rooftops of Paris are simply breathtaking, like looking upon some far-off kingdom where the animals dress you in the morning. You even catch glimpses of the gleaming white Sacré Coeur basilica to the north.

The tip of the Ile de la Cite. Photo: Tom Flemming

If all goes well, have the picnic and obligatory bottle of Champagne ready to celebrate a fairytale engagement.

Historical Romance

As featured in the 2009 film An Education, the tip of Ile de la Cité overlooking the famous Pont des Arts and the Louvre, can be a very intimate spot to say, “I do” while being surrounded by the best of Paris. It has been a popular place for romance ever since the 1600s when King Henry IV brought his lovers here, which is why the square is called Galant-Vert, an allusion to his many mistresses at an old age.

This historical spot, in the shadow of the Pont Neuf, Paris’ oldest bridge, boasts magnificent views and could be the perfect place to slip the ring on his or her finger.

Fit for a King or Queen

Just outside of Paris in Versailles, the possibilities are endless. It’s not free to enter, but if you’re going to make a special trip to the chateau and its gardens, stop over at the Trianon, Queen Marie Antoinette’s private getaway. The aptly-named Temple d’Amour is a beautiful Romanesque gazebo tailor-made for royal wedding proposals.

Afterward, a romantic stroll through the vast gardens is the perfect way for lovers to steal a kiss, like the countless royals that have courted lovers in days long gone.

Related: 8 fantastic day trips less than an hour from Paris

Your proposals?

So what do you think? Do you have any other ideas for places to pop the question? Propose some more locations in our comments section!

The post Proposing in Paris: 5 romantic spots to pop the question appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Rumor has it you’re planning a trip to Paris! So bless your soul and grab my hand. I have a few recommendations for a dreamy Parisian bucket list, big or tall. Here is where I find my inspiration!

Hang out at Shakespeare and Company.

1. Book it!

While kicking down the cobblestones, why not pick up a Paris-related book or novella? Check out Shakespeare & Co. at 37 rue Bûcherie (Metro: Saint-Michel). Located near Notre Dame, it is the most enchanting bookshop in the city!

Through the hard times and the good, I also praise the San Francisco Bookshop at 17 Rue Monsieur le Prince (Metro: Odéon). Here is where I recently found a well-loved copy of “A Literate Passion: Letters of Anaïs Nin & Henry Miller”. Talk about the ultimate starry-eyed read!

Henry wrote: “I have not dared until now to say what I think. But I am plunging—you have opened the void for me—there is no holding back. I am in a fever.” Oh, sigh!

(Read more about our favorite bookstores in Paris.)

Get cheesy at the fromagerie.

2. Eat, Drink and be Merry

And speaking of Henry’s valentine, he also penned, “The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware: joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware!”

Here’s the squeal! Paris is made up of beaucoup boulangeries, poissonneries, caves, and cafés, éspiceries, fromageries, charcuteries, pâtisseries, chocolatiers, confiseries, and glaciers. Clipping The Left Banke, don’t walk away, Renée—spurge away! Also, ask for tidbit samples and recommendations. Cheapos, they know.

My gastronomical checklist:

Don’t leave the city without trying a crème brûlé, a meringue, and at least one macaron, along with a baguette, a pain au chocolat, and a selection of young fromage (difficult to find outside of France). Let’s not forget the wine and the crêpes! “Je voudrais une crêpe fromage-jambon, s’il vous plaît,” is what I always say!

(Read more about our favorite cafes and bakeries in Paris.)

3. Big City, Bright Lights

I also advocate sipping a round on a café terrace. Winter, spring, summer and fall, you won’t forget it! For pumped-up kicks, give Suze a shot! A gentian-based apéritif, this old-school bar favorite is typically served on ice with equal parts water or orange juice. Challenge your mates to describe its strange and peculiar flavor!

Back in the day, Picasso quipped, “I put all the things I like into my pictures—too bad for the things, they just have to put up with it.” Yes, the iconic bottle played muse to Picasso back in 1912. Hands-down, his super-cube collage “Verre et bouteille de Suze” always sets my rain on fire!

