Solo Travel Paris: Ideas, Itinerary & Tips For Visiting Paris Alone In 2023

Paris is an exciting city, drawing many travellers – and it’s also a great place for solo travel. Don’t be fooled by the idea that Paris is only for romantic trips: check out this solo travel Paris guide for all the information you need about exploring Paris alone.

I’ve made six solo trips to Paris since the pandemic, so I feel like have relevant, recent expertise to share on the subject. In this guide, I’ll cover FAQs about visiting Paris alone, things to do in Paris alone (including at night), a suggested solo trip to Paris itinerary, tips for solo travel in Paris and some practical information about planning and executing a trip. Yes, all that is in this one article!

There’s plenty of information in this guide, so do use the contents if you want to skip to the section you’re most interested in. And maybe grab a cup of tea or coffee for this one – there’s a lot to get stuck into!

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. These are links to products or experiences I recommend and if you were to buy something after clicking on them, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Any earnings go towards the upkeep of this blog, which I appreciate.

Why Take A Solo Paris Trip?

I guess I should break this question down.

First, Why travel solo? Well, I won’t be the first to advocate for solo travel, nor the last. It’s not really a niche activity (if it ever was) and in my opinion, there are lots of reasons to travel solo, including the freedom it gives you to do exactly what you want when you want to – all on your own terms.

Why travel solo in Paris? Well, you can solo travel anywhere, so why not? Paris is a major travel destination, a global city with many attractions and charms. There’s no reason not to go there as a solo traveller. In my opinion, travelling solo in Paris is great because I love vibrant cities and Paris is one of my favourite cities in the world.

That said, there are some things to be aware of and to consider when travelling solo in Paris.

Things To Know Before Visiting Paris Alone

Relevant Facts About Paris

If you’re considering your first visit to Paris as a solo traveller, it’s worth bearing in mind a few facts:

• Paris is a big city: 2 million people live in the City of Paris, 10 million in the greater metropolitan area
• There are lots of tourists in Paris: 35 million people visit Paris each year. This means Paris will be busy with tourists. It is also one of the reasons Paris is not cheap. With so much demand for what Paris has to offer and lots of things to do and see, ticket prices can add up.
• Paris has a lot of diversity. Some of it is good, eg a racially diverse population. But some of it is bad, eg pronounced inequality: there are rich people who live luxurious lives and there are very poor people, including those sleeping rough under bridges and in doorways.  

Is Traveling To Paris Alone A Good Idea?

I guess a lot of people think of Paris as a romantic destination, somewhere to go with a partner. You might think of having a kiss at the top of the Eiffel tower or strolling with your lover down cobbled lanes – and these are lovely things to do.

However, I have travelled there as a solo traveller many times recently.  I have had a really good time on every one of those trips, and I didn’t feel sad that I was there by myself, nor did I feel like I was missing out. As I said in my post about Paris Syndrome, not everything that happens in Paris is romantic. There are plenty of non-romantic things to do, so there’s no reason not to go to Paris alone.

Is Paris Safe For Solo Female Travellers?

The question about safety is always relative and often subjective, so I couldn’t say that Paris is guaranteed to be safe. There are some people who may try to take advantage of you in Paris – there’s no doubt about that. There always are these kinds of people in big cities, unfortunately.

However, over the course of my more than a dozen visits to Paris, of which six have been as a solo female, I haven’t experienced any major issues, like assault or theft. I have experienced attempted scams (more on the one I experienced later) and unwanted attention, but it didn’t escalate into anything bad.

Is Paris Good for First-Time Solo Female Travelers?

The honest answer to this question is that it depends on you. If you’re pretty confident, I say go for it. As I said, I’ve never had any problems there as a solo female traveller and I’ve had a brilliant time every visit.

However, if the idea of being alone in a big bustling city for your first solo trip makes you a little nervous, you might want to try somewhere ‘easier’ first.

I chose a smaller, calmer city for my first time travelling solo. I went to Budapest in Hungary, which was a good way to ease myself into travelling solo. I’ve also done solo trips to other smaller European cities, like Ljubljana, Krakow and Lisbon.  I don’t think there’s any shame in taking baby steps into solo travel and building up your confidence before tackling a bigger city like Paris.

Solo Travel Paris: Things To Do Alone In Paris

If you’re planning a solo trip to Paris, you might be wondering what are the best things to do alone in Paris. The truth is, there’s nothing you can do in Paris that you can’t do alone – so the list of things to do alone in Paris is the same as the list would be for anyone travelling as a couple or with friends.

Here are 19 of the best things to do in Paris – alone or otherwise.

1. The Eiffel Tower

The icon of Paris, the Eiffel Tower looms over the city and dominates the skyline. Built between 1887 to 1889 for the 1889 World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower stands 330 meters high and it sparkles (literally) in the night sky.

Why not climb the Eiffel Tower alone, especially if you’re in Paris for the first time – the views from the top are amazing!

