Postcards from A Romantic Weekend in Paris, France

We have been to Paris, France many times, however each time we visit we discover more things to love about the “City of Light.” While every month and season in Paris is beautiful, and April has a song written about it, Autumn in Paris is especially wonderful. We spent a romantic weekend in Paris in late October when the weather was perfect before venturing on to explore the Burgundy region. C’est magnifique!

Where to Stay – Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection

Hotel Villa Marquis Meliá Collection Paris France

Location, location, location! We stayed at the intimate, 64-room Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection, a gorgeous five-star luxury hotel located in the Central District of Paris, in the Élysée-8^th Arrondissement (District) at 35 rue Jean Goujon, on the right bank (Rive Droit) of the Seine River. The hotel is located a mere 1.3 km (0.8 mile) from the Eiffel Tower. How much more romantic can you get when your hotel has this iconic landmark as its neighbor?

Our King-bed room was sumptuously and romantically dressed in ivory linens with a plethora of pillows against a crimson velvet curved headboard, with matching crimson velvet drapes on the large windows, and a crimson love seat placed at the foot of the bed. A round table with a chair was perfect for enjoying morning coffee or planning how to spend our day in Paris.

Guest Room

Other amenities included robes and slippers, a deep soaking tub large enough for two, a large walk-in shower with rain showerhead, and a heated towel rack. There was a separate bathroom with a vanity sink and toilet, and assorted toiletry amenities, as well as a Nespresso coffeemaker with a selection of Nespresso capsules, a hot water tea kettle and a selection of teas, a bottle of Evian water, a mini-bar refrigerator, and a safe.

A few of the many hotel amenities include their Signature Restaurant – Dos Almas Restaurant, Fitness Center, Yoga Classes, Business Center, Accessible Rooms, Adapted Rooms, Special Experiences and more. As another advantage for those who like to travel with their dogs, the hotel is Dog Friendly and has special pet-friendly rooms and special amenities for pets.

To read more about our stay at the Villa Marquis Melia Collection, please visit the Hotels and Resorts section.

Read about our dining experience at Dos Almas Restaurant in the Restaurants section.

For more information on Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection, please visit the website: https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/france/paris/villa-marquis-melia-collection

Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection
35 rue Jean Goujon
Paris 75008
France
Email:  villamarquis@melia.com
Telephone: +33-1-53-93-63-00
Website: https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/france/paris/villa-marquis-melia-collection
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Melia.Hotels?fref=ts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meliahtlresorts/
X: https://x.com/MeliaHtlResorts

Attractions – Things To Do – The Landmarks, Museums, and More

Paris is a city with many diverse arrondisements (districts) that must be explored, and our hotel Villa Marquis Melia Collection provided us with a wonderful proximity to revisit a few of our favorite landmarks, along with discovering new places as well.

Eiffel Tower

Le Tour Eiffel (The Eiffel Tower) is the most celebrated Paris landmark. Built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Exposition Universelle to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the French Revolution, it stands 1,083 feet tall, is in the 7^th arrondissement, and is a short walk from the Hotel Villa Marquis. We loved walking by it in the daytime and especially enjoyed it in the evening when it was gloriously illuminated.

Le Tour Eiffel
Champs de Mara
5 avenue Anatole

Champs-Élysées is located a short 4-minute walk from the hotel.

Arc de Triomphe (1.5 km/0.93 mile) Commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte after his victory at Austerlitz and is adorned with sculptures and reliefs representing military victories.

Exploring Museums and Other Sights

Paris is an art lover’s dream of a city with a wide range of spectacular museums to appeal to diverse preferences. Here are a few of the interesting museums we visited.

Musée YSL Paris – Les Fleurs d,Yves Saint Laurent

If fashion is your passion, then a visit to the Musée Yves Saint Laurent in the 16^th arrondisement

is a must. While we have been to Paris many times, this was our first time visiting this exquisite museum. During our visit, we had the opportunity to see the stunning exhibition, The Flowers of Yves Saint Laurent: An unprecedented collaboration between the Yves Saint Laurent Museum Marrakech and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum Paris., that celebrated his work and runs until May 4, 2025.

