When you are out, alone, in a new city, it is quite easy to rediscover yourself. After all, you are in Paris. Yes, Paris. And even though Assisi is your first brush with solitude, Paris is the most dramatic place that you can think of striking out on your own. It is a city where you can do anything. The imagination, and subsequently, the self, runs rampant. Paris displays itself richly, its influences no longer restricted to museums but broadcast in the fragrance of the latest food, in the names of streets, and on the clothes of its women.
Being alone is wonderful in any case. The world is brand new, even though I stand in the hostel flank waiting for a boring single room. The tips of my fingers itch constantly for I have no one’s hands to hold. The future loses the cloudy cloak of uncertainty. Suddenly, my life is now and here. I mean, can you think of anything better? It is in this frame of mind that I lay down the joy of solo travel. From the standpoint of primarily rediscovering your own, you have had an introduction of possibilities presented in front of you. Now it is time to take a closer look at the advantages, the dangers, and everything in between. I dissect each one of the pros—one at a time, to include the effect of positive psychic satisfaction. What prompts someone to go out, put the world before themselves, and begin seeing themselves clearly?
The Benefits of Solo Travel
Most people believe that everyone should experience traveling alone at least once in their lifetime. Solo travel is one of those activities that provides a sort of awakening once you’ve done it. It’s an opportunity to explore the world and yourself, taking in new experiences, sights, and sounds that help shape and challenge who you are. Lifting yourself out of familiar surroundings gives you a chance to build and adapt your tolerance and acceptance thresholds; you’ll encounter cultures and people vastly different from your own, and in traveling alone, you adapt and make decisions based on what you find. Enjoying the splendid sight of the Eiffel Tower aglow at night or the vibrant artwork of the Musée d’Orsay without distractions generates a superior awareness of the situation and ultimately of oneself, as it frees the traveler from their daily interruptions and business. It’s a rare opportunity to explore your own thoughts in a subjectively stunning and profound city.
Trusting the place where all human beings come to be alone: a city that, despite its millions of residents and visitors, is still home to thousands of solitary souls. The discomfort of solo travel comes well-equipped with everything you need to combat loneliness and forge ahead toward self-discovery. The Parisians appreciated this idea of silence; the romanticized appreciation for the part of oneself that was left unspoken. Solely in solitary travel is it possible to unexpectedly create and experience those sorts of moments and that level of focused introspection, an experience unattainable when the edges of personal space bleed into another’s. Many travelers do not realize this aspect of travel, which could potentially limit the life-changing potential of any place where solitude is not as appreciated or encouraged as it is in Paris. Throughout my travels in Paris, I was continually on the cusp of boundless self-discovery as I lived in the perpetual French glory of enjoying solitude and company at once.
Personal Growth
Heading to Paris for the first time can be nerve-wracking; though for a new solo traveler, the experience is a bit more extreme. With no backup, one is forced to fend for themselves while navigating the streets that harbor some of the city’s most beautiful gems. Through the undulating streets of Montmartre or the open air on the Canal St. Martin, visitors need to know Paris a bit, which in itself requires some self-knowledge. It’s a bit of a paradox: the more one learns about the City of Light, the more they end up learning about themselves.
A lot can be read into the many reasons why people decide to voyage alone, but a large amount comes down to the time for them to grow. Solo travel prompts an addiction to personal growth, largely by forcing a person to confront their own fears and anxieties within the embrace of a foreign culture. Put plainly, it’s a way to become more self-reliant. This isn’t to say that after a stint in Paris, all solo travelers need to horde themselves away in some remote cave or desert island with no contact from the outside world. On the contrary, confidence breeds extroversion and polarity. Converted into social terms, this context preference simply means seemingly approachable, confident people are naturally more attractive to others. Walking throughout Paris very much demands that a person trust their own judgments – make wrong choices about where to eat and end up with an unpalatable three-course meal, or allow a metro door to swipe shut in your face, only to stand there shamefaced and defeated on the platform. Then have the only man willing to help you accidentally grab your rear as he offers a wince between a rolled eye. When stripped of support and forced to make constant choices, the clearness of character is unearthed, even to the individual making the choices.
Independence and Empowerment
The act of traveling alone can be deeply empowering. Under these conditions, you control every aspect of your journey. You decide when you want to leave, what you want to have for breakfast, and how much time to spend waiting in line. With so many choices, making decisions can at first feel overwhelming. However, as the adventure goes on, you’ll feel excitement knowing that you exist outside the societal expectations that otherwise rule your life in the suffocating present. It was in Paris that I realized traveling alone can be a journey not just of physical place but also one of psychological space.