(Read more about drinks to try at any cafe in Paris.)

Hanging out in the Jardin du Luxembourg

4. Parks and Rec

After you’ve picked up your reads and nibbles, head to one of my favorite parks: Jardin du Luxembourg (Metro: Notre-Dame des Champs, Rennes or Vavin), Jardin des Tuileries (Metro: Tuileries, Concorde, Palais Royal/Musée du Louvre, Pyramides) and the Jardin du Palais Royal (Metro Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre).

WWHD? (What would Hem do?)

Hemingway would most likely mosey on over to the Square du Vert-Galant (Metro: Pont Neuf, Cité or Saint-Michel), and chill with wine, books, and sausages while watching the fishermen. “They always caught some fish,” he wrote, “They were plump and sweet-fleshed with a finer flavor than fresh sardines even, and were not at all oily, and we ate them bones and all.”

(Read in detail about our favorite parks in Paris.)

Lovely, moody Pere Lachaise.

Last stop

Cemeteries are also perfect spots for a little peace, love and understanding. I often curl up with Oscar Wilde at the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Like a new pair of cat eyeglasses, the calm terrain not only changes perception, but also attitude. The surrounding beauty both soothes and re-energizes my spirits every time.

Here you’ll also find comfort with Chopin, Modigliani, Proust, Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison. It’s free, and the perfect Paris experience, rain or shine. Come with a journal or sketchbook in hand. In the words of the dashing Wilde, “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” Oh, yes.

5. Taxi!

After nightfall, treat yourself to a cab ride in the City of Light. This is when the city truly twinkles. If you’re not already a wee intoxicated, you soon will be. I guarantee it.

To catch a ride, keep your eyes peeled for a cabstand. You could also hoof around the city after sundown. In Paris I always feel safe as houses, even when I roll solo.

6. Eiffel Tower

Like the moon and stars, the Eiffel Tower is a free show from almost anywhere in town, but better yet go there! Add it to your list. Just do it. Looking for a picture-perfect shot? Shoot up from below, center stage. Here the tower’s iron lattice resembles classic French black lace knickers. Oh, la, la!

I also highly recommend scoring an Eiffel Tower key chain at one of the souvenir shops in Montmartre. For the true love of corn, you’ll thank me one day in the near future. I have no doubts and no shortage of miniature replicas in my very own big box of life’s mementos. Just saying.

View from the rooftop.

7. Up on the roof

Right smack dab in the middle of town, I have a pet rooftop haven. Galeries Lafayette has never let me down! Up here, you’ll spy the Opéra Garnier, the Tour Eiffel, and Sacré Coeur. It’s another perfect spot to recharge your spirit, soul, and soles with sunsets and to-the-horizon boulevards and buildings of Haussmannian architecture!

(Read more about visiting the rooftop of Galeries Lafayette and tips for visiting the Sacre Coeur.)

8. Quill Power

Go vintage! Buy your postcards at the flea market! In the world of texts and emoticons, a little handwriting will feel good to the hand, spirit, cat sitter or paramour! Start the search for “cartes postale ancienne” at either the Porte de Vanves Flea Market or Clignancourt Flea Market at Caveyron Devey, located at stall number 7 and 8 in the Passage Lecuyer (off Rue Jules Vallès).

(Read our tips for shopping at flea markets in Paris.)

Signing off with yet another passage by Hemingway, Cheapos, “There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other.”

Bon Voyage! Carpe diem, Cheapos! Now start planning that trip!

The post First time in Paris? 8 activities not to miss appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Oh, so hub-able

While touring, parks are the perfect spots for resting and picnicking. Tip! Grocery stores in Paris like Monoprix, Franprix, and Carrefour now have smaller “Mini Me” boutiques scattered throughout Paris. With ease, you’ll be able to stock up on fresh salads, sandwiches, and cold beverages. There’s also fromageries and patisseries! Bon Appétit.

Relaxing at the Jardin du Luxembourg.