Hours: The Museum is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm. Last entry is at 5:15 pm. The Museum has extended hours on Thursdays until 9:00 pm, with last enby at 8:15 pm. The Museum is closed Monday, January 1, May 1, and December 25.

Admission: Full Price: 10 EUR, Reduced Admission for Students, Teachers, Visitors from 10-18 Years: 7 EUR. Please visit the website for additional Admission information.

Read more about our visit to the Musée Yves Saint Laurent in the Arts section.

To learn more about the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, please visit their website: https://museeyslparis.com/

Musée Yves Saint Laurent
5 avenue Marceau
75116 Paris, France
Telephone: +33-01-44-31-64-00
Email: publics@museeyslparis.com
Website: https://museeyslparis.com/
Instagram: @museeyslparis

Musée du Louvre

Musée Du Louvre (The Louvre) is another iconic landmark and museum in Paris. If you only have time to visit one museum, The Louvre should be on your schedule. World-renowned, this iconic national art museum opened in 1793 and is a stunning mixture of historic architecture that beautifully contrasts with the glass Pyramid designed by I.M. Pei and completed in 1989.

We have visited The Louvre many times throughout the years, and we always find something new to experience from their vast collections of paintings, sculptures, and objects. On this visit, we had the opportunity to experience Collectif Mille au carré, and their exciting exhibition, The Phonotons, a whimsical and phenomenal combination of artistic and technical sculptures that interact to create sounds presented by Alexandre Berthaud and Bruno Kervern.

Collectif Mille au carré – Alexandre Berthaud & Bruno Kervern

We also spent a few hours appreciating the stunning sculptures that are so life-life that you expect the marble horses to start galloping across the courtyard, and the intricate details of the people are astonishing.

Hours: The Museum is open Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm, with extended hours on Wednesday and Friday until 9:00 pm. The Museum is closed on Tuesday, January 1, May 1, and December 25. Please visit their website for more information.

Admission: General Admission: 22 EUR, Free Admission on the first Friday of the month after 6:00 pm except in July and August. Please visit the website for additional Admission information.

Pro-Tip: Buy your tickets online to save time and go early in the day to avoid long lines.

For more information on visiting the Musée Du Louvre, please visit their website: https://www.louvre.fr/en

Musée Du Louvre (1^st arrondisement)
99, rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris, France
Telephone: +33 (0)1-40-20-53-17
Website: https://www.louvre.fr/en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/museedulouvre
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/museedulouvre

Jardin des Tuileries

After spending several hours in The Louvre, we took a leisurely stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden) located between the Museum and Place de la Concorde. It is interesting to note that Catherine de’ Medici created the park as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564. The park was opened to the public in 1667.

Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde: Located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées, it is one of the largest public squares in Paris. It is known for its historic significance, including being the site of public executions during the French Revolution. The square features an Egyptian obelisk and two fountains.

Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac (7^th arrondissement) was another great museum we discovered on this trip to Paris that is located near the Eiffel Tower. In addition to their permanent collection, we explored their temporary exhibitions which included “the collections have their own soundtrack” with a sound trail (runs until September 17, 2025), the interesting exhibition, “Zombis” (runs until February 16, 2025), and enjoyed seeing their Mardi Gras/Carnival collections of gorgeous costumes.

Musée du quai Branly – Zombis

Hours: The Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:30 am until 7:00 pm, and on Thursday from 10:30 am until 10:00 pm. The Museum is closed on Monday. Please visit their website for more information.

Admission to the Permanent Collections and Temporary Exhibitions: Full Price: 14 EUR, Reduced Rate: 11 EUR. Please visit their website for more information on rates.

Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
37 Quai Branly
75007 Paris, France
Telephone: +33-01-56-61-70-00
Website: https://www.quaibranly.fr/en/
Instagram: @quaibranly

Luxury Fragrance Creation – Henry Jacques – Haute Parfumerie Vivante

Henry Jacques Haute Parfumerie – Paris, France

When it comes to romance, scent is intimate, personal, and unique to the wearer. To learn more about the fascinating art and science of fragrance, we visited the haute perfumery, Henry Jacques, where they work with you to find which of their fragrances is best for you, and they can also create a special, very exclusive perfume for you, one that is yours alone. Imagine having your own signature scent created for you that is as unique as you are. Once created, they keep the formula for you, so they can create more as you request it. Bring on the romance! Their gorgeous bottles are hand blown, and special bespoke bottles, as well as bespoke travel perfume cases are just some of the benefits of what they can provide.