And if you don’t fancy the cost and the time of going all the way up, you can still enjoy the views of it from the grounds around the tower and from other viewpoints in the city. 

2. Boat Trip Along The Seine

Along the Seine, you’ll find some of the best examples of Paris architecture: the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. Crossing the river are 37 bridges, including the famous Pont Neuf.  Taking a river boat tour, such as the Batobus, is a great way to see these sights when you’re travelling solo in Paris.

3. Arc De Triomphe

The Arc De Triomphe stands proud at the junction of 12 avenues. It was built in 1836 to commemorate those who died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It is one of the recognisable landmarks in Paris.

You can admire it from the street, but you can also buy tickets to go inside the arch up to the top. From the terrace, you’ll have panoramic views around Paris, including a great view of the Eiffel Tower.

4. Sacre-Coeur

High on the butte of Montmartre sits the Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre, an elegant white church built in 1914.

The elongated domes are unusual and you can climb up into them for a unique view of Paris. Or you can simply enjoy the view from the gardens out front.   

5. Montmartre

The hilltop area of Montmarte is really charming – it has retained a village feel from the days centuries ago when it was a community on the outskirts of Paris.

In the early 1900s, Montmartre was at the centre of artistic Paris and was home to artists including Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro and Vincent van Gogh.

Take a self-guided walking tour of Montmartre to explore the cobbled streets, pretty cafes (many of which used to host those famous artists) and viewpoints in this area.

6. Musée du Louvre

One of the best-known museums in the world, the Musée du Louvre has a huge collection of artefacts covering 10,000 years of history – it’s not just about the Mona Lisa!

It will take a lot of time to see everything, but you can pick & choose the collections you’re interested in. And once you’re done with the museum itself, do take a moment to admire the building itself: the main renaissance buildings and the glass pyramid that was added in 1984. Next door is Tuileries Gardens, which is good for a stroll.

7. Musée d’Orsay

Across the river from the Louvre is another world-class museum: the Musée d’Orsay. This museum is special for its huge collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, including works by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. I loved exploring this collection during a solo trip to Paris last year

The Musée d’Orsay is a museum where the building is almost as impressive as the collections of art. The building was originally designed to be a train station – which makes sense when you see its cavernous atrium with an arched ceiling and ornate clock.

8. Musée Carnavalet

If you’re interested in the history of Paris itself, Musée Carnavalet is a great one to visit. This museum is in the heart of the fancy Marais area and its large collection of artefacts tells the story of Paris from antiquity to the current century.

I got a little lost during the convoluted history of the French revolution and the various republics & empires, but I learned a lot from this museum on my most recent solo trip to Paris. They also have many room sets with the décor and furniture typical of the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

And, good news for those on a budget: it is free to explore the permanent collection!

9. Le Marais

Le Marais is a chic, historical area of Paris. Having once been an aristocratic district, it is home to many buildings of historic and architectural importance, including what was once Place Royale, Place des Vosges, and Hotel De Ville, the town hall.

It is also where you’ll find a lot of small boutiques and art galleries, including the Picasso Museum.

10. Notre-Dame de Paris

The heart of old Paris is Île de la Cité the biggest island in the Seine. This part of Paris dates back to the Roman settlement in the 4^th Century and it also contains the best remaining examples of gothic architecture – the most impressive of which is, of course, Notre-Dame, which was built in the 12^th and 13^th centuries.  

Unfortunately, since the fire in 2019, it is not possible to go inside the cathedral, but you can admire it from the outside. You can also see an exhibition about the cathedral’s restoration in the 19^th century in the Archaeological Crypt museum, which is underground, with an entrance next to Notre-Dame. This exhibition also has fascinating remains from the Roman town of Lutetia, which existed on the island before Paris (one of the facts about Paris I hadn’t known before).

11. Sainte-Chapelle

There’s also another gothic church you can visit nearby: Sainte-Chapelle, known for its spectacular stained-glass windows. The church was built in 1248 to house the relic of Christ’s Crown of Thorns.

If there’s one church in Paris that you go inside, make it this one: the interior is just stunning! The tall colourful windows are really astounding and I also thought the midnight blue ceiling, covered in gold stars was pretty special.

12.  The Latin Quarter

On the left bank of the Seine, the Latin Quarter is known for its lively atmosphere and narrow cobbled streets. Here you’ll find pretty, Instagram-friendly establishments like the Shakespeare & Company bookshop, Odette cafe and Abbey bookshop.

Rue Mouffetard is a long narrow street that runs through the Latin quarter, offering plenty of atmosphere and great places to eat. It’s probably easier to explore this street alone versus with companions, actually – the pavements are rather narrow!

There are some major landmarks in the Latin quarter, including the Pantheon – a massive church that houses the remains of Victor Hugo, and the Sorbonne University, which dates back to the 13^th century.

