A Girl’s Solo Trip to Paris: 110 Things I Did in the City of Lights

Caitlinepstein415/ January 10, 2019/ Europe/ 2 comments

A Girl’s Solo Trip to Paris

First off, I survived. Yes, I survived Paris alone as a female for four days. And it was awesome. It seemed like I saw and did a million things during my time in the City of Lights, so here’s a list of them!

Practical Things

Flew Norwegian

I used American Airlines miles to get to Boston, and then I took a super cheap $185 one way flight from Boston direct to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. The fare didn’t include some things that other airlines provide on long-haul flights, such as blankets, pillows, and headphones for the entertainment system, but for $185, its worth the loss of a few amenities.

Stayed in the City at St.Christopher’s Inn Hostel

Before my trip, I was trying to explain to my mom and some of her friends that modern-day hostels are super nice, and St.Christopher’s Inn is no exception. I have a nice “pod-style” bed in an all female dorm room that has a curtain to block light, charging plugs, a night-light, and a locker for my stuff. Also, all of the doors in the hostel, from the front door to the elevators to the dorm rooms are key card access, which makes me feel safer traveling alone. It’s also in a great location – in the 10th arrondissement. The area itself doesn’t have a lot of touristy things, but the hostel is about a three minute walk from a huge train station with access to every metro line I could want or need. Staying in a central area is key, as it allows me more time to do and see everything I want to do!

Got the Paris Pass!!!

Getting this pass was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Ever. It was a bit pricey at 186 Euros, or about $211 for a 4 day pass, but it is well worth the price. Entry to all of the things I did would have cost 210 Euros, or around $239, and that doesn’t even include all of the money I saved on transportation. The card includes entry to tons of attractions, as well as transportation on the metro and bus systems. It’s also invaluable because it allows the holder to skip lines and save precious sightseeing time. It’s great, and I highly recommend it for a trip to Paris!

Didn’t Get Pickpocketed

Or mugged. Or kidnapped. At this point, I know how it goes for a female in many different countries, and I know well and good to be aware of my surroundings. As Alastor Moody says, and my dad so reminds me, “Constant Vigilance!” I am always sure to keep a lookout for danger and weirdness, and I don’t stay out too late or drink a lot alone. I also have a new bag that I absolutely love (thanks for the awesome gift, Em!) that zips and that I can wear as a cross body so it’s in front of me. So basically, I was safe and made it out in one piece will all of my stuff.

Took the Metro and Walked EVERYWHERE

The Paris metro is awesome. London’s Underground is still my favorite transportation system, but I still can’t help but be blown away by a great subway system considering the abysmal lack of public transport in the United States. Anyways, I took it several times a day to get where I needed to go, and when I wasn’t on the metro, I was pounding the pavement in my trusty Converse and Nike sneakers. My feet hurt terribly at the end of each day, but walking allowed me to discover more of the city.

Spoke French

Well, a bit. I studied up beforehand and greeted everyone with ‘bonjour” or ‘bonsoir depending on the time of day. I thanked everyone with ‘merci’ and managed most restaurant interactions fully in French. Most people I came across were super encouraging and helpful in English when my French abilities came to an end.

Sightseeing Things

Rode the Hop On Hop Off Bus

Touristy, I know. But also effective at giving me a good grasp of the city, so that’s why I jumped on the bus directly after picking up my Paris Pass. The buses also have English speaking guides and headsets to listen to a pre-recorded tour in many different languages.

Saw the Eiffel Tower

Now, when I say I ‘did’ the Eiffel Tower, I mean I saw it. The top was closed during my trip, and wasn’t included in the Paris Pass anyways, so no big loss. There are plenty of other good viewpoints around the city that include the tower, which is probably what you want anyways.

Took a Seine Boat Cruise at Nightfall

Not gonna lie, I fell asleep for a little bit on this boat ride. It was soothing and I was severely jet lagged. But it was also really pretty to see the lit up city along the river and learn about some of the history of both the city and the Seine.

Looked in Awe at the Stained Glass of the Sainte Chapelle

Somewhat hidden away in the middle of the Palace of Justice is Sainte Chapelle, a stunning chapel with one of the world’s most extensive 13th century stained glass collections.

