I have several very prominent Capricorn placements in my birth chart. Capricorns are stereotyped as stubborn, disciplined, and unrelenting over-thinkers, yet Capricorn is actually a “movable” sign and can be quite adaptable. Naturally, I plan my travel itinerary months down to a T – even my “downtime” is scheduled. My reservations have reservations. The idea of flying standby or wasting time in line for an attraction when I could have pre-booked a skip-the-line ticket– that to me, is scarier than any horror movie I’ve ever seen. But – sometimes you have to be spontaneous and let the spirit of the city possess you. Paris will have that effect on you whether you like it or not.

Surrender yourself to the city of lights. Abandon all preconceived notions. If the phenomenon of Paris syndrome tells us anything at all, it is that your Paris trip might not live up to your expectations, and it won’t if you set unrealistic ones. The sooner you accept it for what it is, the sooner you will fall in love with the place. The experience is yours to create and yours alone. Accept and embrace the cultural differences – if you want rapid service and forced smiles, just stay in the USA.

Going in with an open mind is truly the most effective way to combat the pitfalls of Paris syndrome. When things don’t go as planned, it’s the perfect time to embrace serendipity. I planned to tour The Catacombs (the accessible part, since I didn’t want the trip to turn into a literal horror movie), but the ONE time I forgot to book in advance, you can imagine what happened. I wanted to see the legendary home of the Phantom of the Opera – Palais Garnier, but it was closed for repairs during my stay. But if I had toured the opera house, then I probably wouldn’t have had time to visit the Musée du Parfum Fragonard that day.

Wander through Montmartre, retracing the footsteps of legendary artists. Scour every shop in Le Marais – so long as you don’t set any time limits. Skip the cheap booze cruise and just walk along the Seine, let it take you wherever you end up. Get lost in Pere Lachaise – I won’t hold it against you if you skip the ghost tour. Admittedly, I skipped it, and I ended up having a very profound spiritual experience of my own.

Yet, we only have so much time in a place like Paris – especially if you only get two weeks of vacation time, unlike the customary French “les grandes vacances” – eight whole weeks off in Summer. Some experiences do require advanced planning. Particularly for some of the most widely visited museums in the world, like the Louvre or the D’Orsay, that is, if you want to skip the line. It’s the only way to fast-track your way to that photo of all the other tourists taking a photo of the Mona Lisa. Seriously, if you’re going to plan a trip to the Louvre, at least have a look at everything else, there is so much more to the Louvre than the Mona Lisa. After a day at the Louvre, you might feel museum’ed out, but the D’Orsay must not be missed.

Versailles should always be booked in advance, whether you want transportation provided or find your own way there. If you do not wish to navigate the Paris metro system yourself, Tootbus will take you towards many attractions on your list. If you saw a certain restaurant on TikTok or Instagram, assume you need reservations. If you couldn’t snag that reservation, not all is lost. You will find somewhere just as good, if not better, entirely on your own. If you don’t feel like braving the line at that viral steak frites place, you’ll find phenomenal steak frites all over the city. If you don’t feel like braving the line at Mamiche, suck it up, it’s worth it. If all of that is entirely too stressful, opt for a food tour or dinner cruise.

Profoundly misunderstood? Put on an impossibly high pedestal? Everything that it’s supposed to be and so much more? That’s for you to decide. So book the flight, and keep the calendar open, but book the bucket list experiences in advance. All things considered, Paris is the loveliest place to be without a plan.