1. Jardin du Luxembourg
6th arrondissement (Metro: Notre-Dame des Champs, Rennes or Vavin)

Fashioned by Queen Marie de Médici and garden guru Boyeau de La Bareaudière with a Florentine twist during the 17th century, it’s my favorite park.

Gossip! In the years before Hemingway could afford to shoot lions in Africa, he hunted urban birdlife here. Back in his salad days, Luxembourg was known for its voluptuous pigeons! “We got a little tired of pigeon that winter but they filled many a void,” Hem wrote.

Before or after your own moveable feast in the park, I recommend visiting the Musée du Luxembourg, the Église Saint-Sulpice, or the Musée de Cluny. The Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Panthéon are also fine options. Let’s not forget to mention the kitschy Latin Quarter. Don’t hate me because I think this touristic hotspot is beautiful!

Table service in the Tuileries.

2. Jardin des Tuileries
1st arrondissement (Metro: Tuileries, Concorde, Palais Royal/Musée du Louvre, Pyramides?)

And speaking of royal creations, here’s another one! Created by Catherine de Médici (with a slight Italian flair) in the 16th century, the Jardin de Tuileries was given a redo by landscape architect André Le Nôtre during the Sun King’s reign. After the Big Wigs’ big move to Versailles, it became one of the first public parks.

Ready to stroll? Look for the Musée du Louvre, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and the Musée des Arts de la Mode, along with the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and the Place de la Concorde.

Dig the Musée d’Orsay? Cross the river Seine at Pont Royal or Pont de Solférino. Want more? The Petit Palais and the Grand Palais are also in walking distance.

Sit like a king in the Jardin du Palais Royal

3. Jardin du Palais Royal
1st arrondissement (Metro Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre)

Here you’ll find beaucoup de benches, a fountain and a music box shop! Back in the day, writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette held court here. Some claim to still hear the tapping of her typewriter keys. Keep your little eye peeled for the historic plaque marking where she lived.

Nearby, you’ll find the Musée du Louvre, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and the Musée des Arts de la Mode, along with Place de la Concorde, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Palais Royal Musée. Shopping enthusiasts, the hustling, bustling Châtelet shopping district is located just a few blocks away.

4. Jardin des Plantes
5th arrondissement (Metro Monge, Jussieu or Gare d’Austerlitz)

I’ve spent entire days here. Created in the 17th century as a medicinal herb garden for the King Louis XIII, it’s chockfull of flowers, statues and ancient trees. Also in the area, you’ll be able to explore the Arènes de Lutèce, the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, and the Institut du Monde Arabe, along with the Mosquée de Paris.

Tip! Check out its gift shop and restaurant. Their couscous is among the best in the city!

Clown murals and more at the Square de la Trinité.

5. Square de la Trinité
9th arrondissement (Metro: Saint-Trinité)

Located in the quaint “Nouvelle Athènes” area, the square is not to be missed! Its clown murals never failed to make me smile! Here in the historic neighborhood, you’ll also find the Musée Gustave Moreau (the artist’s studio and house), along with the Musée de la Vie Romantique.

Formerly the home of painter Ary Scheffer, it now features works from the Romantic Movement in art and literature. Yes, here is where George Sand, Chopin, Delacroix, Liszt, and Rossini would gather and gab. Interested in the Moulin Rouge or the Musée de l’Erotisme? Hotfoot it directly uphill!

“Je t’aime” so many things at the Square Jehan-Rictus.

6. Square Jehan-Rictus
18th arrondissement (Metro: Abbesses)

Nestled in Abbesses, you’ll find the intimate square, along with its “J’taime Wall.” Created by Frederic Baron and Claire Kito, the phrase “I Love You” in 250 languages is inscribed on glazed blue tiles.

While touring Abbesses and the rest of Montmartre, do stop by the Espace Montmartre Salvador Dali, the Musée de Montmartre and Sacré Coeur. Tip! In Abbesses, the shops are always open on Sundays.

