What I Wish I’d Known Before Traveling Solo to Paris

Traveling solo is one of the best ways to explore a new (or already familiar) city, while simultaneously learning more about yourself. You can go at your own pace, follow your own itinerary, and meet new people from around the world. But solo travel also requires a decent amount of research, planning, and organization to be executed successfully–especially if traveling solo to a city or country you’ve never visited before. Even if you’re planning a solo trip to a destination you’ve already visited with family or friends before, going as a solo traveler will present a whole new set of challenges and opportunities. 

It is important, if not necessary, to be fully prepared with one (or two, or three!) back up plans in case something falls through or doesn’t go to plan. More on why that’s important later.

In October of 2018, I booked a flight from Miami to Paris where I planned to stay on my own for roughly 5 days leading up to the New Year’s holiday before connecting with family in Belgium. The airfare was incredibly cheap–I think I paid $400 RT for an open-jaw flight that went from Miami to Paris, and then Amsterdam to Miami as the return flight. 

In my experience, open-jaw flights are usually cheaper than booking RT flights to and from the same city. Of course, there is the added expense of getting from one city to another in order to catch the return flight but there are usually pretty inexpensive options to do so, especially in Europe. 

Considering I booked the flight less than 2 months before my departure, I had a lot to plan and arrange before my trip. I visited Paris 2 years earlier with my aunt and uncle but I’d never visited on my own. I was excited to explore what Paris had to offer a solo traveler like myself. 

I stayed at Generator Paris, a hostel located in the 10th Arrondissement near the Canal St. Martin. The hostel was clean, affordable, and lively. It was close to a metro stop, which proved convenient for my purposes. After all, I was a young, solo traveler on a budget and I wanted to see and do as much as possible in the short time I was there.

The only downside of this hostel is that in recent years I’ve heard that the surrounding area (near Gare du Nord) has had an influx of crime. Specifically organized crime such as pickpocketing (which makes sense considering my experience–read more on that below). Keep this in mind if trying to determine which area might best fit your needs and safety concerns. Paris is lovely, but just like many other major cities, it has its rougher spots. 

The first thing I wish I’d known before traveling solo to Paris is: a little more French. I knew the very basics. When I say basics I mean: “Bonjour!” “Parlez-vous anglais?” “Merci!” “Je ne comprends pas.”… There were moments when having a bit more French in my back pocket would have helped significantly.

One moment in particular was when I was trying to explain to a French police officer that my phone had been stolen on the metro and I needed to file a police report. What could have been a 30 minute in-and-out situation, ended up being a 2-3 hour ordeal simply because I needed to wait for a translator to assist with the filing of the report. I realized I had become so dependent on Google Translate to assist in my conversational French that when I didn’t have it as a crutch to lean on, I was seemingly helpless and had no concrete French language skills to support me. If you’re planning to travel to a city or country where they speak a different language, put in the work to learn as much as you can before your trip. And always carry a phrase book with you if you aren’t fluent or, at the very least, comfortable with the language. This could be a huge help if, like me, you lose access to your phone or digital device.

My phone was stolen on my first day in Paris, and I had 4 days ahead of me. Luckily, I brought my laptop with me and kept it safely stored under lock and key in my hostel. I was able to log into my laptop to alert my family, friends, and banking institutions that my phone had been stolen and to be on alert for any fraudulent communication or transactions on my device. If I didn’t have my laptop, I would have literally had zero way to communicate to anyone back home. I made several friends while staying at Generator and they were also of great help to me after I lost access to my phone. Shoutout to Tegan, Alice, and Abigail if you are reading this!

This is exactly why having a backup plan or “ICE” (in case of emergency) plan, is so important. You never know what will happen when solo traveling, and being prepared for the unthinkable is part of the preparation process. How will you contact home if you should happen to lose access to your phone? Do you have enough currency stowed away to get you by should your wallet get stolen? Does your family know where you’re staying and how to contact your hostel or hotel if they need to reach you? 

