Musée de la Vie romantique (Museum of the Romantic Life)

I spent the most wonderful girls weekend in Paris last summer. I hadn’t been in decades, and was unsure what to expect - and the city surprised me in the best possible way. On one of the mornings we spotted a charming theatre down a little alley off a main road and stopped to have a look at it. This is my favourite way to get to know a city - slowly and spontaneously.

A Parisian woman observed us while smoking her cigarette, and then came over to recommend what turned out to be the most wonderful hidden gem. I’m not sure if it’s because we were off the tourist track, or if she was a custodian of the museum… but she told us about Musée de la Vie romantique and its hidden tea garden.

We looked it up online, and made our way there - tucked away down a tiny side alley is a magical little green oasis in the middle of Paris. It felt like it had been picked up in the South of France, and put down right there.

We didn’t have a booking to go to the museum, but chose to pause and recharge with coffee and cake at the cafe. The exhibition at the time was Les chevaux de Gericault and I had noticed the poster around town so it felt like it was meant to be. It’s a place I will most definitely return to and it felt like it captured the romance and magic of Paris, even in name!

Tip: If you’re planning a winter trip it will sadly be closed - as it is closed for renovations until February 2026.