Alone in Paris and don’t know exactly what to do? Being alone doesn’t mean being bored, especially in a city like Paris where the possibilities are numerous. Here’s my list of ideas for you.
First of all, let’s locate these places on a map:
1) Climb the Montmartre Stairs
Parvis du Sacré-Coeur – 75018 Paris
You can go outside and take a walk to enjoy the Montmartre district.
You can climb up to the Montmartre mound and see the Sacré Coeur. This way you will walk for a bit and enjoy the view at the end. You can also pay one of the several cartoonists on Place du Tertre to draw a caricature of yourself.
2) Stroll Through the Tuileries Gardens
75001 Paris
The city of Paris will never run out of parks. To get a nice dose of fresh air, it is always a good thing to go to a Parisian park, especially alone.
The iconic Tuileries Garden is widely enjoyed. It is located very close to the Louvre.
Here you can walk, sit on benches or chairs, lie down on the grass and watch kids play with toy boats in the small pool.
3) Explore the Passage des Panoramas
11 Bd Montmartre, 75002 Paris
In the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, there is a nice roofed passage which kept a style and a charm from distant times.
Indeed, the shops, which are located at each side of the passage, did have a very vintage style we often compare to Paris from a long time ago.
It is covered with a glass roof. There is even a theater and 133 meters of mall hallways for you to enjoy.
You might also be interested: My 7 Favorite Covered Passages in Paris
4) Shop at Galeries Lafayette
40 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris
This is something to do to pass the time if you are alone.
You can’t even count all the places in Paris where you can go shopping anymore. There are so many… but we can advise you to go to the Opéra Haussman sector. There, you can find large stores such as the famous Galeries Lafayette.
5) Relax at the Zen Nap Bar
29 Pass. Choiseul, 75002 Paris
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
You can find an unusual bar located at Passage Choiseul in the 2nd Arrondissement of Paris; it’s a nap bar.
If you feel sleepy, you can go to the Zen Bar. It will allow you to sleep in a “relaxation bubble” and even offer you massages.
Prices:
- Power Nap from €12
- Wellness from €28
- Sophrology from €12
Website (in French)
6) Hunt for Bargains at Saint-Ouen Flea Market
110 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine
If you choose the right day, during weekends and on Mondays, if you have some money and you want to buy some unusual objects, you must not miss the Saint-Ouen flea market.
Who knows what you will find there?
Website (in French)
7) Visit Unique Museums in Paris
Given the fact you are alone, you can take your time and inspect every object if you wish.
To get a different experience from usual museums, you can acquire some knowledge coming from the other side of the planet in some Parisian museums.
Two famous museums we are thinking about :
- The Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum with its exhibitions about African, Asian, American and even Oceanian civilizations. Here you can see the cultures of several, very different people. They come from various places on Earth, but they are all gathered here, and it is very interesting.
- The Guimet Museum (in French) is all about Asian arts. Here you will see artworks people often do not see around here. It is the perfect place to see exotic things from people living on the other side of the planet.
Prices:
- Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum: from €14
- Guimet Museum: from €10
8) Pay Tribute at Père Lachaise Cemetery
75020 Paris
From Molière to Jim Morrison, not to mention Apollinaire and Balzac, at the Père Lachaise you can find prominent people buried who changed the world their own way.
You can contemplate these people’s graves, which most of the time, are unusual or wonderful, but nonetheless interesting to see.
Website (in French)
9) Experience the Eva Pritsky Bar
5 Rue d’Eupatoria, 75020 Paris
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
As we talked about bargaining earlier, here is an unusual concept: someplace mixing up a bar and a flea market.
Everything: the glass, the table, even the painting hanging on the wall is for sale.
This interesting concept will maybe, who knows, find something good among all the objects for sale.
The unique atmosphere from this unique concept is what we enjoy the most here.
Website (in French)
10) Discover the Picasso Museum
5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris
If you are interested in this famous Spanish artist from the 20th century, a museum in Paris is fully dedicated to him.
The Picasso Museum is located in a mansion and tells the life story of this world-known Modern art figure.
