France’s most romantic destinations

Late-night walks down lamp-lit boulevards, the rhythm and hum of bistrots and the jostle of early morning trips to boulangeries with your loved ones. We’ve put together the French destinations that – according to global travellers – do romance better than the rest.*

Éze, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

Crowned atop a hill in Provence, the village of Éze can lay claim to having one of the Côte d’Azur’s best panoramas. Over 400 metres above sea level, it overlooks the glittering French Riviera, far removed from the busy din of its equally glittery residents. A trip to Éze is an enthralling ascent and a gateway into a cloud-top kingdom of your own. Éze’s stone fortifications wrap closely around the hill, eventually unveiling the only entrance into the village. When you’re inside, winding lanes curl past vine-clad independent galleries, cafés and restaurants, all beckoning you to sit and sip a coffee or aperitif out on the cobbled hillside. On your way to the very summit of the village, a visit to The Exotic Garden is further proof Éze is its own little oasis – rows of lush succulents and towering cacti populate the town’s garden, creating a patchwork picture of emerald green at the fore, the deep azure of the sea in the background. Stay at Chèvre d’Or for equally colourful views.

Saint-Paul de Vence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

One of the oldest towns along the French Riviera, Saint Paul de Vence is an ode to the glamour and romanticism of the south of France. A steep, rocky promontory spanning over 10 kilometres, the village has its own torrid romance, having been fortified by the King of France then completely destroyed around 1747, before being lovingly rebuilt by a troupe of impressionist artists two centuries later. One of those artists was Picasso, whose starpower and legacy has helped transform this classically Provencal stone town into a hilltop arty enclave. Stroll down the sun-dappled main avenue and you’ll be greeted by a view of the star-studded homes of celebrities, nestled like jewelled outposts in the surrounding hills. Head to Café de la Place, where the locals gather to play boules and revel in the hushed quiet of life slowed down. La Mas De Pierre is just outside of the town, set among olive trees and expansive gardens.

Colmar, Alsace

The Alsatian wine capital, Colmar, is half-timbered in looks but never half-hearted in romantic appeal. A melange of sweet shop-coloured homes – complete with French shutters adorned in bright geraniums – jumbled together along a quiet canal with views of gently bobbing boats sailing by. Make sure to plan a walking tour around la petite Venise (little Venice) with your loved ones and some extra time to stop for photographs. Colmar is a town bursting with colour – peaches, periwinkle, lilac and canary are just a few of the many shades you’ll spot here – and renting a bike will transform these into a kaleidoscopic blur as you cycle through the rickety streets and out into the neighbouring countryside. On your return, stop by snug Alsatian wine tavern La Soi for a cold glass of white and a piping hot tarte flambée, before curling up at the James Boutique Hôtel.

Annecy, Rhône-Alpes

Nicknamed the ‘Pearl of the French Alps’, Annecy has romance wired into its very foundations. The Thiou river cuts through the city centre while jade-green canals connect cobbled shopping streets and colourful stone houses. Visit the Pont des Amours, where legend has it that two lovers who share a kiss in the middle of the bridge will be united for life. And then head to check out the views over emerald Lake Annecy backed by distant snow-capped mountains. When the sun goes down, treat yourself to a gooey plate of raclette or fondue, and nurture a contented stomach at Impérial Palace.

Paris, Île de France

Paris’s nickname (’the City of Love’) serves as a recommendation in itself but it’s the quieter moments, away from the bright lights of the Grands Boulevards and instead those hunched over flickering candles in a dimly-lit cave à manger, that make the French capital so wonderfully romantic. Wander through covered passageways like the book-laden Passage Verdeau or head to the oldest covered arcade, Passage des Panoramas, lit by old world gas lamps which serves as a cross between 17th-century glamour and Diagon Alley. Montmartre is a perennial favourite with all lovelorn flaneurs, but head to the nearby vineyards, the last of its kind in the city, where rows upon rows of vines creep up the steep hill overlooking Paris. Clamber down towards Paris’s oldest cinema Le Louxor, before heading to Artist Room Montmartre for the night.

**These destinations were picked based on endorsements for ‘romance’ in France, according to global travellers.