My first time in Paris I was 22, on a photo assignment for a secret elopement for then-clients, now friends, who’d decided to get married in the city they’d talked about for years. It was also my first time traveling internationally alone, though I didn’t fully register that until I was standing outside Charles de Gaulle with a camera bag, a handwritten address, and no plan beyond the date and the neighborhood.

I’ve been going back at least once a year since, for client trips, property scouting, editorial work, and honestly, sometimes just because Paris in October is hard to argue with. What I’ve learned after more than a decade of returning is that the city changes: heavier crowds, harder reservations, more of the organized scams you’ll hear about near the tourist sites. But the thing it does to you? That hasn’t budged an inch. It slows you down. It makes the unplanned feel better than the planned. You’ll go home wondering why nowhere else feels quite right for a week.

Your hotels, transfers, and day-by-day itinerary are already handled. If private guides or experiences are part of your trip, you’ll find those confirmed in your itinerary documents. Consider this dossier the rest: the context and confidence to wander Paris on your own during the hours that are yours to fill. Want to add something through my concierge service, a restaurant reservation, a last-minute experience, a museum slot? Just reach out and I’ll take care of it.