The museum also contains a large part of his artworks. Once again, a big advantage of this visit is that you will be all by yourself, and have all the time you wish to enjoy this museum.
Price: €16
11) Grab a Quick Snack
During your solo journey in Paris, you may feel a little hungry. Perhaps you wish to eat outside, on a bench or in a park. You’ll have plenty of choices.
Looking for a great burger with unbeatable value? Head to Mangez et Cassez-Vous ! Just a tip: enjoy it, but quickly!
How about rice balls (onigiri) to fill you up? Omusubi Gonbei offers a wide selection of rice balls with various flavors (tuna, salmon, chicken, octopus, sardine…) for just a few euros.
And for the most famous to-go dish: ramen from Neko Ramen (website in French). Expect a lot of different flavors from this exotic Asian cuisine. These homemade dishes will have you discover flavors from the other side of the planet.
Prices:
- Mangez et Cassez-vous ! : burgers for around €3
- Omusubi Gonbei: from €1.10
- Neko Ramen: ramen from €9.50
12) Use a Vélib for City Exploration
Vélib is an excellent way to travel in Paris.
With these self-service bicycles, you are free from the metro, with its crowds, strange smells, and traffic jams.
They are cheap and findable quite everywhere: Paris and its surroundings have around 1500 stations which allow you to borrow one of these bicycles.
There are a lot of cycle paths, and the places you want to visit are close to each other.
13) Visit the Planetarium of Cité des Sciences
30 Av. Corentin Cariou, 75019 Paris
It’s always a breathtaking show: this room is equipped with several high-definition video projectors.
This astronomical simulator will give you gorgeous views showing space and celestial bodies.
The Planetarium’s shows are for all ages, and the duration is usually between half an hour and one hour. They are about subjects like the Moon, black holes, and even Earth with its lights we can see from space.
Needless to say, you will be amazed by this show. Even if you are alone, it is something you must not miss.
14) Watch a Movie at the Grand Rex
1 Bd Poissonnière, 75002 Paris
If you want to take a pause and rest for a bit, especially resting your legs, why not get a ticket to a movie in this iconic movie theater?
Buy a snack and a drink, and sit for two good hours watching the movie of your choice so you can pass the time while you regain some of your energy.
15) Meet People at the Social Bar
25 Rue Villiot, 75012 Paris
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
You can find a bar with an interesting way to function, Rue Villiot: its concept is to make you make some friends more easily. Here is the Social Bar (website in French).
This is a bar adopting a very friendly atmosphere. It is very easy to meet some people with, for instance, blind-test games, roleplaying or dancing…
It makes it a very good idea when you go out alone, not to be alone anymore.
Similarly, there are some mobile apps such as Knockk or Meetup which allow you to go outside with an improvised group of people. It is often used for activities like linguistic exchanges, having a drink, going to an exhibition or a conference, etc.
16) Have a Drink at a Cat Café
9 Rue Sedaine, 75011 Paris
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
The Café des Chats (website in French) is a restaurant and tea room in which dozens of cats live and roam freely.
It is quite unusual because you won’t be alone anymore to have your drink. You will be with several cats eventually giving you some company.
This bar asks you to obey some strict rules, like not to feed the cats yourself.
17) Tour Paris on an Electric Scooter
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
If you don’t have any more energy to use a Vélib I mentioned earlier, this is just for you.
With this electric scooter by Cityscoot, Cooltra, or Yego, you can move around Paris to discover the capital city, riding this convenient machine.
Everything is on the app.
You just need to send a copy of your driving license, to register your credit card and book the nearest scooter. Pricewise, expect to be paying between €0.20 and €0.35 per minute.
18) Watch the sunset at Champ de Mars
75007 Paris
You can end your day alone with something wonderful to watch: watch the sunset from the Champ de Mars with a nice view on the Eiffel Tower
If the weather is nice enough, you will see a gorgeous orange sky over the shape of Paris’ buildings, as well as the sun setting in the horizon.
There are a lot of other places in Paris to watch a sunset.
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
