20 Romantic Plans in Paris in Winter
When you think of a trip to Paris, warm weather and chic fall outfits might pop into your head.
While it’s not necessarily known as a winter destination, Paris in winter is definitely worth a visit. Known as “the city of love,” you will be surprised at just how romantic Paris is in winter.
Going to Paris off-season has many perks, the most notable being that it’s not as crowded as it is in the fall, summer, or spring. Tour the city with your significant other as you cozy up to each other to warm up and soak up the romance of the city.
If you’re looking for things to do in Paris during winter, we’re here to help you out. Here we have compiled 20 romantic plans in Paris in winter.
Hopefully, with this guide, you and your partner will have the most romantic trip of your life to the world’s romance capital.
1. Visit the Christmas Market around the city
In winter, the streets of Paris are lit up with arrays of street markets. These Paris Christmas Markets or Marché de Noel are always buzzing with life, pumping up your holiday spirits.
You will find people selling local food and drinks, Christmas decorations, arts and crafts, and many other things you can buy as a Christmas gift.
Some of the biggest, most popular annual Paris Christmas Markets are:
- La Magie de Noël at Tuileries Garden (which is more like a carnival with a Ferris wheel and other small carnival rides),
- Marché de Noel Notre Dame at Square Viviani,
- Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market,
- and Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market.
All in all, this is a great low-key date idea. There are many more Christmas markets than the ones we’ve listed above, and the markets won’t be hard to find as long as you’re in the city’s heart.
Simply walk together arm in arm around the city while looking for crowds.
2. Climb Eiffel Tower at Sunset
When it comes to enjoying the city’s most iconic landmark, there are a few ways to enjoy it.
Some people like to take pictures “in front” of the tower, while others prefer to climb up it and have a gorgeous view of the city beneath them.
There’s no one right way to do it, but if we’re going to recommend a truly romantic activity at the Eiffel Tower, climbing the tower at sunset would be our choice.
Picture you and your partner ascending the stairs at dusk, and when you arrive at the top, the sun is just starting to dip and lighting up the city in warm hues.
And after the sun is gone, the sky turns dark and the two of you will watch the city lights.
Keep in mind that the sunsets in Paris during winter at around 5 pm, so make sure you’re already by the tower before then.
3. Dine on a cruise on the Seine
If a daytime river cruise is a fun way to tour Paris, a nighttime dinner cruise on River Seine is perfect for a romantic plan in Paris in winter.
There are many cruise agents on the River Seine offering various packages of tours and menus.
If you’re having dinner during winter, it’s better to look for indoor cruises. Some tours have boats with large windows next to every table so you can have an intimate indoor dinner while still having a great view of the city.
- Day Trip: Visit Château de Chenonceau from Paris
Printable
Outfit Planner
EXTRA TIP: plan what you will take in advance so you take everything you need and do not have to make extra expenses at the destination. You can download the PDF here; the price is up to you!
4. Have a Cup of Hot chocolate
What’s better than a cup of hot chocolate in winter? Especially since Paris is known for having the best hot chocolate.
There are plenty of cafes that are known to serve the best of the best hot chocolate, with the most notable being Carette since it famously comes with whipped cream that perfectly brings out the rich taste of the chocolate.
Other popular places are Cafe de Flore, Angelina, and Cafe Les Deux Magots. We also recommend that you order a croissant with your hot choco and dip it. This is a great way to kick off the date in the morning.
- Check Out: The Famous Streets in Paris, You must visit!
5. Go Ice skating
Paris really turns into a Winter Wonderland during winter. You can find many outdoor ice skating rinks around the city, including in Christmas markets such as the Jardin des Tuileries.
Skate around on the ice hand in hand while appreciating the romantic Paris in winter.
If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind skating rink, did you know that there’s an ice skating rink at the Eiffel Tower? It’s located on the first floor, 57 meters above the ground.
6. Wedding Vows Renewal Ceremony at the Eiffel Tower in Paris with a photo session
All couples want to hold their wedding ceremony in Paris, but obviously, not everyone can afford to do it. Fortunately, there’s an interesting service at the Eiffel Tower that might be the alternative you need.
Renew your wedding vows in front of the Eiffel Tower. They offer a full package of wedding vow renewal ceremonies with a photo shoot in front of the iconic tower.
The whole thing usually takes about an hour and a half, and you will get 200 digital event images.
7. Visit Disneyland Paris
Get a taste of romantic Paris in winter by going to the alleged “happiest place on earth.” Going to the theme park is always a great idea for a date.
