Scared of going to Paris Alone

[Aquarius1234]

I have booked a short trip to Paris for two nights, to go to the French Open Tennis for one day.
There is no one close to me that likes Tennis enough to join me, so I randomly booked solo and a single ticket.
But now I am worried about going there alone. Unable to get refunds.

Thanks, Ah right not sure I fancy the metro at night.

I live 5mins walk from Roland Garros. It's essentially the Chelsea of Paris, you'll be fine!

My recent Paris trips I flew into Paris Charles De Gaulle and needed to be in Boulevard Romain Rolland which is South West on the outskirts of Paris. I took the RER B which is the train from the airport followed by the Metro. To be honest the RER B was quite hard to buy tickets for and the station was busy but their were staff who helped me. The train was a bit busy but no-one bothered me. The Metro was easy to use. Google maps told me what stations to use and it was very straight forward. I took train because it looked quicker than taxi (French traffic is a bit shit!)

I took a cab up to Suresnes (NW Paris) with colleagues and stayed at a hotel. The following day I took a cab by myself back to the airport which took 45 minutes. The cab was fine, I paid with card and got a receipt (always needed for work). I got the hotel conceirge to book the cab for me.

With my daughter a couple of years ago we mostly travelled by train / metro as it is cheaper but we did take a late night cab from airport to the hotel on arrival as it was quicker and easier and DD was sleepy.

Cabs are fine if you take the ones from the ranks at the airport or train station. If you want to take one when in Paris you can get your hotel to order one for you. I have flagged a few in my time and my French colleagues tell me that is totally normal. Google maps make life SO SO much better and easier! A bit of pigeon french helps but it isn't essential.

Hopefully a few nice cafes about. Get a croissant for breakfast!

Oh and France uses Uber. I've ubered in Paris before. That is often a good way to do relatively short trips when you don't have a hotel conceirge around to book a cab!

Paris alone is perfectly fine, there's nothing to worry about.

YANBU to be nervous about going alone. After a lifetime of holidaying with DH, I went on hols by myself last year. Yes, it was scary. But I'm so glad I went; you will be too! Enjoy yourself.

Assuming you can use data roaming, just use Google maps or Citymapper to navigate when you're walking around or using the Metro. it's a big touristy city, you'll be fine. I've travelled loads on my own, I love it. Just be sensible and don't wave your phone or cash around too much, and wear a cross body bag. Walk confidently!

I guess I'll just have to pretend I know where I am.
Sounds like more crime than in London for Bags.

Parisian here living in London. Where Roland Garros is is the neighbourhood I spent most of my life in. There is no safer or more bourgeois neighbourhood in Paris, it's boring if anything! The only area in Paris I find weird is actually Gare du Nord, when you arrive via the Eurostar, not the best welcome to tourists. But the metro is in the Gare itself so you can just escape quickly and go wherever you want. The metro is very safe, the whole city is and your biggest worry should be rude waiters. Just enjoy this wonderful opportunity you created for yourself, I'm jealous!

Yes on that you are right, you need to be a bit street savvy in touristy areas but I never had anything happen to me in terms of being robbed in my 25 years spent there. If you go to the Champs Elysees, be careful of people approachinng you with paper clips (fake surveys or charities). That's all.

Ha Ok cool, is the Taxi rank easy to find in Gare du Nord?

Super easy, just go out through the main entrance, taxis are parked right in front of the station. There is a Taxis sign and queue (often no queue). Actually if I were you I would take a taxi as its a slog by metro from Gare du Nord (I assume you're staying in the 16th arrondissement?). Or just take line 4 by metro, and then change for the yellow line that gets you in the 16th.

Ok thank you. Staying near Boulogne-Billancourt.

2 days is nothing you'll be fine enjoy it

My friend was in Paris alone between work meetings

She bought a return ticket for the tennis and thoroughly enjoyed herself alone for a couple of days mooching around

Yes you'll be more than fine there, it is the Chiswick of Paris. Voulogne Billancourt metro station, easy to get to. Have a good trip!

Loads of lovely bistros you can eat in alone and no one will bat an eye

It's a super nice area of Paris where the tournament is held.

I am frequently in Paris on my own and it is not dodgy in any of the main areas, busy though, like London. Don't let being on your own stop you from seeing the sights outside of the tennis!

Paris is one of the best cities to do alone like London

So much to do and people work there so tons of people are doing things on their own

I was there on my own a few weeks ago for work and had a fab time. Uber works well there but the traffic was so bad because of all the pre-Olympic works I gave up and walked everywhere.

They are doing works on the taxi rank at GdN (or they were when I was there) but the temporary rank was well signposted. Come off the Eurostar and head to the right. There are lots of signs for taxis. Just follow them round.

I lived there for a number of years. Please PM me if you have specific queries or concerns.

Paris is fairly small and I've found the tubes to be safe but you could always book Ubers if you are nervous later in the day.

I travelled round on the metro with no problems. Do it! You'll be fine!

There are some utterly terrifying bits of paris but they're not places a tourist is likely to find themselves.

You'll be fine, solo trips are awesome ime

The metro is fine, and the French Open now has day and night sessions so if your ticket is a day one, you'll be leaving before it's dark anyway.

For Roland Garros I recommend taking something to eat and drink with you (there's a Carrefour a 10 minute walk away) as the food and drink sold there is rather expensive. Take something to entertain yourself in case it rains!