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.

Doesn’t sound like she was ready for the trip in the first place.

Get her to park herself in a very nearby cafe/restaurant in the evening - have a slow dinner, a couple of drinks and then go back - depending where she’s staying of course - she will be better’in’ somewhere than walking around if she’s a bit scared of safety - I’m guessing she isn’t staying at the level of a hotel restaurants etc?

I travelled in Paris alone a few years ago. I started with a free walking tour that met near Notre Dame, ate Croissants in cafes, read my book in beautiful parks, saw all the sights on foot from the Louvre to Arc de Triomphe to Eiffel Tower. The metro was very straightforward but just keep valuables close and be wary of pickpockets. I personally didn't do a lot at night as I was staying in a hostel and they had some things on in the evenings anyway. She could try and make friends with another solo traveller if she spots someone a similar age on the walking tour, she might feel safer with some company. Organised tours are good when solo traveling as you feel a little more safe (I visited Auchwitz alone later the same trip on a bus trip). Also tell her to watch Backpacking Bananas on YouTube, she's solo travelled around the world so might inspire her!

Is it just the 2 of them OP?

I do think you need to contact the friend’s mum and let her know the friend isn’t with your daughter.

or am I the only one who thinks this should be the first step before helping dd carrying on with her sightseeing?!?!

It sounds like friend will be back at the hotel later and they can get past it, having both had a nice day separately. I would hold back from telling DD what you think of the friend, it'll make it harder to move on and you don't know her side of the story. They are 18, behaving in a very young way, give them a chance to work through this without both mums stepping in and doing it for them

Both ‘girls’ are 18. It sounds like the argument was this morning, so the friend has presumably just been off on her own a few hours? I see no reason (SN apart) to be informing the other parent yet. Missing overnight, then maybe yes.

To be honest at 18 I would have thought the resilience would already be in place and although I understand yhe fall out voukd be upsetting mum just needs to give a bit if encouragement to get on eith it, which she does a bit by telling her to ho to the l
Louvre.
This is probably unpopular but I would suggest to dd that now she's not with her friend she could extend her trip and have a few more days away if there was a cheap flight back and she could explore dome more,,
Crikey!!!
Sorry about the typos, I was somewhat distracted but still!!!

Id be concerned about the friend. When exactly did she take off and how long is it since your daughter has been in contact with her?
I hope your daughter is ok but I think this is a bit of a lesson for her in picking her travel companions more wisely and being more switched on about travel plans. My daughter has traveled with friends and they plan everything together so they all know exactly what’s happening and when.

And she could also go to this tonight!

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And where is she staying OP ... apologies if I have missed this bit!

Ex Parisian here so happy to help.

Agreed. And not everyone experiences these things in childhood, with or without parents. People’s lives vary greatly. First times doing things alone can be daunting whatever your age.

Being off for a few hours is not what OP said. Her dd is alone in Paris following a falling out with a friend. Very very different thing.

if couple of hours separation and will travel
back together tomorrow- then a different thing

For the evening, Moulin Rouge is more of a theatre experience with shared tables. This would feel like an evening out but not a daunting as dinner/drinks alone if she lacks confidence.

100% this.

It would be a good idea if she wants to see some sights, to go onto a tour guide sight. They sometimes pick up at hotels or somewhere very close. So being on her own it would mean she didn’t have to make her own way there.

For the sake of a couple days there’s no point coming home early.

I would advise against going out alone at night but she’s perfectly fine wandering around during the day.

The louvre is huge and has coffee shops and actual shops, she could spend the day there. It's fairly normal to see solo people in the cafes.

I agree with the bus tour, it is a safe way to see most sights, it's also quite common for other single people to be on the bus. I was with someone on the bus but we started chatting to an American lady who we had dinner with later.

Does the hotel have a restaurant? If not the staff can probably find her somewhere to eat where she will be looked after.

Tell her to buy herself a souvenir, she might not feel like it at the moment but this is a day she will look back on in ther future.

Another vote for Galaries Lafayette or similar, shopping is shopping in any city and is mainly women so she should feel and be safe.

Finally, tell her she can do this, because she can.

Disappointed in the friend? Why? Is she supposed to be your daughter's babysitter?

Your daughter is responsible too

Most cities have free walking tours you can join (we’ve booked them on trip advisor and you just give a tip at the end)

The hotel might have info about group tours she could join. For example, there are probably tours to Versaille.

It's a pity not to make the most of her time there. I understand about being out at night. So getting up early and making the most of the day, having an earlyish dinner and back to the hotel by 8pm or so should solve that. I always find that after a long day out, I'm happy to get home by 8 or so.

Come on, they're supposed to be going round together. DD did not book to explore a strange city alone at her age.

And if there are some sleazy boys following her a loud screaming FUCK OFF should do it. They need to be embarrassed.

It's PARIS - one of the most beautiful and amazing cities in the world! Tell her to stop moping around and enjoy it! It's not like she's been abandoned in Lagos - it's PARIS!!!!!!!!!

It’s not really clear when the friend left the room, but maybe it was only this morning? And she’s just doing her own sightseeing? I wouldn’t worry about her at all if that is the case.

Does your daughter know when room checkout is and how to get to the airport or train station to get home? I guess this is the problem travelling together, too often only one person looks into the arrangements and the other one just goes along with it all.