Paris is known all over the world as the ‘City of Love’ and there’s no denying it’s a romantic destination, but what if you don’t have that special someone to share it with?
There’s little appeal, as a solo traveller, in visiting a place where sickeningly loved up couples are openly professing their love around every second corner.
Thankfully, there’s much more to France’s capital city than a bridge straining under the weight of thousands of love locks.
With determination, and a comfortable pair of shoes, it’s possible to see all of the following landmarks in just one day.
1. ARC DE TRIOMPHE
Begin your walk at the Arc de Triomphe. You can pop up to the top for a pretty decent view of the Champs-Élysées – Paris’ main shopping street and Europe’s most expensive retail location. Built to honour those who fought in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, it stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle – a manic junction of 12 avenues that sometimes sees traffic ten abreast.
2. EIFFEL TOWER
The Eiffel Tower should really be visited twice – once to see it from the ground during the day, and then again for a view of the entire city twinkling after dark. On your daytime visit, you can get some great views of the tower as you cross the bridge on your way from the Arc de Triomphe. Walk underneath and look up for a good appreciation of the sheer size and intricacies of its design. Then head through the park towards the military school for unbroken views back towards the tower.
3. QUAI D’ORSAY
After the Eiffel Tower, wander along the south bank of the Seine on the Quai D’Orsay. There’s some interesting graffiti and you’ll get a great view of some imposing buildings such as the Musée de l’Armée and Grand Palais. When you reach the Pont de la Concorde, cross over the bridge and pass by the ferris wheel, obelisk and Tuileries Garden. If you have time, the gardens are definitely worth a quick peek. Then continue north east past the Palais Garnier, then north again past the intricate design of the Galeries Lafayette shopping mall until you reach Montmartre.
4. MOULIN ROUGE
The Moulin Rouge is one of the most visited buildings in Europe and, having just celebrated its 125th birthday, now attracts more than 630,000 visitors annually. Just checking out the lobby and the famous windmill is exciting, but you really should splash out on a ticket to the cabaret. We’re not just talking cancans and feather boas. There are also live boas – of the constrictor variety – in a huge tank full of water to spice things up a bit!
5. LE MUR DES HE T’AIME
Nearby, close to the Abbesses metro stop is this really awesome wall, which says ‘I love you’ in every language. The flashes of red represent the pieces of a broken heart – those of a humanity that is too often torn apart. Of course this wall is another reminder that you’re single in the city of love, and you might be surrounded by loved-up couples posing for photographs while you’re there, but it’s still worth checking out.
6. SACRE COEUR
Climb the hill to the Sacre Coeur and have a look inside before admiring the view over Paris’ rooftops. Next, as you wind your way down the footpaths, don’t forget to look back occasionally to see the imposing Catholic church in all its glory. Unfortunately, this is a popular spot for opportunist scammers, but if you ignore them or say a firm no when they offer to ‘let you try on a bracelet’, you shouldn’t have any problems.
7. LOUVRE
After passing along some quaint Parisian streets on your way back towards the river, you’ll come out at the east entrance to the Louvre. If you don’t have the time to go inside, at the very least, you should walk through the courtyard to see the iconic glass pyramid, which acts as an entrance to the lower ground exhibition area. Access to the permanent collection costs 12 euros. If you have the time, you could go for a two-day pass that will get you into more than 60 museums and monuments in the city for 42 euros. If you do go inside, don’t miss the Louvre’s most famous painting – Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
8. PONT DES ARTS
More unavoidable reminders of all the loved up couples appear in the form of thousands upon thousands of locks attached to the Pont des Arts. In fact, there are so many that the bridge has been reinforced to help support their weight. While being confronted with such an obvious reminder that you’re not in a loving relationship is a bit of a kick to the teeth, the stunning view certainly takes the edge off.
9. NOTRE DAME
Widely considered to be one of the best examples of French gothic architecture, the Notre Dame cathedral has sat on a small island on the Seine for eight centuries. Entrance is free of charge.
10. EIFFEL TOWER AT NIGHT
Return to the Eiffel Tower after dark, but this time, buy a ticket and go up to the top. Your efforts are rewarded with gorgeous views of the city. The Eiffel Tower itself also twinkles on the hour.
With a good map and some forward planning, it’s not too hard to explore Paris on your own, but another great option for singles in Paris is to join a walking tour. This is a great way to meet other travellers and to gain some knowledge from local experts.
