Choosing the ideal destination in France for a romantic holiday – Part 1

If you believe in Gallic tradition and Hollywood legend, any bistro, table, bed, railroad seat, elevator, alley or lawn in France can serve as a great romantic site for lovers. This applies whether on vacation, a honeymoon, meeting by chance or wherever the opportunity arises.

Of course, the most romantic locale of all is Paris. Remember the classic movie, “Casablanca”, when Bogie said to Bergman, “We’ll always have Paris.” Any romantic adventure in that city of lovers will become a fond, lasting memory of a lifetime.

Many famous lovers of history had their affairs in Paris. King Louis XIV had Madame Pompadour, King Louis XVI had Jeanne de la Motte-Valois. The late Princess Diana and her lover spent their last night alive together in a posh suite at the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

Love in a $5,000 a night luxury suite is limited only to people with unlimited money, but there are thousands of romantic hotels throughout the city where loving can be just as warm at $75 a night, many including a continental breakfast. Paris has a hundred or more parks, plus all kinds of city tours. Nothing is more romantic as evening boating along on the Seine River or strolling its picturesque waterfront walkways.

If you need a respite from romancing, you can visit the usual tourist sights: Eiffel Tower, Arch of Triumph and the Louvre. Even if you can’t afford a suite, you can visit the Ritz near the Place Vendome, and buy a drink at the bar named in honor of American expatriate, Ernest Hemingway. If you have to ask the prices for dinner at the Ritz, you can’t afford it.

There are the famed Paris cafes, where romantic dining al fresco is accompanied by strolling musicians. You can almost imagine you see George Gershwin at the next table composing, “An American in Paris.” Or Cole Porter working on, “The Last Time I Saw Paris.”

Another favorite romantic spot in France is Nord-pas-de Calais, a picturesque area on the northern coast. It’s popular these days because the little suburb of Lille is a train terminal just 22 miles across the English Channel (or two hours by Chunnel train) from England. It has both French cafes and Belgian beer halls, with plenty of places for young couples to stroll through ancient streets and parks. If you follow local history, it is the invasion site where Henry V of England led his band of brothers in the battle of Agincourt.

Another favorite vacation destination for lovers is on the sunny Southern coastal areas, the French Riviera.