On the search for the perfect place to celebrate a birthday in the City of Lights, but not sure where to start? Not to worry. It’s easy to have an unforgettable experience if you know the best venues for a proper Parisian birthday fête.
From an over-the-top luxury birthday dinner in a palace to more low-key places with delicious French cuisine in the city’s famous Latin Quarter, our handy run-down is sure to give you some ideas for celebrating your birthday in Paris with aplomb.
How much does it cost to host a birthday party in Paris?
The great thing about Paris is that it boasts an endless number of ways to properly celebrate a birthday. They know a thing or two about the good life here, so you’ve got just about every option possible at your fingertips, from splurge-worthy to shoestring to entirely free.
This romantic city has the perfect place for every taste and budget, whether it’s taking in a play or concert at a beautiful theater, splurging on an unforgettable luxury dinner, or spending an evening at a rooftop cocktail bar, enjoying delicious cocktails with friends as the sun sets. The city is your oyster as far as choices go.
How should I celebrate my birthday in Paris?
Why not tour the pint-sized streets of the Latin Quarter to sample the fare, or delve into a host of local favorites in Montmartre? You can also explore the endless restaurants, cafés, and food halls dotting the French capital with a guided look at the city’s culinary scene.
More the romantic type? Head high above the skyline to check out the vantage point from atop the Eiffel Tower. You can also enjoy similar views with a special birthday drink (or two) in hand at the city’s rooftop bars, such as those at Galeries Lafayette, Le Perchoir Marais, and the Peninsula Hotel.
For art and history lovers, spring for an after-hours visit to one of the world’s most famous museums. There’s no better time to see the Louvre than at night, when most museum-goers are settled in their hotels or eating dinner.
If a dash of memento mori is more your thing, spend a birthday in Paris deep beneath the bustling streets with a fascinating visit to the spooky catacombs.
What are the best places for a birthday on a budget in Paris?
Contrary to popular opinion, it really is possible to have an exceptional birthday in Paris on a shoestring budget. One of the greatest pleasures of visiting the French capital is quite simply playing the flâneur, aimlessly wandering the city’s meandering streets.
Your perfect birthday dinner might well be a walk down the Champs Elysées, or a stroll along the Left Bank as you take in the breathtaking architecture of cathedrals like Notre Dame, followed by a picnic on a bank of the River Seine. The experience is quite literally priceless.
Walking around the city to people-watch and soak up the unforgettable atmosphere is a pleasure and a tradition in its own right, but you can also sign up for a guided tour of the city. The Paris In a Day tour lets you skip the line at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and culminates with a sunset cruise on the Seine, while the Heart of Paris tour passes by Notre Dame, through the Latin Quarter, and into Sainte Chapelle for a peek at the Gothic architecture.
What’s the most extravagant place to host a birthday party in Paris?
Hands down one of the most decadent ways to celebrate your birthday in Paris comes courtesy of the palace at Versailles. A truly extravagant experience awaits anyone willing and able to splurge on the royal treatment at the Airelles Hotel at Château de Versailles.
Only in recent years has it been possible to actually stay overnight in the château. The hotel also offers bespoke activities, including horseback riding and paddle boating excursions, a Queen for the Day spa, after-hours access to the Hall of Mirrors, and an occasional Grand Masked Ball.
If your budget can’t accommodate an overnight stay at this fabulous spot, you can still sample the original menus offered at the on-site restaurant. Helmed by world-famous French chef Alain Ducasse, the hotel offers unique dining experiences, including a decadent Marie Antoinette afternoon high tea, a luxurious picnic on the château grounds, and multi-course set menus and à la carte options at a historic royal feast, hosted in the restaurant proper or privately in Marie-Antoinette’s Cabinet.
Still too rich for your blood? Get to know Versailles with a guided tour at the end of the day, when the crowds have thinned out. You’ll still see the highlights, like the gardens, the Hall of Mirrors, and the king’s state apartments—you’ll just do it without jostling for elbow room with the masses.