Spend a whole day having fun, greeting characters, eating snacks, and buying character ears for each other.
There are some things to consider before visiting Mickey & co in the winter months. If it suddenly snows, some attractions and parades will not operate.
The opening hours are also much shorter, usually from 10 am to 6:30 pm.
However, there are also some surprising upsides of Disneyland in winter. Several rides will feel even more magical, such as Thunder Mountain, which looks exceptionally enchanting with blankets of snow on the mountain.
Lastly, the queues are much shorter compared to other seasons.
8. Try the Mulled Wine “Vin Chaud”
When in France, you can’t leave without trying the country’s special drink, vin chaud. It’s a spiced mulled wine that is exquisitely fragrant.
All the spices make it a perfect drink for winter, and the fragrance makes it perfect for the holidays.
A great option is Wine Paris if you want to go to a wine-tasting place. You will be guided by a professional French sommelier who will recommend you the best wine and cheese pairings.
Other places that serve the best vin chaud are Le Chalet du 8ème, Little Red Door, and of course the Marchés de Noël or Christmas Market.
9. Tour Galeries Lafayette
You can always go shopping at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for a simple date idea. It’s a shopping district at the city’s heart, filled with more than 280 stores.
Have the most romantic shopping experience in your life in this majestic glass dome architectural masterpiece.
All in all, even if you’re not going to buy anything, the architecture itself is worth checking out the place. Feel how magical the dome is from the inside.
While you’re there, you have to go to the roof. It’s got a great view, including the Eiffel Tower.
10. Visit the Louvre Museum
Next to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre is probably the second most iconic attraction of the city.
Home to the enigmatic Mona Lisa, it’s no surprise that the museum is packed all year long. But the museum showcases way more than just the da Vinci painting.
In fact, if you’re visiting for the first time, you’d be surprised at how large the museum actually is.
It’s a great place for a lowkey date because don’t we all just love cute museum dates?
Other notable artworks in the museum are The Raft of the Medusa, The Wedding at Cana, The Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People, and The Coronation of Napoleon.
11. Tour the City in Search of Christmas lights
Just like we talked about above, Paris in winter is always lit up, both with the buzz and in the literal sense. Known also as the city of lights, Paris gets even more “lit” with the addition of colorful Christmas lights.
Have a romantic, chilled date night out with your partner by walking the streets of Paris while looking for the most beautiful lights in the city.
Near Arc de Triomphe at Champs Élysées, the famous one million red and blue lights are on the trees and along the street.
In Place Vendôme, you can find dozens of Christmas trees lit up with white lights.
Along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, between Rue Royale and Palais Royal, there are many Christmas light decorations decorating the luxury shops on that street.
Look for other Paris Christmas lights while spending some quality time with your partner.
Cuddle up to each other for warmth as you walk along the streets of Paris. For more magnificent lights, look for churches. They always have the most beautiful, colorful, intricate Christmas lights decorations.
12. Dine with a view of the Eiffel Tower
If a dinner date on the Eiffel Tower is out of your price range, another – and arguably better – alternative you can try out is having dinner with a view of the tower.
Dinner will never taste as good as it does in the world’s romance capital with the person you love.
Since the tower is so big, there are countless options of restaurants offering a clear view of the tower. Some of the most popular are Girafe Restaurant, Maison Blanche, and Café de l’Homme.
If you want to be really close to the tower, a good option is Les Ombres, a fancy terrace restaurant at the top of Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum.
If you feel that Les Ombres is out of your price range, Le Bistro Parisien is a great option for a relatively affordable meal right next to the tower.
For a special view from above, try dining at La Ciel de Paris, which is a gourmet restaurant located on the 56th floor of the Montparnasse tower.
You will get a full view of the tower right in front of you. Interestingly, it is the highest restaurant in the whole of Europe.
13. Prepare a Romantic picnic in Paris
Who says you can’t have a picnic during wintertime? It’s true that it takes a bit more preparation, but it’s still fun nonetheless.
The first thing you have to prepare is thick clothes and warm blankets, anything that will warm you up. Next, check the weather forecast to ensure it’s not going to snow.
A light snow might make a nice ambiance, but more than that is just a nuisance. The food and drink you bring should also be warm.
This can be something as simple as fresh pastry from the nearest coffee shop oven.
As for the location, the Seine river is a popular picnic spot. Plane Dauphine just off of Pont Neuf is also a great place to look for possible sunshine, even in the winter.