Turning down my cousin’s invite to sightsee the Eiffel Tower and instead taking a leisurely run in the adjacent park, simply for the sake of the sport, filled me with an excitement I had never known before. For too long, I had devoted myself to things others wanted me to do for the sake of appearance and respectability. This couldn’t possibly be more true than running in Paris. The Parisians I passed in that park all looked at me as if I was crazy, and that didn’t bother me a bit. Tripping over cobblestones I wasn’t prepared for and dodging the morning street markets, I sang, gasped, and smiled all the way back to my temporary abode in the Latin Quarter. Hostile strangers smoking on a street corner sheered back with a bonsoir and an unaccustomed bite; a tiny grandmotherly woman in a beret screeched a momentary scold at her yappy dog to pipe it before smiling as I squeezed between them. It was in Paris that strangers I had never met, and most likely would never meet again, made me feel like I could write a book of long-lost friends in every corner of the world.
Choosing Paris as Your Destination
Romantic, classic, beautiful, and steeped in history, every cobblestone street, every monumental edifice, and even every croissant is a work of art in Paris. The allure of the City of Lights goes way beyond just its architecture. It is a feeling – an air of exquisite Parisian nonchalance that never tries too hard, yet leaves an impression on you that will linger long after you have left. Set against an enchanting backdrop of perfectly manicured gardens and majestic palaces, Paris welcomes your quest to discover yourself. Whether it is losing yourself in one of the world’s largest art museums, in street fashion, or in the enchanting lanes of its historic Montmartre district, countless stories and self-realizations await you around every corner in Paris. If the art doesn’t get to you, the food definitely will. Want to discover yourself by exploring the palate of your dreams? The macarons, baguettes, cheese, chocolate, French crêpes, and galettes, and croque quite naturally await you with open arms on every street corner. If food doesn’t do it for you, this bustling travel hub of numerous cultures and technology will. Paris can be a wonderful destination for solo travel. It offers the traveler a diverse range of places to see and an even more diverse range of people to meet. There are a multitude of wonderful neighborhoods that will provide you with the perfect atmosphere to meet that special someone – yourself, in the bustling streets of this multicultural city. Safety is important for all travelers. As a woman traveling alone in Paris, you will find that the city is welcoming and comfortable. All those alleyways and towering buildings may not just be stretching out for the tourists. They are good for being on your own too.
Exploring Paris Alone
The city of Paris is best explored at your own pace, enjoying all the cozy boutiques and attractions scattered around the city in blissful silence. As a solo traveler, you are free to design your own route, making spontaneous decisions or intentionally pursuing interests based on local tips from those you cross paths with. I recommend venturing below the most traditional tourist attractions, which are interesting to visit, but so often crowded that you can’t feel a personal connection to the city. In my six nights in town, I perused markets, picked up a few family essentials from my local shops, sat in a café across from the Jardin des Tuileries, attended a show at the iconic and illustrious Paris Opera House, and laughed my way through Parisians’ oldest tradition at the traditional cabaret.
When touring the city, don’t be shy in asking the locals about where they choose their meals and leisure time, because you know that, with such a local evaluation, hidden gems are sites that will provide you with the stuff and the company. If you don’t trust your guide, believe in yourself, and the city is willing to share its personal and unexpected secret of inspiration hidden under stones and walls. Roaming Paris on your own has allowed me to meditate on random things, something that I loved, though I rarely expected it. In front of a statue of a large white dog at the edge of the Jardin des Tuileries, next to the famous obelisk, I almost felt his presence. Even if they were beyond his view, I felt he was still by my side. Having been so separated from a person, the opportunity to look at the people around me, some full of satisfaction and excitement while some frustrated and anxious, really served as a healing session for myself. Then, in a wave of feeling, the sight in front of me seemed so attractive to me that I just had to hide a slight chuckle.
Must-See Attractions
Remember that feeling of excitement when you finally bought that ticket to Paris for your solo trip? Whatever your goals are for solo travel in Paris, it’s still worth the trip to see some of the more famous landmarks, if only to ask, “Why are these famous landmarks?” in your head. For these hotspots, it’s often more about the accomplished task of being able to say “I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower” (or Notre Dame, etc.) than anything truly incredible about the place itself. (But then again, perhaps you feel something amazing or spiritual or sacred standing inside Notre-Dame Cathedral, even as tens of thousands of tourists gawk at it from inside.)
