The moment that changes your life

I can track down to the minute that everything I knew in life changed in one blissful moment, and why this spot in the Jardin des Tuileries is one of the most romantic in Paris. Not only can you see some of her most amazing monuments in one perfect glance but if you are lucky, the sun will be setting on a perfect September night. September 7, 2016 at 20:30pm, standing in this very spot, happy laughter and French chatter all around me while friends drank wine in front of the fountain of the Tuileries, the sun had set and cast the most amazing pink glow across the sky. It was the first cloudless sunset I saw in Paris and the first that would fall behind le Tour Eiffel. In this very moment every single thing in life clicked into place like a puzzle and I fell madly in love with Paris and I found a feeling of home you can't explain to somebody until they have had the same experience. 

La Tour Eiffel

You might think that the  iconic Iron Lace Lady that stands tall over Paris that I have loved since the first time I saw her in a picture my grandpa showed me would be my favorite romantic spot in Paris. Oh it's up there as one of the top spots for so many reasons and even more that I discovered the many times I was standing in front of her and looking up.  But La Tour Eiffel has not always been loved by the city of Paris, but now you can't imagine the skyline without her and most Parisians are pretty proud to call her their own.  

Her beauty can be seen from all points of Paris, but she will disappear behind buildings and around corners to only pop right back up as a reminder that she is always close. Driving through Paris one night, not knowing the street I was on to just turn a corner and there she is, sparkling like a diamond as if to appear out of nowhere. On the hour from dusk until 1am for 5 amazing minutes, and best viewed from across the river Seine at the Jardins du Trocadéro so you can see her in all glory. 

She was built for the 1889 World's Fair and the centennial of the French Revolution. When Gustave Eiffel built what would become the greatest of Paris icons it was only to stand for 20 years. It was then used as a radio tour that helped save Paris in WWI, and then the French fell in love with her too. Couldn't imagine Paris without her and her delicate lace arches that is the epitome of style, grace and strength.  She will always be my first love when it comes to Paris and will never forget racing through the city to see her sparkle on a crisp Paris night. 

Love in the walls of the Louvre

When you walk inside the walls of the Musée du Louvre you can't miss how they are filled with paintings and statues dedicated to love. Just the pieces depicting Venus could fill a small museum on their own. Antonio Canova's Psyché ranimée par le baiser de l'Amour, 1777, is one of those breathtaking pieces that says so much. It tells the story of a young girl, Psyche being asked by Cupid's mother Venus to bring back a flask from the underworld. Curiosity got the best of Psyche... and she opened the flask and breathed in the fumes and fell into a deep sleep. Cupid found her and rushed to her side, took her into his arms and revived her with a kiss. Based on Apuleius story Metamorphoses, the story ends with Cupid and Psyche were married and she was made the goddess of the Soul. Pretty sure Cupid had to be a Frenchman with such amazing magical powers