A Solo Guide to Paris

By Your Anonymous BFF

The first thing you should know about doing Paris solo: it feels indulgent in the best

possible way. You get to move at your own pace, linger where you want, and build the

trip around your version of a perfect day.

Let’s start at the airport. You can always Uber, it’s easy enough. But I like to plan

ahead, which means booking Welcome Pickups. They’ll be waiting with your name on

a sign (yes, like in the movies), and you’ll skip the chaos of figuring out Paris cabs or

the RER right after landing. You’ll be dropped straight at your hotel door, which makes

your arrival feel intentional instead of stressful.

Now for where to stay. I love Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Montmartre, but I’m most

at home in the Marais. If you’re looking for a real “treat yourself” moment, book Le

Grand Mazarin. It feels like sleeping in a jewel box. Sinner is also a vibe if you’re into

mood lighting and a more decadent aesthetic.

Staying in the Marais feels less like visiting and more like slipping into a version of your

life that already exists here. You’ll wake up and wander to Wild & The Moon, a juice

bar and café that’s basically the Erewhon of Paris. It’s clean, cool, and the kind of

place where you can read for an hour and no one bothers you. Walk a few blocks and

you’re at the Picasso Museum, which I think is one of the most beautiful spaces in the

city. From there, pop into The Frankie Shop, pick up a perfume at Officine

Universelle Buly, and browse Merci, where the bookstore, café, and concept shop all

bleed into each other in that perfectly unbothered French way.

If you want to feel like you live here, sit outside at Fabula for dinner. It’s tucked inside

the courtyard at the Musée Carnavalet and will transport you to another world. If

you’re more in the mood for a solo coffee, The Coffee is exactly what it says it is, and

it’s fabulous.

On the day you want to check some classics off the list, start at the Louvre and follow

it with a stop at The Row store, which is just a few blocks away. After hours of visual

overstimulation, walking into a quiet, curated space is a much needed reset.

From there, you’re only a short walk (across the Seine) to my favorite place in Paris,

Deyrolle. It’s on the Left Bank, tucked into a building that feels unchanged for a

hundred years. Inside, you’ll find a collection of taxidermy, insects, and old-world

scientific tools that look like they belong in a Wes Anderson film. It’s eerie and

beautiful and completely unlike anywhere else. Afterward, grab a croissant and a coffee at the boulangerie next door. This might just be a perfect day.

For a lot of people, eating dinner alone is intimidating, but solo meals in Paris are

basically a cultural norm. So sit at Carette for hot chocolate and croissants, or Café de Flore if you want the iconic sidewalk table moment. For dinner, Chez Janou or Au

Petit Fer à Cheval both have the kind of casual intimacy that works when you’re

alone. Pink Mamma is stunning inside and perfect if you’re in the mood for something

louder. And if you’re craving elegance, book tea at The Ritz. Go by yourself. Order

champagne. Pretend you live like this.

A few more things:

Yes, you need to go to CityPharma to stock up on all of the French skincare. If you’re

feeling homesick, go take a class at Reformation Pilates (also in the Marais). They

offer English-speaking classes and have the same reformers as Forza. Also, absolutely

ride the metro. It’s so safe and easy and you’ll feel instantly like a local.

Paris can often seem intimidating and overwhelming, mostly because of how built up it is in people’s minds. When I’m in a new city, I try to experience it like it’s home. I try to take the pressure off of myself. I don’t need to hit every landmark or follow every TikTok list. I let myself wander and be there.

Be present enough to actually absorb what Paris is offering.

It’s deeply inspiring. And honestly, it’s the best city on earth.