When you have no group to motivate you to get up, get out, and get moving, you don’t need to stress over being at each site at a very specific time of day, embarrassing your friends who want to get up earlier, seek shade in the afternoon, and be back at the hotel after one glass of wine max. Yes, the lines are more annoying for the solo traveler, but you’ll never want to say, “I didn’t see the Eiffel Tower just because of the lines.” To see and experience solo on your own volition, opt for: The Eiffel Tower, either night or day; The Louvre; Notre-Dame Cathedral. Ponder my experience before going. Go when it’s busy enough to be free of accusations of camera theft but not so busy that you can’t truly engage with the art and artifacts. I recommend Wednesday and Friday nights, when the Louvre closes at 9:45, and Saturday and Sunday, when it closes at 5:45 PM. The Louvre is closed Tuesday, so Monday’s a good option, too. If you’re feeling curious, the admission fee is waived for young adults on Friday under 26. Start from the basement, where you’ll find impressive crowds.
Off-the-Beaten-Path Experiences
In La Parisienne, Inès de la Fressange writes “…behind every street corner there is a new treasure to find…” and Elsie de Wolfe once wrote “I’d rather live in France by choice, but certainly, in all the world there is no city like Paris for the solitary!” This glittering capital of the City of Lights can be an enchanting solo experience while rediscovering yourself. As Ludwig Borne said, “Paris! There is a select company of people enjoying every moment while they are watching an area of smoky atmosphere.”
Getting off the beaten track and doing what calls to you is a value of solo travel. Strolling the streets of a city can lead to surprising discoveries while you’re looking for the familiar, or something unexpected calls out to you. Left to your own leanings, you might find yourself in a market of lively conversation with much more ready-to-view vendors. Museum choices can veer from Le Grand Louvre to the Musée du Papier, Rencontre et Style in the Mosquée around the corner. One writer saw a sign on a fence for “Vient passer le temps sur les Ruches” and did! Help hang wallpaper! It was serendipity – the place where dreams are met. It may only have been 12 euros, but for the rest of your life, you will have this. You made Paris your kind of Paris. The guide suggests the “true joy” of Paris: “The Paris of the Parisians, who use the cafés and leave the Champs-Élysées to the tourists… It’s this city that is probably the most enchanting, intimately human treasure of all.” A writer says, “There’s an illicit joy in going nowhere in the center of everything.” She watched people navigate the Métro – doing nothing will often lead to a revelation.
Cultural Immersion and Self-Reflection
Last night I attended the very first Fête de la Fraise at a small medieval village about an hour’s train ride from Paris, which celebrates everything about this red fruit, including, of course, its reference. The music played throughout the festival set the scene for the afternoon: covers of American roots music and honky-tonk in both French and English were standard, as were the vintage 60s and 70s clothes donned by many of the attendees. After missing the first performance due to poor planning, I finally got to see Flora and Son trio croon away as people sipped wine and children ran in circles. If there is one sentence that can summarize the rather quaint moment I found myself in during the mostly stressful last few years in Paris, that would be it. I was traveling solo in Paris, but I felt significantly more ‘at home’ swapping a metropolitan afternoon in the city for the village of Samois-sur-Seine, tucked alongside the river. Last night I was sitting, smoking a cigarette and chatting away with a trader from Hamburg who was selling handmade flaxseed bread from the back of his horse-drawn wooden trolley to a younger artist from Bobigny, who noted that if everything gets bad, I should really take flight to his small German village.
This is a tangential way of saying that, for those traveling solo in Paris, I think the cultural immersion aspect is seriously undervalued. There’s no greater gut punch to your core values than just hanging around for long enough to see how a place operates in even the minutest details. I was in the city to join an abstraction painting workshop and attend a modern artists exhibition, but discovered a connection to the surrounding culture and a reinvigorated love for this music through an unexpected, unplanned excursion to the climes and cultural output of the region. Forming the connections in the city and the country, as well as reflecting on my own situation against that of those who lived there, I explored with singular joy, creativity, and, to an extent, personal freedom. If nothing else, it has encouraged me in earnest to create a life that works. Part of this integration and understanding included lengthy internal philosophical pursuits, typically resulting in a careful recording of these sentiments in a journal or through conversation with another person as a form of personal checkmarking of physical and mental ‘self-reflective’ attempts. They were representations of two separate discoveries: the culture of a place alongside a reacquaintance with the self through respect and understanding of another person’s perspective.