These are surely the sort of Parisian evenings people talk about long afterwards – the ones where you get home late, eyes sparkling, with the feeling of having experienced something rare (if you can even remember it). This spring, the capital is playing the card of emotion and the unexpected: we’ll be dancing in the gardens of Montmartre, shivering beneath the stars at the Ritz, and kissing on Place de la Bastille. Three worlds, three atmospheres, one thing in common: you won’t believe your eyes.

3 exceptional evenings in Paris this spring: our guide so you don’t miss a thing

1. Le Bal de l’Amour – Place de la Bastille, 15 May 2026

We’ll start with the most accessible – and no less festive. The 4th edition of the Bal de l’Amour takes over Place de la Bastille on 15 May 2026, two days before the International Day Against Homophobia. Organised by the City of Paris, the event is open to all, free, musical and resolutely joyful. It was on this very Place de la Bastille that the very first 14 July ball was held in 1790, a year after the storming of the fortress. Dancing here is therefore a way of continuing a tradition dating back more than two centuries, and that alone is reason enough to go!

Practical information: Place de la Bastille, Paris 4th arrondissement. 15 May 2026, Free entry, Metro: Bastille

2. European Museum Night – Musée de Montmartre, 23 May 2026

A week later, head to the Butte. As part of European Museum Night, the Musée de Montmartre will be opening its doors exceptionally on 23 May from 7pm to 10.30pm. In the Renoir Gardens, Raphaëlle Hubin brings Loïe Fuller’s famous serpentine dance to life, caricaturists immortalise visitors, and a vinyl bar takes you on a journey through the decades. A bohemian, timeless interlude, just a stone’s throw from Sacré-Cœur.

Did you know? In 1876, Auguste Renoir rented a modest studio at 12 Rue Cortot (now the Musée de Montmartre) to paint *Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette*. He loved to immerse himself completely when a subject fascinated him, and it was in this garden that he produced many of his major works. That evening, you’ll literally be dancing in his footsteps.

Practical information: Musée de Montmartre, 12 Rue Cortot, Paris 18th arrondissement. 23 May 2026, 7pm–10.30pm Museum Night admission rates

3. Les Nuits Étoilées at the Ritz Paris – 13, 14 and 15 June 2026

To round things off in style, we’re joining the big league. For its very first edition, the Ritz Paris is opening its Grand Jardin on Place Vendôme to a brand-new festival blending opera, dance and orchestral music. Three evenings, 300 guests per night, stars from the Paris Opera, Roederer champagne, petits fours and world premieres. Prima ballerina Roxane Stojanov is the patron. A gift from the Ritz Paris awaits every guest on their way out.

Did you know? Hemingway had a reserved seat at the bar that now bears his name. One day, he left behind the manuscript of a book he was working on. True to their reputation, the Ritz staff carefully stored it in the cellars and, during the writer’s next stay, the manuscript was returned to him; it would be his last published book. That evening, as you sip your champagne in the Grand Jardin, you will be surrounded by some rather illustrious ghosts.

Practical information: Grand Jardin du Ritz Paris, Place Vendôme – 13, 14 and 15 June 2026 – From €150 to €390 (Gold category: €550, with backstage access) – Bookings at ritzparis.com

Translated by Bethszabee Garner