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With so many fantastic places to see, a trip to Paris is rewarding whether you’re on a romantic weekend break with your partner or exploring by yourself. The lack of a companion should never be an excuse not to visit a destination. Cheapflights do return airfares from London from as little as £57 so the cost shouldn’t be an excuse either.
So true!, You’re absolutely right that being alone should never stop anyone from going anywhere! I’ve been to Paris about half a dozen times now, and never been in a relationship during any visit, but still never felt lonely while there. It’s one of my favourite cities, with so much art and culture to see! Love the list of sights you made, but I’d also include the Jardins de Luxembourg, and going up the Montparnasse Tower for city views, as then you can still see the Eiffel Tower.
Charlotte recently posted..Currently Listening
Thanks for your additional suggestions Charlotte! I wish I’d had time for them as well! I had actually been to Paris once before with an ex boyfriend. I enjoyed both visits, but it definitely proved that you can have a great time by yourself.
Obsessed with that second photo!! Seriously, how cute are you ?!?
Camels & Chocolate recently posted..Paris, Je T’aime
Hehe. Thanks! I was genuinely struggling with my umbrella! There’s a photo series by my trigger happy friend of me trying to battle it back the right way!
Those are some awesome photos with great natural lighting. I love seeing the gray depictions as I’ve been in Oman for six months. Here it’s sunny just about every day. It might sound odd but I really miss gray days.
Mike@earthdrifter recently posted..Scenery From My Temporary Backyard
It doesn’t sound odd. I know what you mean. I’ve had a long stint of gray days though, so I’m about ready for some sunshine!
Awesome pictures! I missed Quai D’Orsay. the last time we were in Paris, but will definitely have to check it out the next time around. :-)
Dana Carmel @ Time Travel Plans recently posted..Into the Louisiana Bayou
Try to pick a less wet day than I had! Having said that, I still had a good time :)
Great article, I love Paris!
What I usually do when I visit the Eiffel Tower is to schedule my ticket to be on the top of the tower during sunset. That way I get to see everything underneath and up there both in daylight and at night, while also checking a good sunset and the tower lights turning on! It’s worth it and you can do everything in one visit! :)
Thanks! That’s such a great tip! I did the same thing with the tallest building in Melbourne last year :)
I agree that Paris is great for all its attention to the finer aesthetic qualities of architecture, however unfortunately I did not seem to have the same fulfilling experience that many other single people seemed to write about here or have. Somehow all I remember were the “holier-than-thou” glances and cold shoulders given to me by many of the Parisian girls that walked by (Even when I did subtly smile, and greet them occasionally). If I’m honest, I don’t think there is much you can do here as a single non-caucasian male in your mid-20s without finding yourself a bit awkward and left out, not to mention giving off an amplified creepy vibe (in the US at least it’s not as obvious).
I am actually typing this while sitting at my departure gate at CDG, I will have to go back to the US with a somewhat heavy heart, although I definitely did enjoy the food and the sights. Sad to say, Paris will be nothing more than an extravagant postcard for me as I try to suppress the cringe-worthy memories in which I felt depressed and out of place while I was here amongst all the romantic lovebirds and odd looks given by the locals.
Yes, I see your point. I’ve found Parisians to be a lot more standoffish than French people in general, and it is still definitely a city that attracts lovebirds. Perhaps if I’d spent more time there those things would have grated on me too. I wrote this post after one full day of sightseeing, and I was quite content just wandering the streets seeking out the main attractions. It’s an undeniably beautiful city with a lot of stunning architecture, and that was enough for me at the time. I’m sorry you had a negative experience.
Wow didnt realize I’d get a reply that fast. Welp just so you know….my own negativity aside, I found nothing wrong with your post, in fact you probably do have the right idea to look at the glass half full. By that logic, if nothing else, I did rack up a good 7000+ sky miles via this trip.
Haha. That’s a lot of sky miles. I think places are often tainted by our individual experiences when we’re there – what the weather’s like, who we meet and even the small interactions we have. I’ve returned to a few places I really didn’t like and loved them just because of the people I was there with. Having said that, I think sometimes you just know when a destination isn’t for you. I spent a month in Laos recently and I rarely enjoyed myself. After a while I had to admit that it couldn’t just be a string of bad luck. I was immediately much happier as soon as I crossed into Vietnam. Perhaps one day you’ll return to Paris and like it, but maybe only if you happen to be nearby…!