Henry Jacques Haute Parfumerie

To learn more about Henry Jacques, or to make an appointment to visit them, please visit their website: https://parfumshenryjacques.com/

Henry Jacques
2 Avenue Montaigne
75008, Paris, France
Telephone: +33-01-53-81-30-30
Email: montaigne@parfumshenryjacques.com
Website: https://parfumshenryjacques.com/
Instagram: @henryjacquesparfums @henryjacques

Shopping

Luxury Shopping can be found along Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where the renowned designers line the “streets of fashion dreams.”

Department Store Shopping and Rooftop Sightseeing

Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann and Printemps Haussmann located near one another on Boulevard Haussmann, offer wonderful shopping opportunities housed in architectural splendor.

Galeries Lafayette rooftop view

Galeries Lafayette’s The Terrace is also one of the best places for “rooftop sightseeing” with its spectacular vistas of the Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame, Opéra Garnier and more. We experienced a breathtaking sunset from The Terrace!

Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann
40, Boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris, France
Website: https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/

Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet
35, Boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris, France

Hours: Coupole, L’Homme and Maison stores: open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 8.30pm and Sundays and public holidays from 11am to 8pm. Gourmet store: open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 9.30pm, Sundays and public holidays from 11am to 8pm. The stores are closed on 25 December, 1 January, and 1 May.

Printemps
64 Boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris, France
Website: https://www.printemps.com/uk/en/printemps-paris-haussmann 

Hours: Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm, Sunday from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm.

Restaurants – Where To Dine

Dos Almas Restaurant

We dined at the Dos Almas Restaurant at the Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection on our first night in Paris, and again on our last night in Paris, where the ambience was warm and inviting with a Jazz duo (on Friday evenings) playing the iconic song Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema) by Antonio Carlos Jobim, I Hear A Rhapsody by John Coltrane, and Haitian Fight Song by Charles Mingus, among others, that complemented the delectable fusion of Spanish and French cuisine.

Plancha Smoked Salmon Steak

Two of the highlights of our dinner included the Octopus served over saffron rice with seafood, cuttlefish ink tuille, and the Salmon, presented as plancha smoked salmon steak with Flemish-style green and white asparagus, and potato waffle.

Octopus on Saffron Rice with Seafood

Read more about our dining experience at Dos Almas Restaurant at the Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection in the Restaurants section.

Dos Almas Restaurant at the Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection
35 Rue Jean Goujon
Paris, France
Email:  villamarquis@melia.com
Telephone: +33 1 53 93 63 00
Website: https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/france/paris/villa-marquis-melia-collection
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Melia.Hotels?fref=ts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meliahtlresorts/
X: https://x.com/MeliaHtlResorts

Paris is a city that must be visited and revisited many times to fully appreciate its beauty and charm. We cannot wait to return and discover more! Until next time, keep enjoying travel with Luxury Experience!

Come and enjoy the beauty of Paris!

English- French Dictionary

While many people speak English, it is always a great idea to learn or familiarize yourself with the language of the country that you are visiting. We put together a comprehensive list of words and phrases to help you prepare for, and enjoy, your upcoming trip. Bon voyage!

Getting Around

 At the Hotel

 At the Restaurant – Food and Drink – Reading the Menu

 Friends and Family

Days of the Week, Months, Time, and Weather

Numbers

Health Problems

 Medical Assistance

Read more about Paris in the Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, and Arts sections.

I Love Paris

For more information on visiting France, please visit the websites: Atout-France:  https://www.atout-france.fr/fr and Paris je taime: https://parisjetaime.com/eng

Paris je’ taime Tourist Office
Website: https://parisjetaime.com/eng
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p.infos/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisjetaime/

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