13. Saint-Germain-des-Prés

This left bank neighbourhood is located around the church of the former Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which was once the crypt for the kings of France. After the Second World War, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood became a hub for intellectuals, writers, film-makers, musicians and philosophers, including Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.

These days, it’s a vibrant area with a major Haussmann boulevard (boulevard Saint‑Germain), some iconic cafes (Les Deux Magots & Café de Flore) and a (partially) covered passage, Cr du Commerce Saint-Andre.

14. Jardin Du Luxembourg

South of Saint-Germain is a lovely big park, Jardin du Luxembourg. It was originally the gardens of Luxembourg Palace, home of Marie de’ Medici, the mother of King Louis XIII, but is now owned by the state.

It’s a lovely place to stroll or sit and enjoy the calmness. There are lawns, flower gardens, ponds and fountains.

15. Promenade Plantée René-Dumont

A different kind of park is Promenade plantée René-Dumont, an elevated tree-lined walkway built on top of an obsolete railway line. It begins east of the Opéra Bastille and follows a 4.7 km (2.9 miles) path eastward that ends at boulevard Périphérique.

Popular with runners and dog-walkers, the promenade is a lovely greenbelt through the city and it also offers some nice views of the streets below. It’s also one of the places you can see cherry blossoms in Paris if you’re there in Spring.

16. Covered Passages 

One of my favourite features of Paris is the covered passages or passages couverts. These date from the early to mid 19^th century and were designed to be a more pleasant shopping experience for wealthy patrons than the dirty Paris streets. These were walkways with shops and cafes, typically protected from the elements by a vaulted glass ceiling.

Some of these passages have fallen into disrepair, but many have been well-maintained and are charming places to browse independent shops and find quaint cafes. In my opinion, the best covered passages in Paris are Passage Choiseul, Passage Verdeau, Passage Jouffroy and Passage des Panoramas.

17. Les Grands Magasins

In the mid-19th century, the covered passages of Paris gave way to grand department stores as the elite’s preferred environments in which to shop. These department stores, or Les Grands Magasins, include Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, BHV Le Marais, La Samaritaine and Printemps.  They can be a great place to explore if you’re in Paris in winter, because you can avoid the elements for a while.

My favourite, though, is Galeries Lafayette, which has a captivatingly ornate interior with a colourful glass cupola.  If you’re in Paris at Christmastime, check out their dazzling Christmas decorations in the atrium. 

Galeries Lafayette also has a great view from its top floor terrace, as does Printemps.

18. Palais Garnier

Close to Galleries Lafayette and Printemps is an example of Paris’s ostentatious architecture: Palais Garnier, one of Paris’s Opera Houses, was built at the request of Napoleon III in 1875.

Even if you don’t want to see any opera, I highly recommend a visit to Palais Garner simply to see the grand stairwells and opulent use of gold leaf. The Grand foyer room is really a dazzling spectacle to behold.

You can book a guided tour or you can buy a self-guided ticket, meaning you can wander around at your own pace, which is what I did.

19. Take A Day Trip

On a recent solo trip to Paris, I took a day trip to Reims to learn about champagne. It was a quick 45-minute train journey to Reims, where I explored the town a little and then did a champagne cellar tour.

Thanks to France’s good rail network, there are lots of great day trips from Paris by train, including many other towns and cities in France, and also some of the neighbouring countries.

Solo Travel Paris: Things To Do In Paris Alone At Night

So, there are lots of ideas of things to do if you’re travelling to Paris solo, you might be wondering what to do in the evenings. Evenings are times that might feel better suited to social activities with other people. Night-time might also seem a little riskier to be out and about.

But you don’t have to lock yourself in your hotel room at night (although if you have a nice hotel room, this could be a great thing to do!).  I have gotten out and about and explored Paris at night during solo trips, and you can too.

Here are some of the things I have done during solo trips to Paris

1. Have Dinner Alone

The first time I had dinner alone on a solo trip, I felt a little self-conscious, but I am used to it now and I think nothing of booking a table to dine alone. The only thing I have learned from travelling solo is that some kinds of restaurant experiences are better suited to dining alone than others

I do like to indulge in fine dining every now and again – and have been known to order taster menus in fancy restaurants. Taster menus are the kind of menu when you get a large number of courses, which usually consist of very small portions.

However, I’ve stopped doing this on solo trips now, because I found that the service was often too slow. I think the courses are timed to come out at certain intervals that suit couples or groups better than solo diners. Without conversation, the wait between courses can feel like it drags on. Also, when I’m travelling, I am normally keen to get out exploring and spending hours in a restaurant is not quite ideal.

So when I’m travelling solo in Paris, I tend to eat at mid-range bistro-type places. You can still have multiple courses, but I tend to find I can get in and out quicker, which suits me. I’ve included some specific tips for places below.

