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Nine secrets to a romantic Parisian getaway

Even the most resilient of marriages needs some rekindling… Ask almost any wife – well, Quentin Long’s on this occasion – and the best place to rekindle is unquestionably Paris. Here Quentin shares his romance rekindling secrets after a recent City of Light sojourn – sans kids.

Let’s be honest, being married with young children is an exquisite form of hampster-wheel drudgery.

 

A Sydney-sized mortgage leads to two stressful jobs that don’t necessarily fit between nine and five.

 

Meanwhile, the kids need to be nurtured; healthy meals three times a day, dropped off to training, picked up from school, and when the weekend arrives, with an endless string of birthday parties and sporting commitments, the priority is quality family-time not ‘just the two of us’ time.

 

After a recent trip to the City of Light with just my wife, here are my 9 secrets to rekindling romance in Paris.

1. Find a granny

You need someone who is going to allay any anxiety you could possibly have about the kids while you’re away, so a trusted granny (or equivalent) is a must.

 

For the best outcome for both granny and the kids, get her to move in while the kids are at school.

 

This gives granny a break during the day and normalises the situation for the kids.

2. Break the budget up front

Find the best, most exquisite hotel you can afford and book it for as long as you can possibly afford.

 

I chose the Peninsula Paris. An enormous room with a bath bigger than many plunge pools was just what the situation required.

 

A long post-long-haul soak and several post-meal soaks are just what the love doctor ordered for serious rejuvenation of body and soul-mate.

 

The elegant lobby, cosy Le Bar Kleber and sensational breakfast at the Le Lobby restaurant (the house brioche with raspberries is a food experience for life) melts away any drudgery and the fantasy of reclaiming your life takes over.

 

The rooftop bar has the most incredible view of the Eiffel Tower and a sunset champagne is a mood-setter like no other.

 

Stroll the 20 metres from the bar to L’Oiseau Blanc for a meal with the best view in the Paris.

 

MORE: Where else to stay in Paris

3. It’s not about seeing anything in particular

Focus on enjoying the luxury of just being able to walk along a street without worrying which one of your children is most likely to jump out in front of which car.

 

Revel in the simple pleasure of walking without having a child hanging off your leg asking to buy a new toy.

 

There is no birthday party to get to, meeting to prep for, report to read or email to send.

 

Paris is a great walking city to roam around so just walk free from all these constraints.

4. Pick an area

Don’t fool yourself – you will not possibly see all of Paris.

 

Merely focus on one area every two days and enjoy the pleasure of getting to know the ‘hood – or arrondissement, to be truly accurate.

 

The Marais is perhaps the perfect rekindling area of Paris. Its narrow medieval alleyways are filled with shops and bistros.

The Marais quarter, great for aimless strolling and open on Sundays, unlike much of Paris.

Even better, when the rest of Paris closes down on Sundays (yes, it really does), the Marais, thanks to its Jewish heritage and being closed on Fridays, is open.

 

Make a point of taking in the great Place des Vosges for an afternoon resting on the grass watching Parisians go by.

 

MORE: The best of the arrondissements

5. Make a Seine

A sunset by or on the Seine soothes the most exhausted of souls.

 

An hour marvelling at magnificent Haussmann architecture, with its grand proportions and flamboyant finishes, is an antidote to the most exhausted and weary of bodies.

Paris’s river Seine “soothes the most exhausted of souls".

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6. Find the smaller galleries

The major intuitions; Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and Pompidou are worthy showstoppers but it is the smaller institutions that suit a rekindling effort as they are less frenetic and overwhelming.

 

There are so many to choose but the Picasso Museum is the perfect fit for the occasion. A two-hour experience of the collection is intellectually interesting but not overwhelming.

 

Make a point of booking online and don’t turn up at opening time, when it’s most crowded. Early afternoon is best.

7. Forget the Eiffel Tower

I know, I know, I know it is a wonderful monument with so much emotion attached to it for many romance seeking people, but it is so clichéd that it is not worth the time and effort.

 

Just spying the Tower on your strolls around the city is enough to conjure the romance.

 

You will find more togetherness moments in the gardens, bistros or shops of Paris than climbing to the top with thousands of others.

8. Get the lingua franca going

No, not just because it is fun to try to speak French with the French.

 

And not just because the French are so much more affable when a few bumbled French phrases are attempted.

 

But because it is the language of love and is fun as a couple to laugh at your awful French while secretly enjoying its sexiness.

9. KISS – Keep it simple and sophisticated

To truly rekindle you need to find yourselves and each other you need to totally avoid anything that resembles home life.

 

Just take the time out to spoil yourself on things that you haven’t done for years, such as days with no plans; sophisticated eating and a cheeky wine or two at lunch; shopping for the sheer enjoyment of it all.

 

If you can do that together, you are on the track to remembering all the great things about “us".

MORE: Everything else you wanted to see and do in Paris

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What the European heatwave means for your summer travel plans

    Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
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    Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK. 

    Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

    And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

    Why is it so hot in Europe?

    Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

    France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

    In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

    The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

    Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

    How travel is impacted

    A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius
    A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

    During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

    If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

    Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

    people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris
    People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

    With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

    Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

    How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

    Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

    Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

    Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.