7. Square du Vert-Galant
1st arrondissement (Metro: Pont Neuf, Cité or Saint-Michel)

The Square du Vert-Galant, a centuries-old romantic hotspot.

Let’s now stroll to another favorite centuries-old romantic hotspot, le Square du Vert-Galant at the tip of the Île de la Cité. How did the park get its name? Parisians gave the little tear-drop-shaped park the flamboyant King Henri IV’s nickname, “Vert-Galant,” or “Gay Blade,” since he was larger than life, compassionate, and wildly loved!

Just beyond the le Square du Vert-Galant, you’ll find the downstream tip of the Île de la Cité. Pick a spot on the stone ledge and then settle yourself down for some smooth bateaux-cruise watching. What else can be spotted? Notre Dame and the Musée du Louvre. Feel up for a stroll? The Centre Georges Pompidou, the Hotel de Ville, and the Musée de Cluny are also worth the trek!

Where do you park it?

Do you have a favorite park in Paris? Do tell us in our comments section! Also check out our post on hidden parks in Paris.

Also in our guide: If you’re planning an upcoming trip to Paris and looking for an affordable hotel, do swing by to our Paris guide to read our expert reviews of budget hotels in Paris. Each of them has been visited, inspected and approved by one of our editors.

The post Paris parks: Our 7 favorite green spaces appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are a few of my favorite rendezvous-worthy places, squares and gardens, along with the les bancs (benches) and statues that bring them to life. So allons-y! Pack an umbrella, reading material and a picnic. Oh, je t’aime! Je ne me quitte pas!

1.) Place du Trocadéro

Where: Place du Trocadéro, 16th arrondissement (Métro Trocadéro)

Here you’ll find my favorite view of the Eiffel Tower! Let’s first meet up for a brownie and a Coke Zero at the bustling, family-friendly Café Carlu nestled inside the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. This is my new happy place! I think you’re going to dig the bookshop, too.

2.) Place Dalida

Dalida at Place Dalida

Where: The tip of rues Girardon and Abreuvoir, 18th arrondissement (Métro Abbesses)

Pilgrims from all over the world visit the quite fetching bust of Dalida (the female Elvis of France) and touch her for

luck! By the way, the pop diva’s house is located nearby on rue d’Orchampt, and her grave is in the Cimetière de Montmartre. (Katy Perry’s fireworks got nothing on you, Dalida!)

3.) Le Jardin du Musée Galliéra

Where: 11-13 avenue du Président Wilson, 16th arrondissement (Métro Iéna or Alma-Marceau)

Though the museum is still closed for an extensive makeover, the gorgeous garden is still open. I love this place. This is where I catch my breath, gaze out at the mile-long lines across the street at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and Le Palais de Tokyo and feel completely satisfied.

4.) Square Jehan Rictus

Where: Place des Abbesses, 18th arrondissement (Métro Abbesses)

Please take heed! The “J’taime Wall” will get you in the mood for random kindness, imagine! After touching the wall, we’ll saunter over to the Café Saint Jean for a lil’ vin chaud and the best chicken salad on this side of Sacré Coeur. Inside or outside, this joint is a prime people watching hot spot.

5.) Place Constantin-Pecquier

Where: 18th arrondissment (Métro Lamark- Caulaincourt) The Fontaine Steinlen

Ah, Cheapos, I’ve a confession up my faux fur sleeve. After my cat left this world for another Fancy Feast, this is where I spent many hours. Both Montmartre residents Steinlen and Erik Satie understood the wonderous feline, and I found and still find great comfort in that.

6.) Église de la Sainte-Trinité de Paris

Where: 4 Place d’Estienne d’Orves, 9th arrondissment (Métro Trinité)

I love this church not just for its beauty alone but also for its brilliant solution to the ugly construction in the works. They didn’t just apologize, Cheapos, they brought in the clowns! Bars and cafés round out the Place. The Musée du Romantisme (Museum of Romantic Life), with George Sand’s bling and other personal artifacts, is just a Chopin hop, skip and away!