Climbed the Towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral

387 steps. The total number of steps to the top of the towers of the beautiful and imposing Notre Dame Cathedral. And would you believe it, I did all 387 without a single inhaler dose. Go me. But really, the view from the top is gorgeous and the gargoyles and bells in the belfry are cool – everything combined makes it well worth the climb.

Befriended at Cat at Shakespeare and Company

I wanna live here. Trap me in this bookstore with some food rations and I’ll be content until the end of time. There are wonderful nooks and crannies everywhere filled with books and cozy reading areas. It feels homey despite being a store, and I happily picked a worn leather chair to read in for a bit. It was not long before I was joined by Aggie the store cat, who promptly jumped in my lap and settled in contentedly. I did nothing to draw the cat in, although maybe it knew I’m allergic and cats really are demons.

(I posted a photo of the cat and I on my Instagram story and received a message from both my mom and brother. Good looking out, guys.)

Marveled at the Sacré Coeur Basilica

Wowzers is this Basilica beautiful. It has giant white dome-like things that remind me of the palace in Aladdin, and I love it. It’s at the top of a bitch of a hill that sucked especially after climbing the stairs at Notre Dame, but I love it nonetheless. The dome was closed during my visit, which is all for the best because I don’t think I could have done another 300 stairs that day.

Participated in a Walking Tour of Montmartre

For two hours, our guide Remi showed six of us around the neighborhood of Montmartre. It has a lot of quirky details and used to be the city’s artist hub, which made me love it.

Meandered Through Graves at Pére Lechaise Cemetery

There’s nothing like a crisp walk though a huge cemetery to brighten up your day. But truly, this cemetery is beautiful, and it made for a nice stroll.

Looked Down Upon the City From the Montparnasse Tower Panoramic Viewpoint

So apparently Parisians call this skyscraper the ‘Middle Finger of Paris.’ That’s because it’s the only one within the city proper, and it doesn’t look that nice. However, it has not been town down because a lot of tourists, including me, visit the 56th floor of the tower for its panoramic viewpoint. It provided a nice view of the city that included all of the things you want to see, such as other monuments with views such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Arc de Triomphe.

Wandered Around the Palace and Gardens of Versailles

On my 16th birthday, my mom was in Paris sending me photos of her day trip to the Palace of Versailles, and since then, I’ve been dreaming of going. It was just as beautiful as it was in the photos, albeit probably a bit colder. All of the blog posts I read before hand spoke of insanely long lines, so I got there about 15 minutes before it opened and was one of the first 20 in line. There was hardly anyone there that morning, and I enjoyed wandering through the gorgeous, empty rooms.

It didn’t take me long to make my way through the palace, and I didn’t spend much time in the garden because it was sooooo cold. Overall, my trip to Versailles was beautiful and fulfilled all of 16 year-old me’s dreams.

Visited the Picasso Museum

I’ve seen a lot of Picasso works in the past few months. Between the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, the Guernica in the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, and the National Picasso Museum in Paris, you could say I’m one of his biggest fans. And I do like Picasso. But one of my favorite things about this museum is its size – it’s not too big, so I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of pieces, but it also had enough works and written information to keep me occupied for a bit.

Marveled at Garnier Palais Opera House

This was one of the most stunning buildings that I saw on my entire trip. The grand staircase, the ceilings, and the auditorium were all incredible. I can only imagine what it  must be like to actually attend a show here.

Did a Wine Tasting at Les Caves du Louvre

I wouldn’t normally be one for a wine tasting, especially without friends to enjoy it with, but it was included in my Paris Pass, so I said what the hell and did it anyways. And it was pretty cool, actually. It was an interactive tour with an app that took me through the different types of soils, aromas, tastes, colors, and bottling processes. Then at the end, I was able to try three different wines, two of which were sweet white wines that I really enjoyed. The tour also included a free bottle of wine, but I thought it best not to tote that around to drink alone.

Saw the Mona Lisa in the Louvre

This museum is unbelievably huge. I maybe should not have left it for the end of the day, because by the time I got to it, I was exhausted and not at all prepared to walk around it. So, I am ashamed to admit, I basically just went straight to the Mona Lisa and a couple other famous pieces and then called it a day. No regrets.

Got Spooky in the Catacombs

The Catacombs are so freaking awesome, and I only saw a mere fraction of them. There are tons of unmapped areas of the Catacombs throughout the city, but from what I did see, they are super cool. Basically, during the Middle Ages, the cemeteries started overflowing, so they dug them up and put all of the bones underground. They’re all perfectly stacked up and the whole thing is magnificently creepy. This was one of my favorite things I saw while in Paris.

