Romancing Paris

There is something about the City of Love that makes even 'normal folk' go weak at the knees. Discover the romantic in you.

The longhaired man and his companion were desperately searching for an inch of space along the railings that were covered with thousands of locks of different sizes and colours. As they scoured the long bridge searching for that illusive bit of free space, they grew more impatient. At last, they found about a millimetre devoid of locks along a broken railing.
Quickly they padlocked their love on to it, said a prayer and threw the key into the Seine with the setting sun as a witness. Yes, Paris, the City of Love sees countless such scenes enacted daily, this one on the iconic Pont des Arts, aka the Bridge of Love. There is something about Paris that makes even the so-called normal folk go weak at the knees. Well, welcome to the City of Lights. Here's how to discover the romantic in you.
1. Epicurean Paris 
Paris is undisputedly the capital of pastry and, while there are maestros such as Pierre Hermé, Eric Kayser and Ladurée, it is the neighbourhood boulangeries that are beloved to ordinary Parisians - and a trip there is an integral part of daily Parisian life. Every street in Paris has at least one boulangerie where you get freshly baked baguettes, pain au chocolat and croissants of every variety imaginable.
Likewise, each neighbourhood boulangerie specialises in one product or another - as these "secret" recipes are passed on over generations - and, in the annual best baguette competition, it is these small-time entrepreneurs that emerge winners over the big league ones. Among the big names, while Ladurée is the undisputed king of macaroons, Pierre Hermé reigns supreme in other pastries such as éclairs, which are a Parisian speciality.
A visit to both should be on your must-do list if you wish to taste the best pastries in the world. Another Parisian institution, Angelina's Café reputedly serves the best hot chocolate in the world and is also a must-visit. 
2. Walk the Seine Bridges
If you want an overview of what Paris stands for, walk the bridges from Pont Bercy to Pont Mirabeau, a distance of about four kilometres with 27 bridges along the route. The Seine has borne silent witness to the bloody history of France and this walk will take you from the early days of Charlemagne to the heady days of Louis IV to the chaos of the French Revolution, and then on to the heroic days of Napoleon and the Third Empire, and, finally, to Charles de Gaulle and the new Republic.
There are heavyweight sights along the way - the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Isle St Louis, the Louvre on the Pont des Arts, the National Assembly, the Place de la Concorde where Louis and Marie Antoinette lost their heads and, of course, the Eiffel Tower. Pont Neuf - ironically called the new bridge - is, in fact, one of the oldest bridges across the Seine, inaugurated in 1607 and one of the landmarks in Paris.
The Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge linking the Louvre with the Institut de France on the Left Bank and has acquired a cult status among lovers worldwide. Its railings on both sides are covered with 'love locks' and this beautiful Napoleon-era bridge is a romantic's dream come true. Pont Alexandre III, with its gold-encrusted art nouveau lamps and winged horses, is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. 
3. La Defense District 
Did you know that there is a Manhattan in Paris? Barely three metro stops from the Arc de Triomphe is a district that can give both Dubai and Manhattan a complex with its rows of gleaming, glass and steel skyscrapers and the Grand Arch. The La Defense district is where corporate France is headquartered. The Grand Arch, a modern version of the Arc de Triomphe, lies symmetrically along the same line and is the main attraction in La Defense district.
A visit to this modern version of Paris is a welcome break when you are tired of the cobblestone streets and the medieval buildings that can all start to look the same after a few days. La Defense has a very different vibe and energy as compared to the rest of Paris and a few hours spent in the Grand Arch quadrangle and the massive Les Quatre Temps mall can reenergise you.
4. A walk along the Left Bank 
The Left Bank of the Seine is synonymous with intellectuals, writers and philosophers, and great ideas were born in the hallowed precincts of the cafés along the Boulevard St Germain. Café de Flore was the favourite haunt of philosophers such as Jean Paul Sartre (the father of existentialism), Simone de Beauvoir (who introduced the concept of feminism), Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso and other intellectual elite.
A part of The Communist Manifesto was penned by Karl Marx in this café during his years in exile in Paris. Nowadays, however, it is the favourite haunt of pinstriped businessmen and French politicians striking deals. Even so, it is worth having a look inside. Sartre and Beauvoir would reportedly spend hours debating concepts, and challenging and being challenged by fellow philosophers in these premises. For fans of philosophy and literature, it is a veritable pilgrimage. A little further ahead is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world, La Sorbonne - the fountainhead of French literature and learning.
For those not so intellectually inclined, I would recommend a walk along Rue de Napoleon and Rue de Seine, which are packed with speciality food shops of every type. The historic Boulevard St Germain is also a very pleasant tree-lined street, ideal for a romantic evening stroll. Round off your trip with a visit to the Jardin du Luxembourg, one of the most charming urban parks in the world and where the French Senate is located.
5. Walk along the Right Bank
While the Left Bank of Paris is synonymous with intellectuals, the Right Bank has been the centre of power and prestige. The Louvre and Élysée Palaces, the Bastille, the Opera Garnier, and other imperial relics indicate the authority that this area commanded. Also, the main shopping streets of Paris such as Rue de Rivoli and Rue St Honore are located here.