Heads up for solo diners in Paris: I’ve never had trouble getting a table as a solo diner in Paris, but sometimes I find I’m given the worst possible table. This could be a tiny table in the corner or a seat at the bar. The latter can be fine if there’s plenty of space, but is a bit weird if it’s a small restaurant because you can end up feeling like you’re in the way!

2. Enjoy A View of Paris At Night

Paris is very pretty at night: the Eiffel Tower sparkles like a Christmas tree and the Seine reflects the city lights like a mirror.

A couple of lovely Paris at night experiences are:

• Arc De Triomphe viewing terrace
• Montparnasse Tower
• The Eiffel Tower itself is open until 10:45 pm
• Walk along the Seine near Notre-Dame at night

3. See A Movie In Paris

You might think the movies are out of the question unless you’re fluent in French, but many French cinemas show films in English, with French subtitles, check out this site for listings. And if you want a characterful independent cinema, rather than a chain multi-plex, consider either Le Champo in the Latin Quarter or Studio 28 in Montmartre.

I saw a British film at Le Champo recently – I booked tickets online on their website and the whole experience was really easy.

4. Enjoy A Drink In A Bar Alone

Bar culture in Paris seems different to many other places, including London, where I’m from. It’s not really about drinking to get drunk but is more of a casual, sociable thing. That said, the deal on drinks during ‘Happy Hour’ (usually from 5 pm to 8 pm daily) can be tempting!

I have gone to bars in Paris alone – not to meet people, because I’m an ultra-introvert and the idea of making small talk fills me with dread. But sometimes, after a busy day, I want time to reflect and wind down, and a nice cocktail in a pleasant environment can help with that.

There are three bars I’ve really liked so far as a solo traveller in Paris:

• Little Red Door was just announced as number 5 on the list of the World’s Best Bars in 2022. It’s a small, intimate place in Le Marais that might have a queue. They take their mixology pretty seriously, but the staff are very friendly.
• Cambridge Public House, also in Le Marais, has the look & feel of an English pub, but the cocktail menu and service style of a much smarter place.
• Bluebird, in the young, hip Bastille area, has an overly-complicated approach to the menu, but the cocktails are good.

To avoid unnecessary risks, I tend to do a couple of things when going to bars on a solo trip:

• If I’m drinking alcohol, I stick to a two-drink maximum, to avoid losing awareness of my surroundings
• Regardless of what I’m drinking, I tend to drink close to where I’m staying so there’s no big trek to get back at the end of the night

Oh, and don’t accept drinks from strangers, of course.

6. See A Show

This is the only one I haven’t done, but it is an option: there are plenty of theatres in Paris you could see the opera in Bastille or Palais Garnier, or even a cabaret at the Moulin Rouge (but be very careful leaving this place, as the street it is on is pretty seedy).

Solo Travel Paris: Eating Alone In Paris

As I said earlier, I tend to avoid tasting menus when travelling solo, but other than that, I’ll happily eat anywhere in Paris. Here are a few places I have eaten alone in Paris and really enjoyed the experience:

Creperies

Crepes are quintessentially French and also one of the best street foods in the world. You’ll find it on street stalls around Paris, but if you prefer a sit-down crepes meal, here are some creperies I like:

• Breizh Café, Le Marais (& various other locations around Paris). They specialise in Brittany-style galettes
• Creperie Bretonne Fleurie is another creperie I enjoyed – it’s a small, quirky place in the Bastille area.

Bistrots

• Café des Anges, near Bastille – a vibrant, modern bistro with a mix of French classics and international dishes
• La Boite Aux Lettres, Montmartre – innovative, seasonal food in a small, casual setting
• Les Philosophes, Le Marais – classic French bistro

Restaurants

• Le Moulin De La Galette, Montmartre – a traditional French restaurant, and the scene of a famous Renoir painting
• Georges, Pompidou Centre – an upscale modern restaurant with views across Paris

I’m also partial to a crepe from a street stall, which you’ll find dotted around the city!

Solo Trip To Paris: Itinerary

Here’s my suggestion for a 4-day Paris solo itinerary.

Day 1

Morning

Start early to avoid the worst of the crowds and climb the most recognisable of Paris landmarks: the Eiffel Tower. Make sure you book a ticket in advance to minimise queuing. You should allow a couple of hours to get up the tower, enjoy the view and get back down, without rushing.

After this, head towards your lunch spot on Rue Cler, which is about 15 minutes away. You’ll walk through some classic Parisian streets along the way.

Lunch

Rue Cler: this pretty market street has plenty of cafes with terrace seating on the street, so take your pick! 

Afternoon

After lunch, walk east towards Les Invalides, a gold-domed baroque building that contains the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France in the early 19^th Century. You can go inside to see the tomb, or simply admire the building and the gardens.

Heading north, you’ll come to the Seine River and you can jump on a Batobus – a hop-on-hop-off river tour that does a fixed route along the river, with boats approx. every 20-25 minutes. You can join the boat at the Les Invalides stop. From this side of the river, the boat heads east towards Notre-Dame.

