Daughter alone in Paris after falling out with friend on holiday

[Bollard]

My DD is in Paris with her friend. They are only there for a couple of days. They have fallen out and the friend has ditched her. DD is in the hotel room, wanting to come home. She doesn't feel confident going around Pars on her own and feels the trip is ruined. Any ideas for anything she could do alone, any group thing she could join? She might feel able to do something in the day, but I don't like the thought of her being out alone at night. I don't know Paris at all. She's staying centrally.

Agree with this.

Both are young and in a city they don't know.

I think she’s having trouble adjusting her mindset to solo adventures. The friend had done most of the planning and DD was being a bit dopey about it all. So she’s not studied the map or got her head into the zone of being solo and taking care of herself. She’s out now so at least she’s left the hotel.

I’m unsure about messaging the friend’s mum. I’m sure they’ll have been in touch.

Thanks again for all these suggestions. They are making me want to plan my own trip to Paris!

Yes, the buses are easy and safe. There are various apps that’ll tell her what number she wants ans which stop it goes from - I use Rome to Rio but there are others.

Paris is so beautiful that she could even just walk around and absorb the atmosphere.

Book something on air b and b experiences for the evening

I would go to the legal part of the catacombs

I think you’ve done the right thing encouraging her to stay and have a solo adventure.

This is a learning experience and she will have done her confidence the world of food - especially if she’s going to be living away from home for uni.

I lived in Paris for a year when I was 24. French men are very persistent and it is really hard and intimidating to walk past groups of them particularly at night. I think she should spend the evening at the air b n b but get out and about in the daytime.
the metro is horrible for single girls and so is the RER. Send her money for taxis (maybe not uber??)

This is probably too late, and your daughter may be less interested in food than I was at her age, but I've always enjoyed visiting French food/farmers markets on holiday. Free, lots of Frenchness on show, and great food available.

www.parisperfect.com/plan-your-trip/things-to-see/markets/paris-food-markets.php

Is Uber not safer? Its traceable

Personally, I’d be messaging the other girls mum to ensure her DD is safe and show a united front that you’re not taking sides in their squabble but you are concerned about anyone being alone under those circumstances. Their safety is really all that matters surely?

Your DD can use 'GetYourGuide' to find organised tours near her.

I'd call the other girls mum unless you know where she's staying, its a worry that she's not at the hotel. As she's stormed off...where is she staying?

An area like Marais would be nice and she can eat falafels at the same place as Lenny Kravitz. Avoid the big parks! Paris is very walkable. I’d tell her to find places near eg the Louvre to have lunch or coffee. Alternatively there are Carrefour/Franprix dotted around Paris where she can pick up a baguette, salad, pre sliced cheese (leerdammer) or pate or soft cheese. She’d need a plastic knife with the cheese. But you can buy plastic cutlery in same places. There are quite a few eg independent Italian pizza places if she fancies a reasonably priced meal. Or she can try a traditional French place, they’ll do an omelette and frites if that’s what she wants. The Opera was one place I loved visiting (the ceiling there is stunning) and also Pompidou Centre. Most of the cafes sell glacé (ice creams) too. There should also be other places selling bubble tea and the like. Visited Victor Hugo house and unicorn tapestries at Musee de Cluny. The last time I was there I found cafe/restaurant owners to be very friendly even if your French was brilliant so I wouldn’t worry about that. Eiffel Tower she can go to but lots of pickpockets there.

No there’s a lot of unvetted uber drivers and some are frankly criminals. Taxi drivers at least have to pass police checks.

That isn’t true anymore. Metro is fine. Stop scaremongering.

Where in the centre is she? As long as she guards her belongings, as long as she keeps to tourist areas, she’ll be safe. A visit to Montmartre and Sacré Coeur is nice-loads of young people around the steps. A visit to Notre Dame followed by a walk to the Marais to wander around the old medieval streets is lovely-my dd then 18 loved that. MuseeD’Orsayfor the impressionists. An early meal then back to the hotel if she doesn’t want to be out at night. If she’s active during the day, she’ll be tired at night anyway.

I've just got to visit Paris again. I'm getting quite nostalgic.
Make sure that she's got everything planned for her return trip. Travelling alone can be a bit of a hassle.
I assume she is flying. Make sure she has her passport and everything safe and handy. Bags packed and nothing left behind. I know it's basic but she is only 18.
Will she be taking bus, train or taxi to the airport? Or is she taking Eurostar? Whatever, Gare du Nord can be a bit dodgy and she need to be cautious if it features in her travel plans.

I agree with this. I lived there for 6 months when much younger. But an early evening meal, 6-7pm she should be ok. Prob best to stick to restaurants near the hotel. I found no eye contact and non and laisse-moi tranquille (leave me alone) and then if that didn’t work

va te faire foutre (fuck off!) worked well for me as they weren’t expecting an English tourist to say that. Obvs then walk away fast. My French friend (she’d come over to London for work experience) from Rouen, Pascale, who also lived in Paris taught me those phrases! They still bothered her (French men) even though she was French.

So her friend has basically disappeared, has not returned to the hotel room, is not answering calls / messages, and neither you nor your daughter have her family's contact details?

I would not be worrying about what nice things my daughter could do, I'd be doing everything I could to try to get help in case something has happened to her friend.

Has she gone off with the boys?

Contact hotel - has friend checked into a different room?
Is she posting on social media?
Does her soc med have family and friends' details?

I was travelling on my own for months in the UK at sixteen and went to Paris on my own at 18. Its scary but can be done—and that was pre personal phones, computer maps, etc…This will do her so much good!

PP shared personal experience.

That's not 'scaremongering'. People have had different experiences.

This

Another one that is surprised you have not contacted the mother of the friend. You know where your daughter is - put yourself in her position, wouldn't you appreciate a call.

Not the same but I recently went to Paris with my 7 year old. I was a nervous single parent. I managed to navigate the RNR and metro, it wasn't at all difficult. I'd definitely recommend going to the Eiffel Tower, the nearest station brings you right in front of it and it's very well signposted. Then she could grab lunch at a cafe nearby.

Whereabouts is she staying? She can head to any of museums and galleries, take a bateau mouche, visit Notre Dame and be perfectly safe. Find a boulangerie, patisserie or cafe for a coffee and sandwich or have a picnic in the Tuileries gardens. Paris budget hotels can be pretty depressing. What did they fall out over, might they reunite once cooled off?