Quentin Carlier

Couple photographer · Louvre & Palais-Royal

Couple photographer
at the Louvre & Palais-Royal

I’m Quentin, a couple photographer in Paris, creating timeless and intimate couple portraits at the Louvre and the Palais-Royal, shot first on film. Within a few minutes’ walk, your session moves from the grandest courtyards in Paris to one of its quietest gardens.

Montmartre · Trocadéro · Tuileries · Pont des Arts · QUAIS DE SEINE

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Louvre & Palais-Royal · Paris

Couple photoshoot at the Louvre & Palais-Royal: courtyards, arcades and a hidden garden

The Louvre and the Palais-Royal sit two minutes apart, and together they cover more range than almost any other location in Paris. On one side, the Cour Napoléon and its glass pyramid: the most monumental backdrop in the city. Behind it, the Cour Carrée: a fully enclosed classical courtyard that most visitors walk straight past. And across the place du Palais-Royal, the garden of the Palais-Royal: lime trees, a fountain, and the long covered arcades of the Galerie de Montpensier and Galerie de Valois. For a couple photoshoot, that means grandeur and intimacy in a single session, all on foot.

Couple portrait in the Cour Napoléon by the pyramid — couple photographer Louvre Palais-Royal Paris — Quentin Carlier
Couple walking under the arcades of the Palais-Royal — couple photoshoot Palais-Royal Paris — Quentin Carlier

Each spot has its hour, which is what makes this location so flexible. The Cour Napoléon is at its quietest before the museum opens at 9am: early morning is the only time to have the pyramid more or less to yourselves. The Cour Carrée stays calm through most of the day. The Palais-Royal garden opens around 8:30 in the morning, and its arcades are covered: they keep working at midday, and they’re the best rain plan in Paris. Tell me which spots matter most to you and I’ll set the time accordingly.

Couple embracing in the Cour Carrée of the Louvre — couple portraits Louvre Paris — Quentin Carlier
Couple portrait by the fountain in the Palais-Royal garden — couple photographer Palais-Royal Paris — Quentin Carlier

We meet at the pyramid, in the Cour Napoléon, easy to find and right on metro line 1 (Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre). The route I use starts there while the courtyard is still quiet, moves to the Cour Carrée, then crosses to the Palais-Royal garden and finishes under the arcades. Everything is open and free: no tickets, no queues, since we shoot in the courtyards and garden, not inside the museum. You just have to show up together: I’ll handle the route.

My approach

How I photograph couples at the Louvre & Palais-Royal

This location is built around contrast, so that’s how we work: no fixed poses on a fixed spot, just the two of you moving between settings. The architecture does half the job for me: the pyramid gives your portraits scale, the Cour Carrée frames you in stone on all four sides, and the arcades of the Palais-Royal create long repeating lines that pull the eye straight to you. I’ll have you cross a courtyard hand in hand, pause under an arch, sit by the fountain in the garden: small, true moments rather than performances.

I’m a film-first photographer, and classical Paris suits film: stone, symmetry and muted tones that hold up in any season. Expect gentle direction rather than posing: a prompt, a walk, a moment to yourselves while I keep shooting. The result is what I aim for everywhere: timeless and intimate couple portraits that feel true rather than staged.

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Sessions at the Louvre & Palais-Royal

What kind of session can we do at the Louvre & Palais-Royal?

Couple session

A morning walk from the Louvre’s courtyards to the Palais-Royal garden, just the two of you. Perfect for anniversaries, honeymoons, or simply marking where you are right now.

Couple photoshoot Paris →

Engagement session

You said yes: now let’s celebrate it. The pyramid, the stone courtyards and the garden arcades of the Palais-Royal: a setting for engagement photos that could only be Paris.

Engagement photographer Paris →

Proposal

Planning to propose at the Palais-Royal? I’ll help you choose a quiet corner of the garden or arcades, stay discreet until the moment, and capture the surprise as it happens.

Proposal photographer Paris →

Meet your photographer

A couple photographer in Paris who captures the way you are together

My name is Quentin, and I’m a couple photographer based in Paris. I’ve been drawn to photography for as long as I can remember, first as a way of paying attention to the world, then as a way of holding onto it. I’ve crossed the Louvre’s courtyards at every hour, often before the museum opens, and the short walk from the pyramid to the Palais-Royal garden remains one of my favourite routes for photographing couples. I shoot first on film, photographing couples in all the corners of the city.

What sets my work apart isn’t a location or a pose: it’s connection. Before I ever raise the camera, I want to know what makes you laugh, how you found each other, the small details that are entirely your own. The more I understand your story, the more honestly I can tell it. My couple portraits in Paris are built on that intimacy: timeless and intimate images that feel true rather than staged, tender rather than performed.

Whether it’s a first shoot together, an engagement, or simply a reason to mark where you are right now, I bring an editorial eye and a documentary instinct to every session: capturing not just how you look, but how you feel when you’re with each other.

As a couple photographer in Paris, my hope is that years from now, these photographs still feel like you, proof of a timeless and intimate kind of love.

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Also in Paris

Other beautiful spots for a couple photoshoot in Paris

Couple session in the Tuileries garden — couple portraits Paris on film

Jardin des Tuileries

Soft light under the chestnut trees, classical façades and quiet garden alleys in the heart of Paris.

Couple photoshoot Tuileries →

FAQ

Your questions about a couple photoshoot at the Louvre & Palais-Royal

How much does a couple photoshoot at the Louvre & Palais-Royal cost?

Couple sessions at the Louvre & Palais-Royal start from €649 for a 2-hour portrait session: the same rate as anywhere in Paris. It includes preparation (route, timing, outfit advice), the shoot, and a private gallery of individually edited high-resolution images. Full details are on the pricing page.

What is the best time of day for a couple photoshoot at the Louvre?

It depends on the spot. The Cour Napoléon and the pyramid are at their quietest before the museum opens at 9am, so early morning is the time for them. The Cour Carrée stays calm through most of the day, and the Palais-Royal arcades are covered, so they work even at midday. Tell me which backdrops matter most to you and I’ll recommend the hour.

Do we need tickets or permission for a couple photoshoot at the Louvre?

No. We shoot in the outdoor courtyards (Cour Napoléon, Cour Carrée) and in the Palais-Royal garden, which are open and free: no museum tickets, no queues, no permits needed for a portrait session. We never need to go inside the museum: the best couple portraits here are all outdoors.

What happens if it rains on the day of our session?

Rain is not a problem: there is no such thing as bad weather for portraits. On film, a rainy day adds mood, texture and a unique depth you simply can't get under a clear sky, and this location handles it two ways. The arcades of the Palais-Royal are fully covered, so we can shoot dry whenever we want, while the wet stone of the courtyards reflects beautifully if we want to step out. The only time we'd reschedule is an actual storm, for safety: short of that, couples are often surprised how well the rain works.

How long does a couple session at the Louvre & Palais-Royal last, and how many photos do we get?

My couple sessions at the Louvre & Palais-Royal last for at least 2 hours: enough time to cover the courtyards and the garden at a relaxed pace, because great photography takes time, especially on film. I shoot first on film, and can shoot digital alongside if you prefer. For a 2-hour session on film you’ll receive around 25 individually edited high-resolution images, delivered in a private online gallery.

Do you photograph proposals and engagements at the Palais-Royal?

Absolutely: the Palais-Royal garden is one of the most discreet places in central Paris to propose, with quiet corners under the arcades and by the fountain. I’ll help you pick the spot, stay hidden until the moment, and capture the surprise as it happens, then we continue with a full engagement session through the courtyards.

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