Paris in February: Affordable and romantic

Here's a tip for those of you who think there are few more romantic phrases than "bring a passport." A February trip to Paris means you'll be taking advantage of some of the best airfare and hotel deals of the year. Yes, it gets cold this time of year, but winter offers the chance to avoid the tourist crowds and see Paris in the rhythm of daily life.

To find good deals, keep an eye out for international airfare sales from your departure city. Or, look into air-and-hotel vacation packages, which for off-season Europe trips can offer excellent value. For instance,

go-today.com

has a package with six nights' accommodations and airfare from New York for $599.

EuropeASAP

,

Gate1Travel

, and

Air France Holidays

are also worth a look.

And if you do make it to Paris this February, don't forget that the city boasts many

world-renowned chocolatiers

, including

Pierre Hermé

(in French only),

Jean-Paul Hévin

, and

La Maison du Chocolat

. And there's no better time of year for the over-the-top rich

chocolat chaud

served by such institutions as Angelina,

Ladurée

, and

others

. France's semi-annual clothing store

sales

, or "soldes," are also going on through most of February.

Bon voyage. And bon appétit.



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