Savoring Parisian Romance: Picnics and the Eiffel Tower

**Picnic tips**

The green chairs in the Tuileries Garden and the Luxembourg Gardens; Parisians stretched out on the lawn. Paris and romance go hand in hand. Racing around to see as much as possible is a fine way to travel, but the moments you spend sitting down like a Parisian often linger in your memory longer. There are two ways to enjoy romantic Paris. One is the river cruise covered in [Listen before your trip: Tips for Enjoying the UNESCO World Heritage Sites]. The other is the picnic you'll have in the Luxembourg Gardens during this tour.

Paris has plenty of picnic-friendly spots, including the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, the Tuileries Garden (once a palace garden), the Luxembourg Gardens and the Place des Vosges. Pick up a croissant or sandwich from a nearby boulangerie, macarons or other sweets from Pierre Hermé, and add wine and fruit for an afternoon like a Parisian. For fruit, buy from the small green fruit stands on the street and wash it at a water tap in the park. It's a bit pricier than the supermarket but much tastier, so this is where to buy it. At the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, some companies offer picnic boxes along with photo shoots. You can buy picnic mats, disposable dishes and wine glasses at local supermarkets such as Carrefour or Monoprix.

Some parks designate where you may lay down a mat. If you can't, use the park's green chairs or benches. Paris is easygoing about wine, but stick to one glass; other alcohol may not be allowed. If you plan to drink wine, bring a small corkscrew.

**Parks for a picnic**

The Luxembourg Gardens and the courtyard of Saint-Germain-des-Prés are covered later in the tour, so we start with the Tuileries.

- **Tuileries Garden**: Laid out by the designer of the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Many people visit before or after the Louvre, and the Louvre, the Musée de l'Orangerie and Place de la Concorde all connect to it. With fountains, small ponds and statues all around, it feels like a small open-air museum. It's ideal for picnics, strolls and photos with the Louvre as the backdrop, and there's even a carousel. Many lawns are off-limits, so check the signs before sitting down. - **Hôtel de Sully garden**: It's known as a lovely place to read. A former aristocratic mansion, the building itself is lovely and great for photos. Apart from European Heritage Days in September, only the garden and courtyard are open now. It's a nice place to sit on a courtyard bench with a book or some music. We'll cover European Heritage Days later, in the Luxembourg Gardens stop. - **Place des Vosges**: A small square between the Hôtel de Sully and Victor Hugo's house, good for spreading out a blanket. It's surrounded by cafés and boutiques and by symmetrical red-brick buildings that give it a relaxed feel. Go in the morning for a quieter visit. - **Champ de Mars**: The Eiffel Tower rises right in front of you, so this is where you'll get the most quintessentially Parisian photos. The tower is to the west, so it's especially romantic and pretty at sunset. The lawn is huge, so there's always room for you. - **Palais-Royal**: Built by Cardinal Richelieu, it served as a palace under Louis XIII, and Louis XIV spent part of his childhood there. As wealthy aristocrats gathered, commerce flourished, and galleries and upscale shops filled the colonnaded arcades around the garden and buildings. The garden is classic French style. Today it's popular for photos of Buren's checkerboard-like columns. Victor Hugo is said to have drawn plenty of inspiration from walks here. Buy a pretty postcard at a shop in the arcade, write it on a park bench and mail it. A postcard from Paris arriving after your trip is over, when you've half forgotten it, is a lovely surprise.

**Where to photograph the Eiffel Tower**

The Eiffel Tower is the landmark that stands for not just Paris but all of France. Architect Gustave Eiffel designed and built it for the Paris World's Fair. It met opposition throughout construction, and the Paris government paid only part of the cost, contrary to its original promise. Instead, Eiffel covered the costs and was allowed to charge admission for a set period. Parisians kept mocking it as a monster, but at the fair it was a smash hit. Critics later put it at risk of demolition several times, but it survived, partly by serving as a radio transmission tower, and today it is a symbol of Paris that people never tire of seeing. It has been repaired and renovated many times, yet there is talk that it may soon become impossible to climb for safety reasons.

One anecdote shows how much Parisians disliked it then: the writer Maupassant reportedly arranged every meal at the restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, because it was the only place in Paris where you couldn't see the tower. The tower is always crowded and a hotbed for pickpockets. Pickpocketing was so rampant, and the police so lukewarm about it, that tower staff reportedly went on strike.

The best spots to see the tower: - **Place du Trocadéro**: Across the Seine from the Champ de Mars. A classic spot to capture the city and the tower together from above, famous for staircase shots. If you want a photo with no one else in it, only dawn will do. Beware of pickpockets, scammers and pushy vendors. - **Arc de Triomphe**: Gives you the tower and the whole of Paris, including the radiating avenues. - **The dome of Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre**: Takes in all of Paris at a glance, with a lovely view of the tower. - The tower is also visible from the balcony of the Hôtel de la Marine, Balzac's House, the Musée Rodin and the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris. - Snap photographers favor Avenue de Camoëns and Rue de l'Université, right next to the tower, for pretty shots.

**Paris bridges with Eiffel Tower views**

- **Pont Neuf**: Paris's most famous bridge. Despite meaning "New Bridge," it's actually the oldest in the city, and the first with sidewalks. It lies at the western tip of the Île de la Cité. You can go down under the bridge to watch the sunset with the tower in view, but it's cramped, crowded and a bit smelly, so it's not recommended. - **Pont des Arts**: A pedestrian bridge between the Louvre and the Institut de France. It was once famous as the bridge where lovers attached padlocks, but they were all removed for safety reasons and can no longer be added. A good place to enjoy the tower and the Seine at a leisurely pace. - **Pont Royal**: Connected to the Louvre and the Tuileries, one of the bridges known for its classical design. - **Pont Alexandre III**: Considered the most beautiful bridge in Paris, and best seen together with Les Invalides. It's prettier at night when lit than by day. Its ornate sculptures, gilded decorations and distinctive, elegant lamps make for beautiful photos with the Eiffel Tower. - **Pont de l'Alma**: Built to commemorate the Battle of the Alma and also known as a memorial site for Diana, Princess of Wales. For most of us, though, it's more familiar as the bridge by the Bateaux-Mouches pier. - **Pont d'Iéna**: Connects the Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars and the Trocadéro, and passes beneath the tower. From the bridge you can see Paris's lovely skyline and landmarks including the Palais de Chaillot. - **Pont de Bir-Hakeim**: A double-decker bridge, with the metro above and pedestrians and cars below. It appeared in a film and is sometimes nicknamed the "skeleton bridge" for its distinctive steel framework. It's increasingly popular for photos with the illuminated tower at night. Photos with colorful balloons look great. - **Pont de Grenelle**: On the island with the Statue of Liberty. If you want a place with a good view of the tower but few tourists, this is it. The island's Statue of Liberty is a roughly quarter-scale replica of the original in New York and is a symbol of Paris and of liberty.