Ooh la la, Paris. The city of romance, couples and all things lurrrrrve… which is all good and well, unless you’re single and your significant other is a cat/work/bottle of gin.
Well, fellow singletons, don’t be put off by these connotations of the French capital; after just one visit, you’ll start your life-long love affair with the city itself.
I’ve been single both times I’ve been to Paris. My first trip was in 2009, looking oh-so glamourous, and then again, backpacking with my best friend, looking oh-so not. I stepped off the train into Gare du Nord station each time with the kind of butterflies you usually get from seeing a really fit man across the platform. I’ve definitely found my future home in the city of love. Think London, but more. The Montmartre area (home to Moulin Rouge and the Sacre Coeur) is so beautiful and quaint - I’d move there in a heartbeat.
If you’re after a trip less Amelie and more Monster in Paris (SPOILER ALERT: still has a lovey-dovey ending, but you know what I'm getting at), read on…
Eiffel Tower (duh) and Trocadero
Obviously, swooning over the Eiffel Tower is THE thing to do in Paris. You don’t need a proposing fella to warrant visiting the city’s biggest attraction; it's crawling with families, lone-travellers and other non-coupley combos. During the day, the views are beautiful. The green gardens roll below and the Seine looks vast. For height-phobes (like myself), the second floor is just high enough to appreciate the city below, but not high enough for a little bit of wee to come out when you step off the lift.
Every evening at dusk, the Eiffel Tower becomes an incredible light show, set to music blaring out industrial-sized speakers. Too romantic, you ponder? HA! The annoying touts trying to sell you cheap wine, or get you to fill in their survey (don’t do it, they try and make YOU pay for taking part), kill any romantic vibes.
If you’re looking for an alternative spot to get a good view of Le Tour Eiffel, head to Trocadero, which while teeming with tourists, affords a great snap.
Eiffel Tower
Pastries and macarons
Tesco’s four packs have nothing on proper, fresh croissants. Wrap your lips around a warm croissant from any residential bakery and you’ll be transported to a sepia-coloured, accordion-playing, striped-top world in an instance. As for the macarons, well, they’re even more perfect. So soft, yet with the perfect crunch, and more wonderful flavours to choose from than types of men at an RnB club night.
Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe
Head on down to Champs-Elysees to shop ‘til you drop, making it rain with Euros. Yes, it would be nice to have a BF splashing the cash on you, but it’s the 21st century, ladies. Sistas doing it for themselves. The shopping haven starts (or ends, depending on which way you look at it) with Arc de Triomphe, so you can climb/crawl up after shopping and get some Insta-worthy snaps. Your feet won’t love you, but your followers will.
Outside the Louvre
The Louvre
And by that, I mean da Vinci’s renowned piece of art, Mona Lisa. Her smile is pretty much the smug emoji, amiright? Take inspo from her, and other world-class paintings in the Lourve, and own your singledom in the city of love.
The area outside of the Lourve is just as incredible as the artwork inside the building. Filled with glass pyramids and fountains, it is absolutely beaut and a must-see.
Parting words of wisdom
Don’t stay in a hostel while you stay in Paris. I’m not one of those people who turn their noses up at hostels; they can be the perfect, low-cost alternative to hotels. You can get clean, private rooms. However, let’s just say Parisians are the epitome of sophistication and chic, but this DOES NOT extend to their hostels. Eughhh.
Hostels aside, Paris is the perfect city for couples, singletons or families. You can get from London to Paris, via the Eurostar, in the same time it takes to travel from one end of the Piccadilly line to the other. For a cheaper alternative, you can fly. Now, that is love.