Paris too obvious a choice for Valentine’s Day? Sure, it’s the de facto capital of cinematic romance, but the French capital has many more petals to its rose than the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. A sidecar tour of Parisian streets brings a fresh (yet vintage) angle on familiar landmarks, with an experienced local driver and guide to keep heart rates down.
For a walking-pace option, a personalised tour of the city’s best marches aux paces (flea markets) ups the chances of finding a measured memento from decades past. And at the Idol Hotel, rooms bear names like “My Cherie Amour” but sport interiors that feel closer to the world of Austin Powers than the canvases of Manet and Renoir.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
Eurostar trains reach Paris Gare du Nord from London St Pancras in 21/2 hours or less, Air France, BA, bmi regional, Cityjet, easyJet, Flybe, Jet2,Transavia and Vueling serve Paris’s Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports from most major UK cities.