Snuggle up together and see the Eiffel tower while sipping on hot chocolate. A picnic in Paris in winter is certainly a date you won’t ever forget for the rest of your life.
14. Visit Musée de la Vie Romantique
Since we’re making a list of romantic places, there’s no way we’re not putting The Museum of Romantic Life or Musée de la Vie Romantique.
It’s a small museum showcasing interesting exhibits, including the works of Frederic Chopin and George Sand. It’s a quaint little place with a cute cafe and garden
The best part about it is that the entrance is free. Although they also have an exhibition where you have to pay to get in.
15. You Cannot miss a Photo on the wall of ‘Je t’aime’
Le Mur des Je t’aime, or the “wall of love”, is a unique wall in the Jehan Rictus square. Spanning 40 square meters, the wall is filled with scribbles of “I love you,” but in 250 different languages.
Take a picture in front of this wall with your significant other to commemorate your love.
Another fun activity you can do together is to look for I love you in your respective native languages. Play a game of who finds it first and share a good laugh with each other.
16. Paris Moulin Rouge Cabaret Dinner
Be a cultured tourist couple in Paris and watch the city’s most extravagant show. Have an unforgettable evening watching the Paris Moulin Rouge while dining on a 3-course gourmet.
This Parisian cabaret is internationally known, particularly from the paintings of Toulouse Lautrec. The show includes dancers and showgirls performing theater numbers.
Before the show, you will also get to enjoy a tasty dinner of fine French feast. After that, wash down the bountiful meal with champagne as the music starts playing and all the colorful dancers come to the stage.
17. Eiffel Tower Dinner with Seine River Cruise and Moulin Rouge Show
So we’ve covered cruising on the Seine, dinner with a view of the Eiffel Tower, and the Moulin Rouge Show, but why not do them all?
This dinner cruise and Moulin Rouge Show date night package gives a date night with a true Parisian feel. Take your partner on a River Seine cruise and then catch the Moulin Rouge Show afterward.
You can also choose where to have dinner, either on the river cruise itself or at the Eiffel Tower.
This is a great way to really get a feel of the city at night, without the hassle of planning the date! The interesting part of the package is the variety of activities.
You will get the classic dinner with your significant other, a romantic cruise on River Seine, and experience the unique cabaret show full of flashy dancing, costumes, and acrobatics.
18. Opera at Palazzo La Traviata at the Jacquemart-André Museum
Another show you must see while in France is the opera at Palazzo La Traviata.
Different from your good ol’ simple theater show, with Opera at Palazzo La Traviata, you will get a full experience, including visiting the museum’s permanent exhibition.
Afterward, you will go to the opera room and see the drama unfold right before you.
Instead of using a stage, the actors just do the play right in front of you on the floor. Don’t worry; you will get a great view of everything that’s happening since the room is very small and intimate.
The whole play is also very interactive, with the cast often talking to the audience and even sharing a glass of wine.
19. Do a Photoshoot in Paris
Nowadays, you can’t say you’ve been to a place if there are no pictures. Why not get a private photography session to ensure a great memory of the trip?
It’s a great way to ensure you have the best memento of your best trip with the love of your life. No more shaky pictures and bad angles!
Depending on the agency, there are a few ways you can do the photoshoot. You can just hire somebody for an hour or two, and they will ask you to pick one of their recommended photo sites.
Another way is to hire them for days to follow you and your partner in your romantic Paris winter adventures. This way you can choose the place and get a good memento of your trip.
20. Vaux-Le-Vicomte: Evenings by Candlelight
We’re going to finish off this romantic Paris-in-winter date idea with a recommendation of a one-of-a-kind candlelight dinner in a 17th-century French castle.
Picture you and your partner in a low-lit ambiance sharing the best full-course meal while conversing with each other intimately.
Talk about a perfect romantic night. There’s no doubting the food as it comes from the renowned chefs at Les Charmilles restaurant.
The package also includes a castle tour, including the chateau, gardens, and carriage museum. They will close the night with fireworks to make it even more special.
This package is available every Saturday from May 14th to October 1st, 2022.
What are the Winter Months in Paris?
Winters in Paris last around 3 months, from December to February.
What is the Average Temperature in Winter in Paris
The weather in the city is usually not extreme, with a minimum average temperature of 1°C (33°F) and a maximum of 7°C (44°F).
Snow is rare, and it often rains. January is the coldest month, and snow typically happens in January. But it isn’t the type of snow that would last more than a couple of hours.