Enjoy the ride and either do a full loop on the boat, which will take a couple of hours, or get off at Hotel de Ville. From here you can head to the Pompidou Centre, an art gallery in a bold inside-out building, with pipes and tubes on the exterior.

Check out the gallery if you want, but the main reason you’re here is for the restaurant on the top floor: Georges.

Dinner

Georges – make a reservation in advance. Georges has a great view over Paris, including the Tour Saint-Jacques. From the viewing terraces on the other side of the restaurant, you can also see the Eiffel Tower over the rooftops of Paris.

Evening

You’ve done a lot of walking already today, so I suggest you have an easy evening. Enjoy your dinner and the view and don’t rush off anywhere else.

Day 2

Morning

Spend the morning exploring Île de la Cité and the left bank of the Seine in the Latin Quarter, this is the oldest area of Paris, the heart of the city since the middle ages.

Things to do include:

• Notre-Dame cathedral
• Sainte-Chapelle (the one with the stained glass windows)
• Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, a picturesque café covered in vines
• Pont Neuf – one of the best-known bridges over the Seine
• Bouquinistes – bookstalls and print-sellers whose stalls line the Seine
• Shakespeare & Company – a cute bookshop and café

Lunch

You could snack on a choux bun from Odette cafe, but I suggest you save lunch until you reach Les Deux Magots on Saint-Germain Boulevard. This is one of the most iconic cafes in Paris, and a great spot to enjoy some people-watching from a wicker chair on the terrace – though you might need to queue if you don’t make a reservation. Some alternatives in the area are Café Flore and La Societe.

Afternoon

Spend the afternoon strolling around Saint-Germain-des-Pres. You could take a look at Saint Germain des Pres church and, if you’re up for more walking, you could go even further south into Luxembourg Gardens.

Evening

Aim to get to Montparnasse Tower before dark. It’s a good idea to reserve a ticket in advance, in order to avoid the queues. This is a modern skyscraper that has an observation deck from which you can see panoramic 360-degree views of Paris. If you go before dark, you can see the effect of the sunset and the lights coming on as darkness falls.

Heads up: the tower and the area around it are a little shabby, but the views of Paris are amazing!

Dinner

Reserve a table at one of the grand old artistic and literary cafes on Boulevard du Montparnasse. I had amazing steak at Cafe de la Rotonde, which was frequented by Picasso and Modigliani in the early 20th Century.

Day 3

Morning

You can have a late start today – you’ve already covered a lot of ground in days 1 and 2, and you will probably appreciate a lie-in and a lazy breakfast.

Book some tickets for Palais Garnier – the opulent opera house I mentioned earlier. Spend an hour or so exploring the decadent theatre and then do the short walk to Boulevard Haussmann, where you’ll find Galeries Lafayette, one of the grand department stores of Paris. Even if you’re not interested in going any designer shopping, you can admire the architecture.

Next door to Galeries Lafayette is another art nouveau masterpiece: Printemps.

Lunch

Reine Mer is a small restaurant on the 9^th floor of Printemps. You might get lucky and get a table with a view – and if not, you can enjoy the view from the terrace after lunch. Reine Mer specialises in fish, but if that’s not your thing, there are plenty if other places to eat within Printemps.

Afternoon

After lunch, head to Anvers and walk up the hill to the Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre, where you can climb the dome or simply enjoy the view from outside.  After this, follow my self-guided walking tour of Montmartre to find all the sights and viewpoints.

Dinner

Grab a bite in either Moulin De La Galette or La Boite Aux Lettres.

Evening

If you can find an English-language movie you fancy, consider catching a film at the art deco-style Studio 28 cinema in Montmartre.

Day 4

Morning

Start the day by exploring Le Marais, including checking out the handsome Place des Vosges and possibly the Carnavalet Museum.

Lunch

How about a delicious galette (a savoury kind of crepes) at Breizh Café in Le Marais.

Afternoon

Get yourself a ticket for the Louvre and pick & choose the exhibits you’d like to see. Don’t try to do it all in one go!

If the Louvre doesn’t take your fancy, you could choose Musée d’Orsay or Musée de l’Orangerie instead. The latter showcases some of Monet’s waterlilies.  The way they are displayed in large oval rooms flooded with natural light is wonderful.

Whichever art gallery you choose, afterwards, take a leisurely stroll through Tuileries gardens and towards Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées for some shopping. Head towards the Arc De Triomphe an hour before sunset (you’ll need to book tickets in advance).

Evening

Your final evening will be spent on the top of Napoleon’s monument to war heroes, the Arc De Triomphe, watching the sun go down. I did this on my first solo trip to Paris. It’s really magical to watch the lights come on over Paris.

Heads up: there are a lot of steps to get up there (and down).

Dinner

I suggest some comfort food for your last meal in Paris, so why not try Les Philosophes, which does classic French food including a scrumptious onion soup and a perfectly crisp Crème Brulee.

