Valentine's Day in Paris

Q: My husband and I are staying in Paris for a week, which includes Valentine's Day. Could you give us some suggestions on what to do and recommendations for restaurants, especially on February 14? We are fluent in French. - Mike R

A: You can start off your evening at one of the most famous bars in town, the Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris Hotel. The drinks are not cheap, but some of the cocktails have orchids and roses hanging from them. For dinner, what could be more romantic than the Eiffel Tower? Book early to get a table at the restaurant on the second level of the tower, Le Jules Verne (www.restaurants-toureiffel.com). The other restaurant in the tower, Altitude 95, is closed until March for renovations. If the tower doesn't appeal to you, a cozy restaurant once frequented by Emile Xola and Balzac may tickle your fancy. The Laperouse restaurant (51 quai des Grands Augustins) is offering a special Valentine's Day menu for 190 euros without wine. An alternative would be to take a romantic dinner cruise on the Seine River. If you really want to splash out, nothing beats Les Ambassadeurs restaurant at the Hôtel de Crillon. This regal restaurant is hosued in the former ballroom and has a 25-foot ceiling studded with Baccarat chandeliers. Chef Jean-François Piège limits himself with a choice of three appetizers, three meat courses, three fish courses, and four signatures dishes. Don't even ask the price.