When my feet first hit the ground in Paris, I knew it was a kind of homecoming. I’ve been so obsessed with French and French culture for so long that visiting the capital was a dream I had with the truth before I arrived for many years. Since then, I have realized that it is a dream I will never let go. If you’re thinking of traveling solo in Paris, I have all the internal tips for you!
When I first visited Paris on my own, I booked a cheap studio apartment at Etienne Marcel Rue and set out daily to explore the city on foot. Now (years later) I have learned that there is a better neighborhood to explore Parisolo. In this city solo, there are better practices to do that, beyond relying on converse sneakers.
Start with Shakespeare & Co
Solo travel has learned that there are many opportunities to need good books. Whether you’re waiting for the sun to set, waiting in line, or waiting to clean up the wine, you can mostly find joy in having a book to keep you and your company.
Whenever I’m in Paris, I make Shakespeare & Co Bookstore my first pit stop for that reason. The entire store is full of English books, so if French isn’t your powerful, it’s the perfect place to grab a new read. Below are some of my favorite readings in Paris. If you want to immerse yourself in the city longer, it’s perfect!
Drinking coffee at Saint-Germain
After winning a new book or two, you’ll be out inland from the Seine to discover Saint-Germain despres, the sixth Allendise in Paris. There are many great coffee shops here. Many of them are well known for people like Café des Floors and Les Deux Maggottes.
This is one of the most advanced parts of town, so it is a beautiful neighbourhood that wanders around, and has a very enjoyable walk among the beautiful street facades, boutique shops and patisserie.
Stop by Notre Dame Cathedral
Returning towards the Seine, head to Ile des Lacites to visit Notre Dame Cathedral. This medieval Catholic cathedral has become a major symbol of Paris thanks to its central location and unique gargoyle statues in the north tower. Construction began in 1163, but took about 180 years to complete.
Take a walk around Lemare
One of the best areas to wander solos is the Jewish district, officially known as Lemare. This neighborhood is full of great cheap food, coffee shops, parks, museums and boutique shopping. On Sunday, I really don’t believe there is a better place in everything in Paris.
Place Des Vosges
As Paris’ oldest planned square, Place Des Vosges has a long history and faithful support among Parisian locals, allowing you to enjoy a slow weekend heading towards beautifully maintained grass. Around the square there are many great cafes and eateries. My favourite culetto (Pick up salted caramel macarons – they are the best in town!)
Carna Vallett Museum
The Carna Vallett Museum, dedicated to the history of the city, is small, but houses a lot of information, so it guarantees a few hours to visit. This is a great way to learn more about the city and enjoy small scale museums with fewer crowds (which can be very overwhelming on your own!)
Discover hidden corridors in Paris
Vivienne Gallery
Located in the second arrondissement, this houses the most beautiful and picturesque corridors in Paris. Galerie Vivienne is located near the Palais Royal Theater, one of the best parts of town.
Giuffrey Passage
Located in another location of Paris’ most picturesque passages at the ninth arrondisement. If it’s really fantasy, you can also stay at Hotel Chopin! This passage has a great one-off boutique that will help you find hats, umbrellas, macarons and more.
Panlama’s passage
With a train restaurant (read correctly), Passages des Panoramas is one of the most quirky passages to visit and can be quite enjoyable when using your imagination. Get ready to meet the characters!
Read more: Secret Passages in Paris
Paris Solo: Wandering through Tuileries Gardens
Located between the Louvre and the location, Dela Concorde is the Tuileries Gardens, one of Paris’s most beautiful public gardens. These gardens, created by Catherine des Medici, were only open to the French Revolution and are therefore of great importance to the history of France and freedom.
Bring one of the Paris books and pull up the chair. This is the perfect place to relax after a stroll through the city streets and strolling through the sunset, illuminating the sky with warm oranges and pinks.
Enjoy hot chocolate at Angelina
Angelina It is one of my favourite pit stops in Paris, and is a very long and almost embarrassing time. They are most famous for their rich chocolate chocolat cho, a powerful formulation of almost pure chocolate (addition of heavy cream makes them thicker, richer, and more decadent!!!)
This is also one of my favourite places to watch the people of Paris and enjoys the spectacular interiors of the salon. Currently there are several locations throughout Paris, but the flagship on Via Rivoli cannot be overlooked. That in itself is a Paris experience!
Paripastry class
There are days when it feels like more than wandering through the streets of the city and eating the road from patisserie to patisserie (though these are my favorite ways to explore Paris). If you’re looking for new activities to keep you busy for half a day or a whole day, there are some amazing pastry classes offered throughout the city, making it a better place to learn the art of French pastry than the French capital! ? This is where I trained to make macarons, small cakes, croissants and eclairs.
Read more: Paris for pastry lovers: classes, shops, and more!
Dinner in Latin
Finally, my solo exploration savior was to visit the streets of Latin Street in the evening and enjoy a light dinner on the go. Dining solo in Paris is one of the loneliest experiences as they are surrounded by couples and are often given expressions of disapproval when demanding a “table at the table.” My go-to savior is to visit Latin Street and eat cheap streets, or sit on an outdoor table with a book in hand and watch the world pass by me.
to you! What are your favorite memories from your trip to Paris?