Scared of going to Paris Alone

Bluntly, OP, are you an anxious person? When I first went to Paris I was just turning eighteen, had never before been on a plane or left my home country, or had ever been to a big city, knew no one there, and was looking for a job with my school French. I’d never used any form of Underground, and had only a tiny amount of cash, and the address of a convent in Montparnasse that offered cheap accommodation in exchange for chores. I was fine — you’ll be fine!

For food, I'd probably eat out at lunchtime and have snacky stuff in the hotel in the evening if I didn't want to eat in a restaurant alone for dinner. Or get a takeaway. I prefer to eat more in the daytime anyway so it suits me.

For getting around, you'll have your phone, but make sure you don't have everything on your phone just in case something happens to it. So print out a map, and make sure you know where your hotel and everywhere else that you want to be is and which is the nearest Metro/tram stop. There are maps at tram stops and Metro stations. Have a rough plan of where you want to go and check out the areas on Google maps before you go.

I'm the same! I've been travelling long haul for forty years, and for 15 I've been solo backpacking all over the world. I love it. And yet...

Every single time I get stressed in the week or two before, wondering why I booked it, and deciding it's all a mistake.
But the moment I step down from the plane, I'm in my element, and all the planning and research makes sense. I don't look back.

So take heart @Aquarius1234 ! A wobble is absolutely normal. But when your feet touch Parisian soil, you'll be fine.

I was in Paris lately. They have ramped up assistance in the metro stations in advance of the Olympics. There is a higher security presence too for the same reason. This should make you feel you are in a safer environment. Roland Garros is in the equivalent of leafy Wimbledon!

I went last year with DP, but he was working so I had 2 days where I just wandered around by myself before we met up for dinner each night and it was glorious.

First day I just wandered around the whole city and saw the sights, walked miles, was completely fine. I ended up shattered, miles from the hotel, so I just got on the Metro back to the hotel we were staying in.

Second day, I took myself off to Versailles on the train and that was great too.

What is it in particular that you're worried about? In a lot of ways, it's easier by yourself because you just do what you want to do and only need to look out for yourself, you don't have to not lose another person on the Metro etc.

@crackofdoom “Then last year, I walked right through the middle of area 2 with the kids at midnight (delayed train)- I was expecting it to be dodgy, but it felt absolutely normal, aside from a homeless encampment under the Peripherique flyover.”

I was in area 2 last year. Possibly the same encampment you speak of between my metro and my hotel. It was only 20:00 (though dark) and the area was full of people high on crack. My French colleagues told me it’s known as “Coline de crack”. Someone was mugged about 10m away from me. I looked back down the steps to the metro and was intimated by a group of young men hanging around (but not going through) the ticket barriers. I walked up to the bus stop area, got as far as that flyover and was scared that I instantly had several men watching me intently, then walked back to the main road to get a taxi to the hotel which I could actually see from where we stood. I explained to the taxi driver that I was scared and would tip well, he nodded pretty sympathetically. I speak reasonable French and lived in another arrondisement for a year some years ago. I don’t live in a great area of the U.K.! But even without the crack user mugging a guy in front of me, I’ve never been so on edge.

I normally aim to arrive around an hour before Eurostar

Your Eurostar mail should tell you to get there around 45-60 mins before departure to get through the bag screening and passport checks.

I think it was bloody brilliant to book it. I wish you'd asked me! I love tennis.

I've been the French Open a few time. It is really safe and Paris is great. You can uber everywhere if you're worried about getting lost metro etc

Eurostar usually advises 90 minutes, but check your ticket- it will say. Remember it's more like an airport check in- you have to go through EU passport control, have your bags scanned etc- and it can get very busy. Going much earlier than recommended doesn't work either, unless you want to stock up with food for the train- they only open the check in lines for given trains a certain period in advance.

I was going to post and tell @Aquarius1234 not to stay in Porte de la Chappelle - and see it’s #2 on that list.

Where is your hotel?

I was 16. It was wild! (And a hell of a lot more dangerous then than it is now).

To put things into perspective: I have walked right through the centre of Area 1 at 11.00pm 2 years ago and, yes, although there were loads of young men out on the streets socialising in a pretty loud way, they completely ignored me.

Then last year, I walked right through the middle of area 2 with the kids at midnight (delayed train)- I was expecting it to be dodgy, but it felt absolutely normal, aside from a homeless encampment under the Peripherique flyover.

And that was the worst of the worst, apparently. So I wouldn't fret too much.

Do you have a credit card with a reasonable limit? whenever I have travel wobbles I remind myself there is little that I can't sort out with a credit card. OK so paying it off might be a problem but that is a problem for another day.

Put “visiting Paris alone” into YouTube. There are 20 year old girls doing it. You’ll feel better if you see it.