So that’s my suggested itinerary! If you need more ideas, I actually have another slightly different itinerary for 4 days in Paris you might also be interested in.

10 Essential Solo Travel Paris Tips

Now you have ideas of what to do in Paris alone, and you have a solo Paris itinerary, let me share some solo Paris tips.

1. Learn Some French!

It’s a good idea to learn some basic phrases in the language of whatever country you travel to. However, I’d say that in France, more than in other European countries, it is especially important. It’s not that no one will speak English in Paris (many will, especially in restaurants and hotels) – it’s that there can be a resentment of being expected to speak English while in France.

The only time I’ve had a waiter be rude to me in France was when I asked for something in English – and I couldn’t blame him for being annoyed. I would be too, if someone came to my workplace in the UK and expected me to take requests in French!

If you learn the basics like help, please, thank you, etc, you could also learn to politely ask if they speak English (parlez-vous anglaise?), which, if the answer is yes, will help you switch to English in a more polite way.

2. Be Careful In The Streets

Like many big cities with unequal wealth that attract tourists, there may be pickpockets amongst the crowd. The biggest risk is probably in busy places, such as the base of the Eiffel Tower and the front of the Sacre-Coeur and around stations like Gare du Nord.

While you enjoy the sights around you, stay aware of your surroundings and keep hold of your belongings. I tend to use a backpack for my camera so that it’s out of sight when I’m not using it. And I have a cross-body handbag that can’t be grabbed off my shoulders.

In fact, I have an anti-theft bag by Travelon. It has features like slash-proof fabric, so no one can simply cut your bag open to grab your stuff, and lockable zips so that they can’t be surreptitiously opened without you noticing.

Oh, and it should go without saying, don’t wander around talking on the phone or even with your phone in your hand. When you need it to look something up or take a photo, stop and check your environment and who’s around you first.

3. Familiarize Yourself With The Area You’re Exploring

I’m a big fan of exploring city streets without a necessarily fixed route in mind, giving myself the freedom to go down streets that look interesting – and Paris is a city that rewards wandering.

However, it is still sensible to work out where you are and to keep track of which direction you’re going in, so you don’t get actually lost or to stray into a less savoury area. For example, walking around Montmartre is lovely – but if you wander down the hill you could end up in Pigalle, which is far less pleasant. 

Also, keep your phone battery charged and consider carrying a battery pack to be able to top your phone up if you need it.

4. Familiarise Yourself With The Metro

You don’t have to use the Metro (Paris’s underground train network) to get around – there are other options, like walking or taxis. However, the Metro is useful because Paris is a large city with spread-out attractions, and the Metro is cheaper (and sometimes quicker) than using taxis all the time.

The Metro can be daunting at first – there are lots of different lines in all different directions, and you might not be familiar with the names of the stops.

However, if you take a moment before you start your journey, and use one of the maps at the station (or on the metro website here) you will be able to work it out.  What you need to know is:

• The station you’re starting from and getting off at
• With this, you can see whether one line will take you all the way, or whether you will need to change lines (and where).
• For every leg of the journey, as well as the stop you get off, you need to know the final destination of the line you’re on – because this is how the stations signpost which direction the train is going in. They won’t say ‘uptown’, or ‘westwards’ or anything like that.

So, for example, if you want to go from the Louvre to the Arc De Triomphe, it’s a simple journey on line 1 from Palais-Royal – Musee du Louvre station to Charles de Gaulle – Etoile station. However, when you get on at Palais-Royal – Musee du Louvre station, you need to choose the 1 line train in the direction of La Defense.

Metro tickets can be bought as a single for €2.10 or if you plan to use it regularly, you can make savings by buying a Visite Pass that lasts for longer, eg 2 days. However, know that these are based on the days, not the hours.  So, a two-day pass will be valid the day you buy it and the next day, but not for 48 hours from when you buy it (I found this out the hard way!).

5. Use City Mapper App

An app I use a lot when travelling in Paris is CityMapper. It’s a free app available on Apple and Android that lets you plan a route across Paris (and many other cities around the world) via public transport and walking. If you know where you’re heading to, it will give you a full end-to-end journey plan from where you are (or another location if you’re planning the route for later), including how to walk to the bus or metro station, any connections/changes you need, and how long it will take. 

It even flags if there are delays on the trains – but I have found sometimes the info on the details of engineering works etc is in French, so not as helpful.  But most of the time, this isn’t the case, and the app is super helpful!

6. Avoid Known Scams

The Fixed Price Taxi Scam

This is a scam I encountered recently in Paris. I arrived at Gare Du Nord on the Eurostar and queued for a taxi at the official taxi rank. When I got in my taxi, the driver said the charge was a fixed charge: €100 for any destination in the central zone, he waved a laminated price card in front of me, saying it was something to do with a strike.