Got Spooky Again in the Panthéon

I went from the Catacombs straight into the crypt of the Panthéon. People like Victor Hugo and Voltaire are buried there.

Climbed a Bunch More Stairs at the Arc de Triomphe

More stairs. So many stairs. But no matter, I did them, and enjoyed another view of the city from the top.

Walked down the Champs Élysées

Not much to report here, except that there were no protests going on at the time and I walked past a bunch of fancy schmancy stores.

Admired Impressionist Art at the Musée l’Orangerie

This museum was one I enjoyed a lot, because, like the Picasso Museum, it’s relatively small and thus easy to digest. I also really like impressionism, and this museum boasts a ton of impressionist works.

Admired Van Gogh Pieces and Giant Clocks at the Musée d’Orsay

Unlike, the Orangerie, this museum is freaking huge, which made it overwhelming. So, like the Louvre, I skipped to the famous works and then left. I will say, however, that the building itself, which used to be a train station, is simply beautiful.

 

Food Things

Savored French Onion Soup

It’s just onion called soup here. And a yummy soup it is. I had it at Cafe du Nord, a small cafe across from the Gare du Nord train station and near my hostel.

Walked Along the Seine with a Pain Au Chocolat

On my first morning in the city I woke up super early out of excitement and headed to the market area of Montorgueil, where one of the city’s oldest bakeries, Stohrer, is located. There, I got this scrumptious pain au chocolate that I enjoyed while walking along the river on my way to the Sainte Chapelle.

Took Advantage of a Crepe Meal Deal in Montmartre

I got two crepes and a glass of cider for a decent deal while walking around the area of Montmartre. One crepe was savory, filled with cream, cheese, and mushrooms, and the other was sweet, filled with Nutella.

Got Croissant Crumbs All Over Myself in Versailles

After visiting the Palace and Gardens of Versailles, I grabbed a croissant and chocolat chaude, or hot chocolate, for a late breakfast. It was warm and flaky and yummy and messy.

Took Advantage of a Prix Fixe Lunch in the Marais

I had lunch one day in a nice restaurant called Page 35 in the Marais district down the street from the Picasso Museum. There, I got really good cheese risotto, flank steak and fries, and a glass of cider for 20 euros. It was my most expensive meal, but it was really good and still relatively cheap by Parisian standards. I also really appreciated the super kind waiter that was patient with my broken French that spoke to me in perfect English when I needed it.

Ate a Laudrée Macaron

Everything I read said that this is a must-have while in Paris, so I shelled out 5.20 euros for one large macaron. It was, as promised, delicious.

Ate Pierre Hermé Macarons

I read on other blog posts that Pierre Hermé has the best macarons in Paris, so I had to find out for myself. Here, I paid 10 euros for 4 macarons. Insanely expensive, but also insanely good.

Tried Snails!!!

One night I walked past a restaurant called l’Escargot in Montorgueil, so I figured they’d probably have some good Escargot, and I wasn’t disappointed. I got six snails in three different flavors – curry, blue cheese, and traditional. They were yummy, and when you eat them, you get these cute little snail shell holders to pick them up with.

Got Some Really Awesome Falafel at L’As du Falafel

Falafel isn’t exactly French, but this restaurant came recommended on every top Paris food list. It was jam packed, but I managed to grab a seat and manage to have the best falafel sandwich I’ve ever had. Sooooo good.

Ate a Fancy Eclair at l’Eclair de Génie

This little eclair was 6 euros, but I read that it was the best, so I had to have it. It was also dusted in something gold and shiny that got all over my fingers and lips, so it was a bit fancy. It was also super yummy.

Partook in Berthillon Ice Cream

All the blog posts say that Berthillon has some of the best ice cream ever, and it was pretty damn good. I had a scoop of roasted pineapple and basil (amazing) and a scoop of blackcurrant (also amazing). It took me forever to pick a flavor because every single one sounded incredible.

 

And there you have it! That is everything I did while in Paris for 3 and a half days. I’d say I was pretty efficient, as I saw everything I wanted to see and more! Traveling solo was a challenge, but pushed me outside of my comfort zone and gave me a ton of freedom. I can’t wait to take on Krakow, Poland alone next and plan more solo trips in the future.