Chris

I will love you all if you can help with this: I will be in Paris for a week on June 10, 1998. Where should I propose to my long-time girlfreind in Paris? Top of the Eifel Tower? Also, I found a hotel called the CORAIL HOTEL between Opera Bastille and Gare De Lyon. Good area/hotel? Any suggestions about making this an absolutely special trip would be great!!!

j, huber

well, you read my mind. eiffel tower sounds good.
esspecially at sunset with some champagne. also, a
picnic in the countryside sounds very romantic also.
or, a romantic dinner for two at a small cafe in the
city. keep it simple and light. don't forget to give
her one red rose and get down on one knee when you
do the deed and she WILL say yes. i would. good
luck and bon voyage!!!!!!

Monica

I emailed you at home!

Sharon

Proposing in Paris? You must be the perfect male! Paris is indeed the most romantic place on the face of the earth. Paris is going to be packed from June 10 to July 12 due to typical summer tourists and the World Cup so make your reservations quickly! The view from the Eiffel Tower IS incredible at sunset, but you can be crushed by all the tourists. Another romantic setting would be a Bateaux-Mouche ride down the Seine at sunset (sunset in Paris is magical). You catch the boat rides at the Pont de l'Alma on the Right Bank (roughly $8.00 per person). The boat ride lasts about an hour (travels from Pont de l'Alma east around Ile St-Louis and returns westward and then turns back around the little island with the Statue of Liberty on it and from there, it returns to Pont de l'Alma). If you time it right, the setting sun is hitting all the buildings along the Seine as you head eastward and, as it grows darker, all of the spectacular lights come on as you return westward. Find yourself as secluded a spot as possible on an upper deck and enjoy! (There are also boat cruises that included dinner and dancing, but from what I've read, they start at $110 a person.) Across the street from the Bateaux-Mouche ride, is the restaurant Chez Francis. If you get a table along the windows to the left of the door, you have a view of the Eiffel Tower rising above the trees from your seat. The food was excellent and was only about $25.00 per person. I have a personal preference of the 7th arrondissement when I visit Paris because it is relatively quiet and isn't as packed with tourists. I'm not very familiar with the area east of the Bastille. From what I understand, though, most of the hotels are booked. In fact, we cut out an article from our Sunday's paper (we are planning another trip to Paris, but it looks like we are going to change from June to September) that said that hotels belonging to chains and standard-class places, will tend to be full, but the more expensive categories should have plenty of room. You might get the "Cheap Sleeps: Paris" book as a guide to the smaller, lesser-known hotels. They range from strictly budget hotels to hotels with charm and style that are less than $300/night. The book gives pretty good descriptions of the hotels and rooms, from what we have found. If you want to e-mail me for any more information, feel free to do so! Good luck!!

Christina

Well, good luck on the plans because I know a lot of
places are already booked due to the World Cup (think
it starts 6/15), not to mention the airplanes.
Anyway, I don't have a good opinion on the proposal--
IMHO, the Eiffel Tower sounds hokey to me (sorry),
unless it had some meaning for you, which I gather it
doesn't. It's just a tourist spot, really. If it were
me, I'd either do it spontaneously when it seemed best
or plan for a very nice dinner at a romantic restaurant.
Anyway, I do have comments on your hotel--this area
stinks! If you don't want to ruin your trip, you'd
better get a better travel agent or better guidebooks.
This is a pretty crummy part of Paris--certainly no
place a tourist would want to stay looking for a
special occasion; that hotel is right near the Gare
de Lyon train station in the 12th arrondisement.
In general, any hotel right near a train staion is
not a desirable location, although a few of them aren't
bad--but the Gare de Lyon area, and the 12th arr. in
general, are not what you should be looking for if
you want your girlfriend to say "yes." I realize
this hotel is fairly cheap and that may be why you
chose it, but you can do better even if you need a
budget hotel. Here are some budget, quasi-romantic
hotels in better parts of town:
Hotel du Lys, 23 rue Serpente, 6 arr.
Hotel de l'Esperance, 15 rue Pascal, 5 arr.
Hotel des Grandes Ecoles, 75 rue du Cardinal-
Lemoine, 5th arr.
Hotel du Globe, 15 rue des Quatre-Vents, 6th arr.
New Orient Hotel, 16 rue de Constantinople, 8th arr.
Hotel du Champ de mars, 7 rue du Champ-de-Mars, 7th

All of these hotels are probably less than 500FF
per night per double room and all would be better
than in the 12th arr (I have no personal knowledge of
Hotel Corail, however--it may be fine).

Linda

Well I suggest proposing in the gardens of Musee Rodin. What could be more romantic than sitting outside viewing some of the greatest sculpture pieces from a master sculpture surrounded by beautiful flowers and landscaping, eating a chocolate croissant and drinking a rich mocha then whooshing down to your knees and telling her that she is the one to whom your heart belongs and with whom you would like to spend your life. Then afterwards you walk down to the Eiffel Tower and watch the sunset and then conclude the day with an early dinner at a local bistro. Good Luck!

j. huber

my suggestions may sound "hokey", but tried and true
and they work. but the eiffel may be a bit crowded,
but so what. a spur of the moment proposal is a
good suggestion. take her by surprise. may i also
suggest a picnic in the country if what you want is romance, that's the key. maybe one of her friends can clue you in on the proposal of her dreams. you
know her best and what she likes. take your cue
from her and what your heart tells you. love in
paris is magical. good luck!

BG

You pose a provacative question. I like the suggestion of the Musee Rodin as I think I remember seeing a statue of The Kiss in the garden. Even if it's inside, it does provide a most romantic background for your important deed. How about the top of the Arch de Triumphe? There's a nice view up there, too. One side looks down the Champs Elysees to the Place de Concorde and the other I think towards La Defense. And it should be nice at sunset. And if you are triumphant in your pursuit, what better monument to be at. (I couldn't resist that.) Since some of us now involved in your quest, promise us that if your are successful, in your marriage you will continue throughout the years to think of romantic things to do to keep that extra delight in your relationship alive. Hmm, let's see, where in Paris would I like to receive a proposal? This question will occupy my mind for awhile.

Judy

The dinner cruise on the Seine with candles, music and dancing is about $140 USD for two people. This includes being picked up at your hotel by minivan and transported back. We did this for my birthday in January and it was very romantic...the lights at night are beautiful...the price of dinner also includes wine..service was good and so was food. I have suggested this to several people and they have loved it!

Joe

I would third the Musee Rodin. The Eifel Tower will have a massive line and a bunch of tourists with kids running, etc., IMHO. Rodin is much different as you will see, even if you chose another option.

Pick up a Museum Card at the 1st museum you visit.

Rita

Having just celebrated our 20th anniversary in Paris on December 30th, I was intrigued by BG's question above: WHERE would I pick to be proposed to in Paris? My first thought was crossing the Seine, at sunset, on a beautiful June night after a leisurely stroll. The Pont de la Concorde would be my first choice. Nothing brought the romance of Paris so close for us as the beautiful river with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Awesome! I also wouldn't do the Eiffel Tower - too many people for such a special moment. Let me also second (or third, maybe) the garden at the Musee Rodin. It was one of our most favorite places, even on a cold, rainy, December day with gale force winds! Imagine a glorious spring evening - it might just be perfect. Good luck!