If I had not used taxis in Paris quite a lot, I might have accepted this (even though I’m sure I would have thought that was expensive!). However, I’ve taken taxis around the city quite a lot, and I was confident that the journey I was taking should have been about €10-15 using the taxi meter, which is the normal way to charge for a taxi. 

I have no idea whether it was a legitimate policy to charge a fixed price for the taxi at certain times, rather than the meter, but it was so much more than the standard rate, and the ‘price card’ looked very dodgy – so I felt like I was being deliberately ripped off. 

I said no, I would not pay that, and the driver pulled over so that I could get out. I then pulled out my City Mapper app, and realised I could get to my destination via Metro in about as long as I estimated the taxi to take, so I did the journey for €1.90.

The ‘Gift’ You Have To Pay For

There are some scams that include people seeming to give you something, such as a rose or a friendship bracelet, and then demanding payment (or using the exchange as a distraction so that someone else can pickpocket you). Just don’t accept anything from anyone in the street and you should be fine.

The Spilled Change / Clear Cup Scam

I haven’t experienced this myself, but some other travel bloggers I know have reported people who are begging for money deliberately spilling their cup of coins as someone walks by – to make them feel bad, so they give some money themselves.  It might be the person begging uses a clear cup places on the pavement, making it hard for passers by to see it.

It’s your choice about whether you give to anyone begging, so maybe watch where you step so that there can be no mistake about whether you knock anyone – then you can’t be guilt-tripped into anything you don’t want to do.

The Petition Scam

You might find people approaching you to sign a petition about some cause. I’ve noticed this most often around the Louvre, but I’ve heard it happens elsewhere, too. The person might approach you with urgency, so it could feel like it’s important to listen to what they’re saying. But this petition can be either a pretense to request money or a way to distract you so someone else can pick your pockets.

Just decline firmly and walk away. After all, what good is the signature of a tourist in Paris to any important French issue?

7. Pick The Right Area To Stay

Central Paris has lots of lovely areas in which you can stay. Based on my experience, there are a few areas I would avoid:

• around the Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est and Republique – these areas are a bit run down and there are often men hanging around street corners in big groups, which always makes me wary as a female solo traveller.
• around Pigalle and Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, which have historically been red-light districts and somewhat seedy.

For hotels, I tend to find the areas around the Bastille are fairly affordable, and also easy to get into the central areas.

I also recently stayed in the 6th arrondissement, near Luxembourg Gardens and that was great for solo travel: central, well-connected, but not too lairy.

8. Stay In A Hotel Vs Airbnb

This is not a hard recommendation so much as a suggestion.

When I travel solo, I tend to stay in hotels, rather than hostels or Airbnb. I avoid hostels in general because I like my privacy and I can’t handle the grime that many seem to have. 

I would use Airbnb for other types of travel (with my husband or friends), but I tend to avoid Airbnb when I travel solo because I prefer the security of a hotel. I like knowing there’s more between me and the city than one locked door, and having a manned reception is a reassurance.

Now, I know not all solo travellers, nor even solo female travellers do this – but this is my preference. Maybe just consider it something to think about.

9. Buy Travel Insurance

Whenever you travel, it’s a good idea to use travel insurance. Unlike a lot of travel bloggers, I’m not here to sell you any: I’m not an affiliate for any particular brand and I tend to choose mine based on which is the cheapest for the cover I need.

But in general, it’s a good idea to have some insurance that will cover you in case your bags get lost, or your trip gets cancelled and you lose money. I typically pay £100 to cover me for a whole year, for trips of up to 30 days.

10. Make A Note Of The Sunset And Sunrise Times

Make a note of the sunset and sunrise times for the dates you’re in Paris, because then you can plan your activities around them, should you wish to.

For example, in my suggested Paris Solo Itinerary, I put the Arc de Triomphe as a sunset activity – to actually catch the sunset you’ll need to know when it is and book your times tickets to coincide with it – or rather, an hour before it, because that’s the time period that the light starts changing.

Bonus Tip:  Don’t Wear a Pink Beret

I’m joking: wear a beret if you want. You do you.

It’s just that it seems to be a thing these days: ladies going to Paris and wearing a pink, orange or red beret. I guess it’s part of the romantic idea of being in Paris. It’s so popular, you can find them on sale in souvenir shops at most of the tourist sights.

The thing is, I think it marks you as a tourist, which could make you more likely to be a target. If I see a pink beret-wearer talking, I have noticed, they’re rarely speaking French!  

So, wear a beret – or anything else you want! But just be aware that it might be drawing attention to the fact that you’re a tourist.

What’s The Best Place To Stay In Paris For Solo Travellers?

As I mentioned earlier there are some areas I don’t recommend staying in Paris. But in terms of specific hotels, here are some of the best hotels in Paris for solo travellers, in my opinion. I’ve stayed in all of these hotels myself, when travelling solo in Paris in the last 2 years.

