Budget Paris for lovers

Because the French have no sense of humour they take love very seriously and no more seriously than in Paris. The waiters might be snooty and the locals might think smiling is a public danger but they shine and purr and dote on couples (of any age) who are in love. They will make way, find you a table and their mouths will pout with pleasure. They will be very discreet and you won’t even hear what they say behind your back even if you could understand them. The City of Light, the City of Lovers awaits you this spring.

RESTAURANTS

Le Domaine de Lintillac
Le Domaine de Lintillac, 10 rue St Augustin, 00 33 1.40.20.27, Metro: Bourse

This is a cosy, choice resto tucked away south of Montmartre by the Opera. It always seems to be packed with couples in the evening and friends in the afternoon. The atmosphere is dim, conspiratorial and chatty. You might be a bit perplexed by the toaster on the table but that is so you can make the toast for your pate the way you like it. Wines and food are regional from the Perigord in the southwest of France and have been selected from a handful of farms and vineyards. Duck (foie gras or breast) is very good and the Cahors wine is big and hearty. Three courses are around £12 including a glass of wine.

Auberge de la Reine Blanche
Auberge de la Reine Blanche, 30 rue St Louis en L’ile, 00 33 146 33 07 87, Metro: Pt Maire

The Ile de St Louis is the less touristy of the Seines isles and even on the weekends can be pretty quiet which is a relief from the bustle around Notre Dame Cathedral. A further enticement is this little bistro with friendly service and a speciality in good, honest French fare. The d?cor is a bit odd – doll house furniture nailed to the wall – but this 17th century maison still has traditional red table clothes. The menu is pretty traditional with foie gras, rack of lamb and coq au vin. Three courses and a glass of wine £20.

HOTELS

Caron de Beaumarchais
Caron de Beaumarchais 12 Vielle du Temple, 0033 142 72 34 12, www.carondebeaumarchais.com. Doubles from €122 a night plus €9.80 for breakfast which is served until noon

In the heart of the Marais with its bars, boutiques and bistros, this saucy little place is decorated in an 18th century style with heavy drapes, languorous curves and pink cheeked shepherdesses. So if you want to carry out your Dangerous Liaisons fantasy this is the place.

Hotel Westminster
Hotel Westminster, 13 rue de la Paix, 00 33 1 42 61 57 46, www.warwickwestminsteropera.com. Doubles from £89pppn

Not quite a budget option but maybe worth blowing the budget for one night. On the most exclusive shopping street in Paris, rue de la Paix, the Westminster is next to Cartier and used to the be the Paris home of the Dukes of Westminster. At the moment the lobby is decorated with thousands of red roses. Maybe just go in for a peek.

THE WALK

The Seine, lined with dodgy art, overpriced second hand books and accordionists perfect for the romantic stroll whatever time of day or year. Start on the Ile St Louis (see the Auberge de la Reine Blanche above) do a circuit of the isle making sure not to miss the boutique studded main street (rue St Louis en l’Ile) where you should try the Berthillon ice cream until you get a view of Notre Dame.

Totter over the Pont St Louis footbridge onto Ile de la Cit? and to Notre Dame and the garden behind it. If your beloved is Quasimodo or Esmeralda, then this moment is particularly poignant. Go north by the Palais de Justice, Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie (where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned) and cross the Pont du Change (you should see the flower market thereabouts) onto the mainland walk west until you get to the Pont Neuf and walk back onto the island straight across – bar a little diversion around the statue of Henri IV, a man very popular with women, according to himself.

Keep walking west along the quai making a scenic diversion onto the Pont des Arts to look back at the Ile de la Cit?. This footbridge is also home to street theatre and musicians. Back on the Left Bank walk along quais Voltaire and Malaquais for vintage magazines and books. Behind you on the Right Bank will be a splendid view of the Tuileries gardens and the Louvre.

MUSEUMS

Rodin Museum
79, rue de Varenne, 00 33 1 44 18 61 10, www.musee-rodin.fr, £4.

It will take hours to get into the Louvre or the D’Orsay and then you’ll be surrounded by hordes of camera-clicking gabblers. More tranquil is this temple dedicated to the sculptor of The Thinker, who you can see pondering the complexities of love, no doubt, in the cute garden. He is surrounded with other curvy examples of the great man’s works and even a red rose named after him. Above all contemplate The Kiss in the gallery itself – try not to think of the Monty Python pastiche.

Mus?e Jacquemart-Andr?
158, bd Haussmann, 00 33 1 45 62 11 59, www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com, £5

If you’re staying in the Caron and you fancy a bit more 18th century decadence then this museum with its paintings by Boucher and Fragonard will make you blush with fantasy. Collected by Edouard Andr? and his wife N?lie Jacquemart, you can just imagine what it would have been like to live here, swanning round the ballroom and the winter garden, brushing past the Renaissance murals. Most pleasing of all is the little gold-encrusted caf? that is “le must” for Sunday brunch. But you have to book ahead otherwise the little old ladies with their little dogs and old furs will get there before you.

Need to know

Getting there: Kieran Falconer and lady travelled with Thomsonfly (0870 1900 737, www.thomsonfly.com) currently operates six flights per week to Paris Orly from Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield from £39.98 return, including taxes and charges.

Kieran Falconer stayed at The Hotel Westminster in Paris, bookable through www.thomsonfly.com from £89 per person per night.

Thomsonfly is the UK’s third largest airline and now offers low fares flights to 87 European and long-haul destinations departing from 26 UK airports. Thomsonfly offers customers allocated seating on every flight, an inflight refreshment service, pre-bookable seats and a high standard of customer service. A great selection of hotels, villas, car hire and foreign exchange can also be booked on the ‘travel extras’ section of the website.