A TRIP to Paris-what better way to give your partner a special treat for Valentine's Day? But before you start getting all romantic, come down to earth for a minute.

Paris may be renowned as a place for lovers but a visit to this glorious city still needs some planning if you are to make the most of it.

For a start, Paris in February is not likely to be the warmest place on earth. At best, you might find some winter sunshine warm enough to make sitting at a table outside one of the cafs a viable proposition. At worst, it could be pretty chilly, so make sure you take some warm clothes.

And, while we're on the subject of what to wear, good walking shoes are a must. Paris is a walking city and it would be a shame not to be able to see it properly because your footwear was giving you gyp.

On the plus side, Paris is one of the best holiday destinations if the weather isn't great, because there are so many beautiful buildings and galleries to discover. In fact, if it's raining, you could easily spend the whole day in the Louvre and still not manage to get round all the wonderful works of art.

Next, how to get there? For a great start to your Valentine trip, why not book first class on Eurostar?

You'll be served a gourmet meal as you speed along and arrive relaxed and refreshed.

Other options are flying from Southampton, Heathrow or Gatwick or, if you're on a real budget, a coach/ferry trip could be the answer. You can either book the travel yourself direct with an operator, or go for a package with specialist companies who will do everything, including finding you a hotel.

Even if you do book a package, make sure you ask some questions about the location of your hotel. Unless you're paying top whack, you will be unlikely to get a hotel right in the centre of the city and some of the economy deals put you in hotels a long way from the action. Aim to be about no more than four stops on the Metro from the centre.

Also, be sure to ask about what's around your hotel.

It's very useful to find one in an area where there are restaurants. After a long day's sightseeing, you won't always want to go back into the centre to eat once you've returned to your hotel to freshen up. Areas such as Montmartre, Les Batignolles and the Latin Quarter are particularly well served with restaurants that are much cheaper than those in the centre.

So you've got yourself there, dumped your suitcases at the hotel and you're ready to go. But what should you see first? If you haven't been to Paris before then, despite the queues and the expense, a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower (Metro: Bir-Hakeim) is a must. You won't find a better view of the Seine and the whole of the city. It will also give you a good idea of the layout of Paris.

If money is no object, then a real romantic gesture would be to treat your loved one to an evening meal in the Eiffel Tower restaurant with a wonderful view of the lights of Paris. If you can't run to that, take your partner for a day-time drink on the terrace at La Samaritaine, the department store in the Rue de la Monnaie (Metro: Louvre Rivoli) it has a wonderful view of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower and many other Paris sights.

Other places to visit in the Eiffel Tower area are Les Invalides, Napolon's Tomb, the Rodin Museum and the Chaillot Palace, a huge neo-classical building housing theatre and museums.

Before you travel any further around Paris, a word about using the Paris Metro. It is a very simple system providing you know the station that is at the end of the line you are using. Everything is geared around that. Get yourself a map, check out the end of your line, and you should have no problems.

Other must-sees are Notre Dame and the Ile-de-la Cit. (Metro: Cit) The superb Notre Dame Cathedral is one of France's great masterpieces and took nearly two centuries to build. In this area as well, don't miss the gothic chapel of St Chapelle. Other attractions: the Conciergerie, where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned, and the Ile St Louis.

Even if you're not the world's greatest art lover, a visit to the Louvre should be on your itinerary. (Metro: Palais Royal- Muse du Louvre) This building contains some of the greatest treasures in the world.

If you're on a budget, go on a Wednesday afternoon, when the gallery is open well into the evening and entrance is half price from 3pm. There is also reduced price admission on a Sunday, but the queues are often very long. And if you're exhausted (and you will be!) by your tour of the Louvre, escape to the nearby Tuileries gardens where you can relax and watch the world go by. You can even return to the Louvre if you wish with the same ticket.

Some areas of Paris are just for wandering and watching. Montmartre, dominated by the beautiful Basilica of the Sacr Coeur, is one, the Latin Quarter on the left bank is another.

Shopaholics can find everything they need on the Boulevard Haussman, and the Champs Elyses. The first can be combined with a visit to the fascinating Opra Garnier (Metro: Opra) and the second with the Arc de Triomphe. (Metro: Charles-de-Gaulle Etoile)

And finally, why not round off your visit with an evening boat trip on the Seine and see many of the sights by night? If you're feeling really extravagant, you could have an unforgettable meal on board as you watch the lights of Paris go by.

What could be more romantic than that?

Click HERE for the Official Paris Tourism website