Although Paris is regarded as an ultra romantic place and the City of Lights, it's also an excellent destination for solo travel. And you don't need to spend weeks to experience a lot! This post will help you plan a memorable solo trip to Paris with my day-by-day itinerary including eating, shopping, sight-seeing off the beaten track, and more.
Real quick: select photos in this post are from a photoshoot, which was an unforgettable part of visiting Paris in the springtime for me. You can check out more from the shoot and get my tips on booking a photoshoot while traveling.
Solo Trip to Paris Video
If you're more into videos, here's my vlog of spending four days in Paris solo!
Getting There
There are two major public international airports near Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Paris-Orly Airport (ORY). CDG is the larger airport so it has more dining and shopping options if you have a layover or time to kill but it's also about 22 miles from the heart of Paris. And it is generally regarded as one of the worst airports due its layout and the volume of crowds.
Orly, on the other hand is about 8 miles from Paris but you might have fewer flight options. In fact, Air France has announced plans to cease their operations through Orly by 2026. I flew Air France direct from Houston, Texas into CDG on an amazing flight deal for under $400 round trip!
Here are all my best budget travel tips, including how to catch flight deals to Paris and other cities!
How to Get Around Paris with No Car
Traffic in Paris is quite bad. At the time of my trip, Paris was dealing with numerous closed streets and construction projects aimed at steering transportation habits toward walking and public transit and away from driving. Even without this, traffic can get pretty thick most everywhere and this impacts how long it takes to get around by car.
Uber is widely available in Paris. But I only used it to and from the CDG airport back to my hotel after luxury shopping. Paris is a very walkable city so between my two feet and the metro, I was fine. Here's everything you need to know about using Uber in Paris!
Try the subway. Parisian subways work much the same as any other I've used in the states such as in New York City and to some extent, in Washington D.C. And the Paris metro system is much cleaner than the NYC and DC metros.
Make sure you keep your used metro tickets for random checks, though! I made the mistake of throwing mine away once I got through the turnstyle and received a weird tongue lashing and 100 euro citation when it was time to exit the station. From what I understand, the citation is unenforceable and a local even advised me to tear up the ticket and not pay so guess what I did?
While you're planning your visit, check out my women's outfit ideas and packing list for four days in Paris!
Where to Stay
I stayed at Hotel des Grands Boulevards, which is a very centrally-located hotel in the Second Arrondissement and literally steps away from a Metro station. For me it was the best area to stay.
The hotel has a distinct French style of decor and I found my room to be well appointed. Hotel staff members were very accommodating with great service and this accommodation is close to lots of places to eat and just a short walk from the Galeries Lafayette shopping center.
Here's my full review of Hotel des Grands Boulevards, including pros and cons!
Four Days in Paris Itinerary
Rainy Day Activities
I arrived on a cold rainy morning in late March and needed some things to do indoors in Paris before I could check into my hotel.
Rue Montorgeuil is a long street full of different shops, cafes, bistros, and patisseries. If you don't know what you're in the mood for, take a stroll and figure it out. I was a bit overwhelmed on day one but came back and made stops in different restaurants a couple of times throughout the trip.
French Perfume Workshop - As the fragrance capital of the world is located in France, taking a perfuming class to make my own French perfume seemed like a good vacation activity idea.
I took the Candora fragrance workshop, which is offered in multiple languages and took us through the history and how-to of making perfume before guiding us through creating our own signature scents. And I opted to have my bottle engraved and think this makes for a particularly lovely souvenir.
Camille serves classic French fare and I enjoyed the French dinner or "Marché du jour." I recommend trying the benedictine and tonic to drink!
Black-Owned Paris
There are a multitude of ways to go about supporting Paris Black-owned businesses and I made sure to add some time in La Goutte d'or, also known as Little Africa, which I consider a must-see in Paris in four days.
Maison Chateau Rouge is a must visit for shopping. Go for handmade housewares, fresh apparel, and gifts for great souvenirs. I picked up a for myself and some coloring books for my nephews.
BMK Paris Afro Bistro is a super vibey bistro serving African/French fusion food and drinks. I stopped in for lunch.
Table Metis has a warm, homey feel to it and the menu spans the continent so you can try a little bit of everything. I made this reservation during trip planning because many reviewers considered it a must do.
And here's my detailed guide to spending a day in Goutte d'Or in Paris!
Paris Landmarks and Luxury Shopping
Exploring Montmarte I started this day in with a photo shoot in Montmarte which is a picturesque, hilly neighborhood with cobblestone streets. Little did I know, I'd walk over 12 miles by the end of the day in addition to the climbing!
Montmartre has cute cafes and shops around most every corner and is home to the huge Sacre Coeur Basilica, an iconic Paris landmark, I recommend checking out.
Patisserie Cyril Lignac - I stopped in one of the multiple locations for beautiful French pastries. It's recommend to visit early in the day for the widest selection, which is true for any good French patisserie. Order the entremets de paques or Paris brest!
