Disclaimer: The more accurate title of this blog post should be “How to Plan a Bachelorette Party Wherever You Are—But Paris is Always a Good Idea.”
The goal of this blog post is to help any bride in the early stages of thinking about her bachelorette party abroad, and maybe thinking about Paris, France. I did 95% of the planning for my own bachelorette getaway—this is because I lived in Paris on and off for two years. I speak French well enough to get by in most social situations and understand enough cultural do’s and don’ts to stay under the radar while also having a great time.
If you are serious about considering a bachelorette party abroad—especially in a metropolitan city—I highly recommend taking preparations seriously. Learn about the culture and language; travel with those you trust the most; turn location sharing on with the group; and always be aware of where you are and what is happening around you.
Planning a bachelorette party is already enough work.
If you’re unsure that international travel may not be for you and your group, then stay closer to home or head to a familiar destination.
- Why Choose Paris, France for a Bachelorette Party
- What to Consider While Planning a Bachelorette Party in Paris, France
- Are Bachelorette Parties Common in Paris?
- How much does it cost to have a bachelorette party in Paris, France?
- What’s the best way to book accommodations and activities for a bachelorette party in Paris?
- Should I book dinner reservations in advance, even if we’re going to Paris during the off-season?
- Do I need to bring Euros with me?
- Is tipping expected while dining out in Paris, France?
- Is there an easier way to split restaurant bills and expenses throughout the trip?
- What are the things that we absolutely must do while visiting Paris, France?
- What’s the best way to plan each day in Paris?
A bachelorette party is supposed to be a celebration of the bride.
For anyone who has ever been on a bachelorette trip—or gotten drinks with a girlfriend who recounted her experience like a low-key horror film—the trip is usually never about the bride. Literally everyone except the bride, in most cases.
Imagine throwing together friends from different eras of your life.
Your hometown friends, whom you’ve known since 6th grade (or earlier) and survived high school with. Different personalities and interests, but bound by the common thread of being stuck in the same suburban town and having dreams of being elsewhere.
Your college friends, whom you met freshman year and spent four years together navigating how to launch a new phase of life. Different backgrounds, different majors—thankfully, similar taste for sharing a decent bottle of champagne—but tied together by making the decision to choose the same place to grow.
Your friends who you met while studying abroad, waking up early to take the métro to class, and staying up late in Le Marais. Your friends who you met at work, trauma-bonding over inefficient processes and micromanagement.
While all of these amazing friends get along with the main character—you, the bride—it does not mean that all of these amazing friends will magically get along with each other.
Everyone will try to do their best to get along with each other for however long the bachelorette trip lasts.
But the expectation that all of these people from various periods of your life will be on the same wavelength—through varying degrees of naïveté, stupidity, cleverness, recklessness (whoops), euphoria, hysteria, and, in my case, absolute garbage dumpster fires that have grown unreasonably more intense at each turn—is not terribly realistic.
So. The best way to manage the situation—to mitigate any issues that may arise and to avert a Bravo-worthy episode—is to plan accordingly.
Why Choose Paris, France for a Bachelorette Party
After that entire soliloquy, why on Earth would someone put themselves in a situation like this and then take it abroad to Paris?
That’s a good question.
In my case, each group of friends—high school, college, work—had suggested going to Paris for my bachelorette in their own way and on several different occasions.
And on each occasion, I held my breath. While it was a logical suggestion—given my personal affinity and history—it seemed like it was way too much to ask.
“A bachelorette in Paris. Isn’t that a bit much?”
I wanted to consider more reasonable options. Nashville, Austin, Scottsdale, and Las Vegas were out of the question. Savannah? Could be cute, but I wasn’t enthralled with the idea enough. Charleston? Maybe, but expensive. Napa or California wine country? Maybe, but that would be even more expensive.
Miami? Puerto Rico? Mexico? Did I really want to get drunk on a beach for my bachelorette when I could do that on any other vacation? I’m not even a big tequila or beer drinker.
I mulled over it for months. If I were going on a trip with some of my closest friends, then it would only make sense if we went somewhere special.
It was my friends who encouraged me to choose Paris—so to Paris we went.
What to Consider While Planning a Bachelorette Party in Paris, France
Are Bachelorette Parties Common in Paris?
No. While there’s more of an awareness, it’s not a common occurrence at this time.
In French, a bachelorette party is called an “EVJF” [pronounced AY-VAY-JAY-EFF], which stands for “l’enterrement de vie de jeune fille” and literally translates to “burial of a young woman’s life.”
I would not recommend parading around Paris with feather boas and tiaras or bringing phallic décor to public establishments. Coordinated outfits are more than enough.
Celebrating a bachelorette party in Paris, France is an amazing experience—it just may not be as loud or as crazy as a typical bachelorette party in Miami or Austin.
How much does it cost to have a bachelorette party in Paris, France?
Before we get to the cost breakdown, consider the time of year of booking, the type of accommodations, and the overall budget considerations of the group.