La Finca Hôtel & Spa (formerly called the Hotel Auberge Flora), which is in the Bastille area, is a good 3-star option. The rooms are snug but it is comfortable and has everything you need. I liked the cheerful bar downstairs and they offer a simple, affordable breakfast in the morning.

 In Montmartre, the Terrass” Hotel is a very comfortable 4-star and has some wonderful views across Paris to the Eiffel Tower, its own restaurant and rooftop bar.  

Hôtel Diva Opéra is a centrally-located boutique 4-star hotel in Fauberg-Montmartre, which is really convenient for exploring Paris. It is fairly near the Grands Magasins of Boulevard Haussman and some of the best covered passages in Paris.

There’s no reason why you can’t indulge in some decadence as a solo traveller! The 5-star Hotel Regina Louvre is next to the Louvre. It is old-school, luxurious and has some elegant Art Nouveau design features. Some rooms have a view of the Eiffel Tower.

For more options, check Booking.com, which is my go-to site for hotels:

How Do I Plan A Solo Paris Trip?

What’s The Best Time to Visit Paris

You can visit Paris year-round, but it’s worth knowing what to expect by season:

• Paris in Winter – it can be cold, wet and windy, but this is the best season to avoid crowds. Plus, if you come in December, you can enjoy Paris in festive mode, which is quite special.
• In Spring in Paris (March-May), the city comes into bloom, the trees are green and there are beautiful blossoms around the city, including pink cherry blossoms. Spring is a lovely time to visit Paris – but it will start getting busy with tourists keen to see Paris in bloom.  
• In Summer (June-August), it can be pretty hot in the city and the crowds can be HUGE. I tend to avoid visiting Paris during Summer for these reasons.
• In Autumn (September-November), the leaves start to change colour, which is a lovely sight. Like, Spring, I like visiting Paris in Autumn – in September you benefit from slightly smaller crowds, but the weather is still fairly mild.

How Many Days Is Enough For Paris?

It’s one of those ‘how long is a piece of string’ questions… I don‘t think there’s one answer to this question.  

I included a 4-day itinerary in this article because that is a good amount of time to see and experience the main things around the city. However, if you have more time, that’s great! 

On the other hand, if you have a small amount of time, you won’t see as much, but I believe you can still have a great time in Paris in two days. In fact, I have done several trips where I’ve been in Paris for only one day – and I even wrote an itinerary for one perfect day in Paris.

What To Pack For Paris

The only specific items I would say you absolutely must pack for Paris are:

• Comfortable shoes. Paris is a big city and you are likely to do a lot of walking as you explore the city, so make sure you have some shoes that will be kind to your feet – at least for the daytime.

And don’t worry, Parisians won’t be showing you up by wandering around in haute couture – that’s just an idea on American TV! I’d say it varies hugely but on average, what people wear in Paris is somewhere between casual and smart-casual. It’s rare to see ladies in stiletto heels in the street, for example.

Other than that, check out my guide to the best travel gadgets for solo travellers, much of which is relevant to Paris.

How Much Should I Budget For A Trip To Paris?

Paris is one of those cities where you can easily spend a lot. On my first couple of visits, I stayed in very basic hostels, and as I’ve had more disposable income, I’ve treated myself to a couple of more luxurious hotels. Mainly, though, I stay in budget / mid-range hotels when I travel solo in Paris.

Overall, the following is a good guideline for costs during Paris:

• Budget hotels: €75-150 per night
• Mid-range hotels €150-300 per night
• Luxury Hotels €400+ per night
• Lunch in a casual restaurant: €15-20
• Dinner in a bistro: €25-50
• Museums/landmarks: €10-27

Solo Travel Paris: Travelling To Paris Alone

How To Get From The Paris Airport To The City

If you’re flying into Paris, you’ll probably arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Check Skyscanner for flight deals.  

From the airport, you can get into the city by taxi (~45-60 minutes), train (RER B trains depart every 10 mins and take about 35 mins to Chatelet) or Roissybus (which takes 45-60 minutes, depending on traffic).

Arriving In Paris By Train

Paris is well-connected by train with all its neighbours: the UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Spain. If you’re travelling to Paris by train, the main international train stations (Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est and Gare de Lyon) are all fairly central and connected to the Metro system.

Solo Travel Paris: The Last Word

I hope you’ve enjoyed this solo travel Paris guide. If you have any questions I haven’t covered let me know. And if you have any tips of your own, feel free to add them as a comment, so others can benefit from them too.

Finally, do check out my other Paris travel articles, including:

• Paris Newbies: Ideas & Tips For A First-Time Visit To Paris
• Paris Off The Beaten Path
• Romantic Things To Do in Paris For Couples
• Paris in Winter: Things To Do in Paris when it’s Cold, Wet or Dark
• Paris Syndrome & How To Avoid Being Disappointed By Paris
• Paris vs Barcelona: which city should you visit?

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