Adventurous Kate contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Is it safe for a woman to travel alone to Paris? Under most circumstances, with the right preparation and precautions, visiting Paris can be as safe as staying in your hometown.
Is Paris safe? You need to look out for that. Why is that? Beyond that, Paris is chock full of activities that are wonderful to do on your own: like museums, long walks, photography, shopping, and sitting in cafes. Paris is also covered with cafes, where you can eat at any time of day without raising any eyebrows. Third, Paris is a dreamy destination. And finally, Paris is a great place to just be. Simply walking down the street in Paris can be an entertaining experience.
Not a lot of cities have that. It took me so long to find the right words to describe this and I finally wrote a piece called The Art of the Chilled Out Trip to Paris. Most people have an image of a perfect, beautiful Paris in their minds. Even before Instagram existed, people idealized Paris in their heads. Not exactly, though. Paris is rough — rougher than a lot of European cities. Tourists are targeted to a level perhaps greater than any other city. Beyond that, Parisians often have the reputation for being rude, especially to tourists — and while I think this is a bit unfair, I understand why.
Couple that with French culture, which is quieter and more pulled in, especially compared to the American South or Midwest, and it can be jarring. Paris remains ever idealized in the mind of foreigners, so when they arrive, they are often shocked and disappointed. I want to say yes, but this is actually a tricky question. I think a lot of women would do well with their first-ever solo trip being to Paris.
Another option: you can get your feet wet in an easier city, like London or Edinburgh, and then go to Paris after. Spend a few days getting your solo travel bearings, then finish your trip in Paris. Of course! Traveling to Paris is going to be different for you, though. For this reason, I encourage you to get off the beaten path in Paris. I mention many offbeat sites in this article. See below for where to go after Paris.