A walk along Rue de Rivoli from the Louvre to the Bastille will take you through the shopping heart of Paris to landmarks such as the Hotel de Ville, the medieval Town Hall of Paris and other architectural marvels; then, on to the Place des Vosges, one of the most charming urban squares in the world, and finally the Place de la Bastille, where history was rewritten and the French Revolution began.
6. The Palais Garnier 
One of most spectacular buildings in Paris that can give Versailles a run for its money, the Palais or Opera Garnier is the epitome of the excesses of the Second Empire and the most famous opera house in the world. The setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera, the building was the most expensive built in Paris in the 19th century and set the benchmark for luxury and style.
There are guided tours offered daily and you can gawk at the stunning painted ceiling, a work by celebrated painter Marc Chagal - not to mention, the amazing acoustics too. 
7. Market Streets of Paris 
One of the charms of Paris is the presence of many "market streets" which date back several centuries. Two of the most charming are the Rue de Montorgueil and the Rue Mouffetard, the latter dating back to Roman times.
The Rue Montorgueil is lined with one-of-a-kind boutiques and cafés, the most prestigious being the Patisserie Stroher, reportedly the oldest pastry shop in the world, with Queen Elizabeth being a regular visitor whenever she is in Paris. Surprisingly, for such an elitist institution, the prices are very affordable and the taste, especially the chocolat éclairs, is out of this world. Rue Mouffetard on the Left Bank is really old, with its Roman origins being apparent in the zig zag nature of the road that was along the main cattle route in ancient times. 
8. The Rodin and the Army Museums
While the tourists jostle for legroom in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, beat a retreat to the Army Museum across the Seine. This is, in fact, a shrine to that hero of France, the le petit caporal, Napoleon Bonaparte, who has his tomb here in imperial splendour. The tomb and the chapel are on a very grand scale befitting the stature of Napoleon and the regard the French have for their greatest hero.
For those interested in military history, the army museum has one of the best collections of weaponry from the twelfth century to the Second World War, all arranged in chronological order and has the most fascinating stories. For instance, while the Duke of Wellington claimed that the "Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton", it was, in fact, a minor tactical error on the part of the greatest military strategist ever that cost Napoleon his plans for world domination!
Across the road, the Rodin Museum is a very charming tribute to the master sculptor, with his masterpieces displayed both indoors and outdoors in the beautiful, landscaped gardens surrounding the museum, which was also the sculptor's residence. Unlike many stuffy museums, here, you get to admire art in the relaxing surroundings of the master sculptor's gardens.
In fact, most of his masterpieces, including 'The Kiss', are displayed outside in the gardens. The above two museums are, remarkably, free of tourists and make for a memorable experience. 
9. Haute Couture Paris
Think Paris and haute couture comes to mind. Where else to sample this but on the iconic Rue St Honore on the Right Bank. The street houses all the prestigious fashion design names in the world of haute couture - Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vutton, Ralph Lauren - and also many talented independent designers who hope to hit it big time.
Nearer to the Élysée Palace, Rue St Honore becomes elegant Faubourg St Honore, a more rarified extension (read: more expensive and exclusive boutiques). Especially charming is the area around the Rue Royale and Place de la Madeleine, which are the epitome of French fashion and sophistication, being ringed in by all these iconic brands.
You can easily spend a very enjoyable hour or two window-shopping and then recover from the sticker shock by having the best macaroons in the world from the Ladurée outlet at Rue Royale. Also, worth a peek is the L'église de la Madeleine, a massive Greek model church built by Napoleon to celebrate his victories. 
10. National Assembly
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - these slogans which changed the world rang out from this historic building over three centuries ago. Fans of history should not miss an opportunity to tour this historic building which houses the French Parliament.
Entering the chamber where the revolutionaries met and decided Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's fate and, later, whereNapoleon Bonaparte held court, will give you goosebumps. The interior of the Debating Chamber is spectacular; for a brief period, when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France, he used it as his court.
The free self-guided tour of the Parliament building is highly recommended for history and architecture buffs. 
11. Romantic Montmartre
Romance and Montmartre go together: the winding cobbled streets, the steep steps and the incredible views at every turn, the Place du Terte where artists congregate and the Sacré-Cour Basilica from where you get the best view in Paris, all contribute to its well-deserved reputation. We went on a drizzly, misty morning, which added to the romantic ambience.
The haunt of Europe's artistic elite - from Picasso and Salvador Dali to Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh - all drew inspiration from this haven for their work. It is perhaps this reputation that continues to draw artists from all over the world to Montmartre, resulting in a confounding cacophony if you happen to go in the peak hours. To really get to the soul of Montmartre, time your visit for early morning on a Sunday, when you are guaranteed to have the place for yourself.
On one such drizzly morning, sitting in a bus shelter near the Place du Terte, where Picasso and Van Gogh once painted, we got our portraits done by a struggling artist (so he said!) from Albania. At 75 euros, it was not cheap, but then that is part of the Montmartre experience!