Lifestyle - Men most romantic at age 53

LONDON: French President Nicolas Sarkozy's ladylove Carla Bruni knows it better -- men are at their most romantic when they touch 53, according to a
survey.

The poll has revealed that the majority of men do not embrace romance until they are well into their fifties, but as soon as they attain 53 they can even beat youths when it comes to showering their partners with love.

And what's interesting is that it found that more than three quarters of those aged between 51 and 55 believe saying "I love you" daily is the most romantic gesture of all.

Moreover, men in their fifties are also more likely to appreciate a bit of romance in their lives and they even tend to surprise their spouses or partners more often than their younger counterparts, 'The Daily Telegraph' reported.

In fact, the poll of 2,000 men aged 18 to 65 found a third have recently surprised their partner with champagne on ice, while more than one in four wrote their partner a poem.

Almost half will surprise women with flowers, perfume and chocolate as compared to only 24 per cent of men aged 25. Other surprises include grand gestures such as organising romantic weekends away or pampering days.

"By the time a man reaches his fifties he has a wealth of experience under his belt, and will be wiser about things which please a woman. He will have endured countless arguments with his partner, made hundreds of mistakes and blundered his way through the early years of his relationship.

"When a man reaches the grand old age of 53, he will be wiser about what works for his partner, and will be more likely to make an effort.

"Another major difference with the 'empty nesters' generation is that many will have children who have flown the nest and their partner is the only person they come home to at night. This means couples have more time to spoil each other," he said.