Another volume in the series of finding the “most” romantic spot in Paris… I have drawn upon my own experiences and those shared with me, to explore the idea of what might be considered the most romantic spot in Paris. There are romantic places to stroll in the scenery of this beautiful city…. there are places to dine and tempt ourselves with taste. There are the ever sensual arts. And there are also places to ignite the other senses of and thus the heart strings, like listening to some sultry jazz notes… Romance is also just under your nose!

One of the most sensual places Chéri and I love to go is chez Serge Lutens, his ultra sultry boutique at the Jardinns du Palais Royal is a place to stir the senses and ignite emotion. We go there to test the new perfumes when the come out, or to re-explore ones we already know. It is a true pleasure to be in the delightfully designed boutique, to descriptively share our impressions of each scent with words that not only paint a picture but also invoke a feeling. And then there is something ultra romantic about offering up your wrist or neck to be inhaled by your chéri… it is incredibly sexy to say the least.

We have a very similar experience at the Marie Antoinette boutique, where we get excited over the new soaps and vintage scents that entice us to no end.

But romance can be found even in places where the olfactive element can be rather repulsive… Yes, it is true. If not for the only reason that I will seek out the delicious scent of Chéri to block the smell of the metro, by burying my face in his neck and inhaling the smell of his perfume (usually Gris Clair by Serge Lutens) and skin mixed together (quite possibly the best smell in the world). And this of course leads to a lovely kiss upon his neck. It makes riding the metro that much more delightful, and even… sometimes, romantic!

Or!…. Have you ever been strolling through Paris, with your Chéri(e), and happened upon a pastry shop that let it’s delicious smelling odors waft willy nilly onto the street? It’s intoxicating. And you both stop, and stare into the vitrine and oggle over the lovely things in the window display, and ponder upon all the delight you would have upon biting into that pretty and plum pastry, with creamy sauce that slides guiltily over your tongue… The smell of Parisian pastry shops is quite high upon my list of potentially-romantic olfactory pleasures.

And then…there is the Spring-is-in-the-air scent that happens in April, and Paris blossoms with budding trees and café terraces sprout couples greedily enjoying longer hours of sunlight while sipping coffee, cocktails or coca-cola… Spring is one of the best smells in Paris!

What are your favorite scents in Paris? Where do you find olfactory temptations?!?

Stay tuned for the next piece in this series… where I explore the sens of touch, in Paris and where it can lead to romance in the city of lights! *Gasp!* 😉