Before I travel on my own, I typically prepare a PDF document that I share with my immediate family that includes the following: the names of accomodations I’m staying at, my dates of travel, a list of locations I’m visiting, the addresses of my accomodations, a U.S. Embassy contact, and emergency numbers for local authorities. Sharing this information with trusted loved ones before your trip can be a lifesaver if something happens during your trip. Luckily, I had created a PDF that included some of the above information before my trip to Paris and I shared it with my family. 

If traveling solo to Paris, keep your belongings close and never slip your phone into your back pocket on public transit. This was my mistake, and a dumb one at that. I know better than to put my phone or wallet in a spot easily accessible to strangers, but I ended up doing it anyway without thinking. I felt the phone slip out of my pants pocket and into someone else’s hands. When I turned around frantically, it was already long gone. There are many talented pickpocketers in Paris, that’s for sure. Don’t make the same mistake as I did.

Another thing I wish I’d known before traveling solo to Paris is that exchange rates for currency can cost a pretty penny. Next time, I will absolutely be converting my currency at my home bank to get the lowest fee possible, as opposed to converting at the airport or currency exchange kiosk. Converting currency at the airport will result in you paying extremely high fees, which could eat away at the budget for your trip. I did not prepare fully in this regard and had to convert currency multiple times at various locations/airports during my trip. I could have saved close to $100 to $150 USD if I would have simply converted my currency at home before leaving for Paris. I ended up walking a fair amount in search of currency exchange shops, and I was met with unpleasant rates and a long line. 

Speaking of currency, don’t forget coins! Sure, most places will have change for your bills but having some coins easily accessible in your wallet or bag might come in handy–especially if you desperately need to use the public restroom in a hurry and can’t wait for the bathroom attendant to produce change! It also helps to have a few euros for buskers or street musicians if you stop to have a listen at any point during your trip. I personally enjoy listening to buskers, so I now carry around some change and loose bills to drop in their bucket when I stop for a listen. Spare euros are also great for tipping tour guides!

I didn’t have much of an itinerary for my solo trip, which proved to be a bad move. In a city as big as Paris with so much to do, it can feel overwhelming to navigate the city without any sense of direction. I knew I wanted to hit some of the big sightseeing spots but I was clueless as to what order I would tackle everything. I also had no idea how much it would cost to do all of the things I dreamed of doing–this is where researching ahead of time would have probably saved me a decent amount of money. If I would have drafted a rough day-by-day itinerary I would have felt so much more prepared and at ease. 

I recommend sectioning out a few activities, museums, or attractions that are close together for each day and also adding in a few nearby options for meals. Building out an itinerary in this way will help you see more and stress less. Don’t forget to factor in time for wandering and taking breaks–some of the best memories I have of my travels were from the moments I spent embracing downtime. 

For Paris, I suggest focusing on specific spots within the city each day and planning from there. One day explore Champs-Élysées, the next Le Marais, and so on and so forth. You can fit city sections that are close together into the same day if you’re pressed for time but if possible, I recommend spreading it out as much as possible. You will feel less rushed and more relaxed as you explore everything Paris has to offer.

A final tip for anyone traveling solo is to pack light. I made the mistake of bringing a full-size suitcase and a large tote bag/purse with me to Paris. I had everything I needed (and then some) but carrying a large suitcase with a shoulder bag was just not practical. I lugged that thing around the city before arriving at my hostel, as well as on-and-off buses, trains, and planes over those next two weeks. I should have just stuck with a backpack or small carry-on suitcase. I guess hindsight is 20/20, as the saying goes. Luckily, I know more now than I did then and I have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t. For me, large suitcases are pretty much out of the question unless absolutely necessary. 

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These are just a few of the things I wish I’d known before traveling solo to Paris. Have you ever traveled solo before? Where did you go and what are your best tips for a seamless solo travel experience? Let me know by leaving a comment below!