Here’s an example of what we ended up spending for a group of 6 people who went in February 2025:
| Expense | Total Cost | Cost Per Person (if applicable) |
| Apartment Rental, 5-night stay | $3,824 | $637 | $127 per night |
| Group Photoshoot, 1 hour | $325 | $54.17 |
| Louvre Tickets | $110 | $18.33 |
| Seine River Cruise | $100 | $16.66 |
| Dinner, 5 nights | $1,500 | $250 (average) |
| Cocktail Hour/Night Caps, 5 nights | $750 | $125 (average) |
| Breakfast, croissants and coffee, 5 days | $100 | $20 | $3 per day |
| Individual Public Transportation | $100 | $100 | $14 per day |
| Baggage Storage (Arrival, Departure) | $30 | $5 |
| $6,839 | $1,226.16 |
I had two friends book their flights in early November and spent less than $500 roundtrip. Meanwhile, I procrastinated until the month before and ended up spending $1,200.
I also didn’t include discretionary spending in the total since it can vary from person to person.
If you plan on spending more than 150 euros at registered retailers, you can submit for a VAT refund at the airport and get anywhere from 10-20% cash back on your purchase. This article in Condé Nast Traveler provides a great overview of how VAT refunds work in Europe.
Bottom line? For a 5-day bachelorette getaway in Paris, France—staying at a luxury vacation rental during the off-season and going to popular, moderately priced restaurants—expect to spend $1,900 – $2,750, flights included, excluding discretionary spending.
The cost of the trip can be significantly less or more depending on the amount spent on accommodations, restaurants, excursions, and flights.
I’m not going to say that this trip is inexpensive, but it’s arguably a higher value experience for what you get compared to other popular bachelorette destinations.
What’s the best way to book accommodations and activities for a bachelorette party in Paris?
I booked a gorgeous apartment with Merveil Paris, a vacation rental company that specializes in luxury apartments in great locations throughout Paris. Each apartment comes equipped with great amenities and responsive customer service throughout the stay. The company also offers additional services, such as private airport transfer, and can assist with booking excursions, if needed.
For most excursions, I booked through Viator.
For any museums, I would recommend buying tickets directly on their websites.
If you’re feeling totally overwhelmed, I would highly recommend working with a travel advisor.
Should I book dinner reservations in advance, even if we’re going to Paris during the off-season?
Yes, especially if you have a large group of over 6 people.
Be mindful of the cancellation policies to avoid being charged a fee.
Do I need to bring Euros with me?
Not necessarily. If you plan on buying inexpensive souvenirs or shopping at local markets, I would recommend having Euros on hand.
If you’re unable to order Euros from your bank ahead of time, you can always withdraw from an ATM while in France.
Most restaurants and retailers accept major credit cards.
Is tipping expected while dining out in Paris, France?
Generally no, with the exception of fine dining and groups, where 5-10% is appreciated.
Pre-COVID, it was not mandatory or culturally acceptable to leave a tip at a restaurant. If anything, leaving 1-2 Euros was sufficient if you had drinks outside on the terrace.
This custom has slightly shifted today. After years of American tourists being constantly told that tipping is not customary—and rising inflation—it’s recommended to round up to the nearest Euro or leave no more than 5-10%.
Is there an easier way to split restaurant bills and expenses throughout the trip?
One of my friends recommended using Splitwise and it saved us a lot of headaches.
We waited to settle up at the end of the trip, so that the final total considered all of the expenses and calculated the total net owed to each person.
What are the things that we absolutely must do while visiting Paris, France?
First, ask each person what they would like to see and do, then build the itinerary from there. This is so important to get everyone’s input to prevent any potential skirmishes that may arise if the group cannot agree on how to spend the time.
The itinerary also depends on how long you decide to stay in Paris. My friends and I stayed for five full days, bookended by a red-eye arrival flight and an afternoon departure flight. We took advantage of a national holiday, President’s Day, and found that it was less expensive to fly out the day after the holiday.
In any case, here’s a blog post that features a list of museums, walks, cafés, and restaurants.
What’s the best way to plan each day in Paris?
I would recommend one group excursion and one dinner reservation per day. This allows for plenty of free time to avoid feeling rushed and spend more time exploring together.
The beauty of Paris is being able to take your time and take in everything around you. Do not fill every single second of every single day. There’s no reason to create chaos if it can be avoided.
One of the most challenging things about traveling with a group of people is that not everyone wants to do the same thing—which is completely normal—but what is not normal is if anyone feels pressured or obligated to do something, and they don’t actually want to. Having free time built into the itinerary allows anyone to do something specific that may not fall under the group excursions, like spending more time shopping or visiting a niche museum.
Wake up slow.
Get dressed. Walk to the nearby café to bring back croissants and orange juice to the apartment.
Finish waking up with another espresso before heading out to explore.
Walk to Seine. Walk around the Louvre.
Have lunch. No rush.
Laugh over not being able to pronounce anything on the menu.
Another espresso.
Stop into a few stores—maybe you’ll find something, maybe you won’t.
Take in the golden light before sunset.
Stop at the lively bistro on the corner.
Raise a glass with your friends and celebrate!
Félicitations!
New England Parisienne 