7.) Jardin des Tuileries

Where: 1st arrondissement (Métro Tuileries)

Let’s meet at Métro Concorde or at Métro Carrousel du Louvre because we’ll be able to pick up reading material at either W.H. Smith Book Shop or at the fabulous museum shop at the Musée de la Mode. Let’s not forget the Jardin de Tuileries gift shop either. Cheapos, how green does your garden grow?

8.) Square du Vert-Galant

Where: Tip of the Île de la Cité, 1st Arrondissement (Métro Pont Neuf)

For the love of vitality, admiration and gossip, Parisians gave the little tear-drop-shaped park the flamboyant King Henri IV’s nickname, “Vert-Galant,” or “Gay Blade,” since he was larger than life, compassionate, wildly loved and quite the looker in the day. Mad about music, wine and women, Henri would horse around here with his friends, entertainers and favorite mistress, Gabrielle d’Estrée. Ooh, ta ta.

As Henri IV liked to say, Cheapos, “Great cooking and great wines make a paradise on earth!”

The post Paris: 7 oh-la-la spots to rendezvous with a view appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Book browsing along the Seine.

Getting there

The Saint-Michel Metro stop will allow for a little bouquiniste browsing as you make your way. Along with a book, pick up a sandwich at a nearby boulangerie or even a compact but oh so filling crêpe fromage! I’m not the first to propose the tip of the Île de la Cité as the perfect spot for a little pic-a-necking, and I certainly won’t be the last.

The bridge: Pont Neuf

Still curvaceous and fabulous at 403-years-old, the “New Bridge” is actually the oldest standing bridge in Paris. Created by Henri IV, it was the first to be built without houses or shops (i.e., “firetraps”) lining it.

As the king of the original urban re-do, Henri also banned timber construction throughout the city, promoted symmetry in its public architecture, connected the Tuileries with the Louvre, and created Paris’s first city square! Thank Henri’s Place des Vosges for getting the party started in the Marais. Even today, this very stylish square is still a prime place to see and be seen.

Henri IV, avec cheval

As you promenade across the bridge, stop and cool your heels in one of its nook-like bastions. Originally these niches were created for the safety of pedestrians seeking to avoid being run over by passing carriages clattering madly by.

Jolly Green Giant: Statue of Henri IV

The bridge cuts across the island connecting the Right and Left Banks of the river. In its very center, you’ll find a huge bronze statue of Henri IV on horseback. Some folks consider the square around it the very center of Western Civilization. I don’t know about that, but I can vouch for it as a great place to make momentous decisions. See, Cheapos, this is where my paramour proposed to me! (I accepted.)

You’ll find the King’s square directly below. Just follow the steps.

Le Square du Vert-Galant

What’s in a name? Le Square du Vert-Galant

For the love of vitality, admiration, and gossip, Parisians gave the little tear-drop-shaped park the flamboyant King’s nickname, “Vert-Galant,” or “Gay Blade,” since he was larger than life, compassionate, and wildly loved. Mad about music, wine and women, Henri would horse around here with his friends, entertainers, and favorite mistress, Gabrielle d’Estrée. As he liked to say, “Great cooking and great wines make a paradise on earth!”

And speaking of big appetites, this is also where Hemingway relaxed with books, wine, and sausages while watching the fishermen. “They always caught some fish,” he wrote, “and often they made excellent catches of the dace-like fish that were called goujon. They were plump and sweet-fleshed with a finer flavor than fresh sardines even, and were not at all oily, and we ate them bones and all.” For more park ideas, read about our seven favorite parks.

Tip of the Île de la Cité

The tip of the Ile de la Cite

Just beyond the le Square du Vert-Galant, you’ll find the downstream tip of the Île de la Cité. Pick a spot on the stone ledge and then settle yourself down for some smooth bateaux-cruise watching from underneath the weeping willow. I’ve been told that this tree is always the first in Paris to leaf out each spring! Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the (currently closed) grand magasin Samaritaine pop up like a panoramic all-star photo shoot surrounding you.

Clipping from Hemingway, Cheapos, “There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other.”

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