Saint Laurent Museum Paris is world famous for museums such as the Louvre but on a short 4-day trip to Paris I knew I couldn't squeeze in more than one. I opted for the Saint Laurent Museum because it's billed as a quick visit and YSL is one of my favorite French fashion houses.
You can tour this museum in under an hour and the gift shop has several Saint Laurent coffee table books, among other items, that aren't available in the states!
If you want the VIP treatment, book a private Musée Yves Saint Laurent tour before openings hours.
Arc de Triomphe draws nearly two million visitors each year but I wasn't necessarily seeking it out--haha! I actually happened upon it on my way from the YSL museum and had to stop and snap a picture.
This monument is well-known for a reason and is much more impressive than the similar Washington Arch, which I've seen while visiting New York City.
Shopping at Saint Laurent - Did you even really go to the fashion capital if you didn't have a luxury shopping experience in Paris? I visited the flagship Saint Laurent boutique on Avenue Montaigne and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Service was attentive and the product selection was more extensive than what I had found available in America and online, including new releases and limited run items. Go to treat yourself and don't forget the complimentary champagne.
If you're luxury shopping in France, you need to know how to claim your VAT refund!
Cruise the River Seine - On a quick trip to Paris, I figured it would be fun and efficient to see several iconic monuments on a Parisian river cruise! I booked this experience while in the city and found it quite lovely to see some of the monuments at night, especially the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Seeing the City of Lights at night definitely hits different.
The cruise I went on was budget friendly and included a flute of champagne. I'll note that you should avoid the Paris tourist trap of doing any of the dinner cruises as the food is notoriously terrible and overpriced.
I also saw the Eiffel Tower up close and personal while walking to the disembark point!
Cafe Beaujolais serves touristy fare with American, Italian, and even Asian-inspired menu items. They're located very close to the Eiffel Tower so I stopped in late at night after cruising the river.
I actually found the food to be pretty forgettable, though the service was great, and my favorite thing was the hot chocolate. Great people watching, though! I'd recommend it if you're traveling with picky eaters or craving American food.
Champagne and Cabaret
Day Trip to Champagne, France - When I first thought about how to spend four days in Paris, I wasn't sure that an excursion out of the city would be feasible. As it turns out, a day trip to Champagne region from Paris was more than manageable and I highly recommend the tour I booked. Our guide, Alex, is extremely knowledgeable, personable, and takes great pictures to boot.
Touring Champagne, France is a great activity for a woman traveling solo to Paris. A lovely change of pace from the city and I made friends with the other ladies on my tour--we even have a WhatsApp chat!
Read my full Champagne, France itinerary for all the details you need for the best experience.
Souvenir Shopping - The Champagne excursion dropped us off in central Paris This was perfect for picking up some last-minute souvenirs to round out the trinkets and gifts I had picked up along the way throughout the trip!
I grabbed some locally made soaps and home goods, got my departure antigen test, and purchased a few other essentials.
Crazy Horse Cabaret Show - There are three major cabaret experiences in Paris: Le Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse, and Le Lido.
I took in a late show at Crazy Horse for my last night in town and thought the dancers were extremely talented! This style of performance and production is what inspired Beyonce's Partition music video.
Here's my full review of the Crazy Horse Paris show and things to know before you go!
Is Paris safe for solo female travellers?
Common questions I get are is Paris good for solo travelers? and is Paris racist? Especially with France's poor track record with Black and African nations and people. As a Black woman traveling solo to Paris, I felt generally safe and would recommend this destination for an individual trip.
There were a few instances where I felt uncomfortable or unwelcome; however, the truth is that I have experienced similar treatment in different countries, including my home country. Still, I can see myself returning to Paris alone or on a girls' trip. And, of course, I'm down for a romantic Paris baecation!
Solo Travel Paris Tips
Try to speak French. There are lots of stories floating around about how Americans should behave in Europe, and I encountered multiple versions of the question Are French people rude? in my research.
In my experience, the answer was generally "no" and I found it helpful to at least attempt to speak French rather than assume or expect people to speak English in France. Before leaving, I practiced a few common French phrases and installed the Google Translate app.
Pro tip: download the French translation library before arrival so you have it even when you don't have cell service!
Be prepared for tight squeezes. Compared to the United States, spaces in Paris are generally much more compact, including restrooms, elevators, and staircases. Tables in restaurants are much closer together, to the point that distinctions between parties are not always clear.
Know before you go: Some of the places I visited could not accommodate mobility devices like wheelchairs, however, Paris has a reputation for being wheelchair friendly, including many monuments and stations in the public transit system.
Check out this list of the most wheelchair-accessible cities in the world!
More Moments from Paris
Now that you know what to do in Paris by yourself, book the trip and get your solo travel to Paris on! And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this four-day Paris itinerary for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
