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Category: Paris
Larry Rosenblum spent five weeks solo in Paris last September and October, and he kept a spreadsheet the whole time. Twenty museums. Four monuments. Nine things he classified as "events." Eight more that didn't fit any category at all. I invited him on the podcast to talk through what five weeks solo in Paris actually looks like when you plan it that carefully, and what you find when you stop chasing the obvious stuff.
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Where He Stayed and How He Got Around
Larry stayed at an aparthotel called Le Jardin du Verre, part of a British chain called Locke, in a studio with a small kitchenette. He didn't cook real meals there, but he'd pick up a baguette, cheese, and a quiche to warm up most evenings. For getting around, he mostly used the metro. A monthly pass runs about 90 euros, which works out to roughly one ride a day, and he switched to a Navigo Easy card for the weeks it didn't make sense to get a pass. One tip worth remembering: you can't buy a Paris metro ticket in advance from the US anymore. It requires a French phone number for verification. Larry also had one metro line stall out from under him because of an unattended bag, and ended up taking an Uber instead. His advice: build in more time than you think you need.
Solo Travel, Pros and Cons
Traveling alone has trade-offs, Larry says. You can change your plans on a whim, but there's no one to turn to and say "look at that." He listened to podcasts during solo meals, which, fair enough, is a good use of a five weeks solo in Paris kind of trip.
Swimming in the Seine
One thing Larry did purely for bragging rights: he swam in the Seine at Bercy, one of three official swimming spots that opened last year, plus one on the Canal Saint-Martin. You have to wear a bright yellow floater belt, and the water was 71 degrees, so he only lasted about ten minutes. The swim sites ran from July through mid-September, with Bercy staying open an extra weekend for European Heritage Days.
European Heritage Days: The Senate and the National Library
Speaking of which, Heritage Days gave Larry two of his best experiences: a rare tour inside the French Senate at the Palais du Luxembourg, including the ornate conference hall and the Senate chamber itself, and a visit to the National Library's Richelieu site, where he got into the Labrouste Room, a research library normally closed to the public.
The Postal Museum
Larry's also a lifelong stamp collector, so the Postal Museum was a must. He writes articles about French stamps for a national philately publication, and he was won over by how much of the museum has nothing to do with stamps directly: postal history, art made from letters and envelopes, and the story of how mail moved through France for roughly 400 years before phones and email took over.
Virtual Reality at the Louvre and a Night Segway Ride
Two more unusual stops: a virtual reality tour of the Louvre's history, where the guide put Larry and a small group back in the year 1180, when the site was just a fort, then jumped them forward roughly 200 years at a time as they moved through the courtyard. And a Segway night tour that ended with a ride along the Left Bank of the Seine after dark, bridges lit up, which Larry called the best part of the whole trip.
VoiceMap Tours: Best Discoveries
He also used several of my VoiceMap tours, splitting some of them across multiple days. Two moments stuck with him: the medieval city wall in the Latin Quarter, where a school is built right up against 800-year-old stone, and the Cour du Commerce Saint-André, where the guillotine was tested on baby goats during the Revolution. At the Conciergerie, staff handed him a free AR tablet, no extra charge, no ID deposit required, which surprised him.
Favorite Museum, Biggest Regret
Larry's favorite museum discovery was the Musée des Arts Forains in Bercy, an old wine warehouse full of vintage fairground rides, including a carousel powered entirely by riders pedaling bicycles. His one regret: he never made it to Montmartre, and didn't get to do my walking tour there. He's already planning a return trip, Montmartre at the top of the list.
Planning and Safety Tips
If you're thinking about your own five weeks solo in Paris, or even five days, Larry's approach is worth borrowing: research heavily, track everything in a spreadsheet with priority levels, and leave room for detours. He left his passport at the hotel and carried a photocopy instead, which worked everywhere he needed ID. And he never felt unsafe, even in packed metro cars, which he actually considers safer than empty ones.
Listen to the Full Episode
Listen to the full conversation with Larry Rosenblum for all the details, including his take on the Picasso Museum, the etiquette of solo dining, and why the aparthotel kitchenette was worth having even though he barely cooked. And if you enjoy hearing real trip reports like this one, subscribe to Join Us in France so you don't miss next week's episode.
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TranscriptCategory: Paris