Your Best love stories in Paris

Thought you'd be alone this summer? No way. Paris in August has something magical! Lazy evenings on terraces and contemplative strolls can lead to exciting encounters, providing juicy gossip for the upcoming season or, who knows, a lifelong love story. We asked our readers for their most improbable Parisian dating stories to help you shake up destiny a bit. Psst: You'll notice how much more common it is to meet strangers when you go to a place alone... Get your popcorn ready!

On a hot afternoon, seeking inspiration, I took refuge at Chez Prune, a trendy bistro near Canal Saint-Martin and my second home throughout the year. In need of a distraction, I scribbled in my notebook. Right in front of me, a handsome brunette grumbled on the phone, having been stood up "for the third time this week" by his friend. He hung up looking dejected, hesitating to order something, and our eyes met. It was love at first sight: without thinking, I invited him to join me at my table because "It's too hot to leave without having something to drink first!". He smiled, introduced himself as Antoine, and sat next to me. Sitting on the terrace, cigarettes in hand, we talked about movies and literature. We ended up ordering some IPAs, and as the conversation flowed, our bodies drew closer, and our lips touched. We've never been apart since, and this bar has become our anchor for all our Valentine's Days.
Bistrot Chez Prune, 36 Rue Beaurepaire, 75010 Paris, open everyday from 8am to 2am, on sunday at 10 am.
© Bistrot Chez Prune (@chez_prune_bistrot_canal)

As a true art and history enthusiast, I broke up with my girlfriend between my M1 and M2 years. It was a somewhat sad summer, and I spent my days at the Gustave Moreau Museum, my forever safe place, admiring "The Triumph of Alexander the Great" on the third floor. Usually alone in these halls, I was surprised to find a tall blonde with green eyes absorbed in front of my favorite painting. We discussed it for a long time, attracting the wrath of an old lady whose view we blocked, before deciding to explore the whole museum together. I had to see her again! I mustered up my courage and wrote my number on a postcard featuring the painting, bought from the museum shop. We now live together... just 5 minutes away from the museum!
Musée Gustave Moreau, 14 Rue Catherine de la Rochefoucauld, Paris 9e. Open from Thursday to monday, from 10 am to 6 pm. 
© Musée Gustave Moreau (@museegustavemoreau)

With a bottle of milk tucked under my arm in the small supermarket in my neighborhood, all I needed was a box of cereal to enjoy a solo TV dinner under the covers. But then, in the midst of my indecision between Nesquik and Frosties, a voice behind me advised, "I'd go for Chocapic instead," while an arm pointed to this third option. What were the odds that this person would be a handsome 6'5" Italian guy? Well, they were in my favor: "I'm Elio!" he said. I thanked him for the advice, heart pounding. He paid at the register well before me, and I saw him waiting at the store's exit. Was it for me? Yes. Casual conversation started, and our numbers were exchanged naturally. Elio didn't become the love of my life (let's not get carried away!), but we did share some passionate summer nights... The moral of the story? Always seize beautiful opportunities.
© Amazon Prime Video

It was a mild evening, perfect for a stroll in the Luxembourg Gardens, camera in hand. I love taking portraits of beautiful plants, so I set out to find my future model when I stumbled upon, oh joy! A magnificent Acacia of Constantinople in full bloom. Without thinking, I backed up quickly to take a better shot and bumped into a guy who ended up... with his backside in the fountain. He burst into laughter and said, "Perfect timing, my shower's been broken for 3 days!" His good humor left me speechless. I joined him at a café across the street to help him dry off and offered him a drink, "as an apology." He was quite cute, with his wet t-shirt and beautiful hazel eyes... It was at least 30 degrees, but we both ordered hot chocolates. Our first common ground: we had the same favorite drink. He had been waiting for "the right one" for 4 years, and I was stuck in a toxic relationship, but now, we've celebrated our first anniversary together!
Jardin du Luxembourg, 15 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 6e.

Pure chance led me to an intimate concert of a Uruguayan singer I adore, incredibly famous there but unknown in France. I positioned myself right in front of the stage to fully enjoy the experience. He glanced at me several times, and I thought I was just getting carried away and imagining things, but what happened next proved me wrong... After the concert, I joined other fans to meet him. However, we ended up having a genuine conversation, mixing broken English and Spanish. We decided to have a drink nearby, facing the Madeleine. We spent the evening and the following two days exploring Paris together (platonically), even though he seemed to prefer me to the Louvre's paintings... On our last night, I decided to take him to see the sparkling Eiffel Tower, but we got caught in a downpour. Drenched from head to toe, he gave me a terribly romantic "Can I kiss you?" and we kissed in the rain. He was flying out the next day, but we exchanged numbers for his next tour... To be continued!

As the only guy (straight) in the group, I decided to join my friends at a 90's-themed party in a nightclub. Fearless, I joined in and danced and sang my heart out to all the songs we knew by heart, from Larusso to Yannick to the Spice Girls. In between, I spotted a lovely brunette a little further away, the type who seemed unaware of her charm, at ease in her sneakers and little black dress. But how do you approach a girl on a dance floor without coming across as a total creep? I waited for the perfect moment. Then, the DJ played "J'irai où tu iras"... and I sensed my chance. I approached nonchalantly and, singing along to the first lines of the song, I joined in: she was Céline, and I was Jean-Jacques. Let's just say that after our duet, the ice was broken. I took the opportunity to introduce myself, offer her a drink, then a cigarette, and I unleashed my most inspired jokes about her singing talent and my (fake) job as an artist agent. I wasn't the best-looking guy at the party, but I made her laugh.
© Unsplash / Ophélie Bonavita

Okay, I'm the clumsy type. One day, at the beautiful Françoise Sagan library near Gare de l'Est, I gathered a bunch of books to choose my summer readings. Arms full of books, heading towards the nearest table, I didn't notice a girl coming out of an aisle without looking ahead either. The impact was brutal: she took the full stack of books to her face and fell to the ground, her nose bleeding. Feeling embarrassed and mortified, I tried to keep her conscious and called for security to help. Poor girl received first aid from firefighters and gradually regained her composure. They asked me to go back to my books and let the rescuers handle the situation. Penitent and overwhelmed with guilt, I complied. Ten minutes later, though, I returned, and just in time before being taken away in the truck, my victim smiled at me sweetly and handed me a piece of paper with her name and phone number: "You owe me a coffee at least!" This led to my first relationship with a woman, lasting two years.
Médiathéque Françoise Sagan, 8 Rue Léon Schwartzenberg, 75010 Paris. Open Thursday to friday, from 2pm to 7 pm and saturday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2pm30 to 6pm.
© Médiathèque Françoise Sagan

© LeViet and Cargo

• At one of the 10 summer exhibitions
• In a bustling nightlife venue
• During a guinguette party
• Over a drink on a terrace
• In the new spots of Parisian nightlife

Also, discover your love horoscope for the summer and where to make love in Paris.