Safety in Paris

[JT888]

How safe is it to travel to Paris? I understand there are many pickpockets in large cities. Is the crime rate getting worse recently in Paris? Do you feel safe when you walk in the street? Please comment if you have been there recently. Thanks.

 

 

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[dogs4fun]

Agree with previous post. I also love Paris and feel completely safe walking the city be it day or night. Regardless of the city visited, I carry my valuables (credit card, money, etc.) in a passport wallet worn cross body inside my shirt and have never had a problem with pickpockets (knock on wood).

[Got2Cruise]

Paris is safe. But because Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world, there are all sorts of scams aimed at tourists. It shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying this marvelous city.

[Host Bonjour]

The target of a pickpocket or petty criminal in ANY city flush with tourists is the distracted or careless visitor. A person is as likely to be caught off guard in a very busy American city (on mass transit or in a bustling plaza or street) as they would be likewise in many popular European capitols.

 

It’s always upon each individual to mind their valuables whenever in crowded places but ESPECIALLY when visiting somewhere new as of course will be necessary to look around more in order to navigate. This doesn’t mean you are an automatic victim - it just means while you’re looking for which street to go to, you also take notice of people around you - but don’t we all do this anyway, except maybe just quicker in familiar places? So in unfamiliar places the only difference is taking a bit more time to notice surroundings which we have mostly, because it’s holiday time.

 

I can’t think of a time when I didn’t feel more secure in Paris than I did in my home city, NYC. Paris always seemed to have no shortage of police, gendarme or soldiers in camo with big guns out in the open (took a bit of getting used to the big guns!) and so I thought “ok, they’re serious here!) and although the scams near Norte Dame were notorious- someone appproaches you for something- well, that they were notorious was helpful because one knew what was to be expected.

 

Now we have big guns on display in my city too but the world has changed. There are cameras and searches and announcements about left bags in every big place, Paris has been through what we have been through and their security is like ours. So I guess the thing is, if you will come to NYC, you can go to Paris. They even have shared intelligence on how to do this right because....well, it’s obvious. Not to stop pickpockets- that’s just common sense. We have many threads on the boards - check the Italy board - on particular wallets or money/passport holders that are slashproof worth a view.

 

It’s also just always savvy to have copies of your passport and any other important docs on your phone or tablet as it can help with obtaining replacements.

 

We understand having concerns about things not going well on a trip but overall, safety issues aren’t high on the list of problems. Every year France generally ranks number 1,2 or 3 as the most visited place in the world as a majority stop in Paris. If things weren’t going well, those numbers would tank. Feel good about your upcoming visit and enjoy every minute of beautiful, unforgettable Paris. Everything will be ok.

[Hlitner]

The OP's question can easily be expanded to nearly any popular travel destination in the world. There are some travelers (or those thinking about travel) that tend to focus on safety and they can easily find a reason to think any travel is no longer safe. Just consider major tourist centers in Europe and parts of Asia where there have been reported incidents against tourists (or locals). And then there are those that are concerned about the danger of flying, being on a ship, etc.

 

DW and I are very frequent international travelers (over 100 countries) who still travel over 6 months in most years. Friends have asked us if we are concerned about our personal safety and our answer is that it is a consideration but has not stopped us from any trip including trips to Egypt (fantastic), Tunesia, Turkey, etc. If one choses to obsess about safety they can probably find many good reasons to never leave their home (assuming that is safe) much less travel around the world.

 

To be honest, the part of the world that worries me more then Paris are some Caribbean islands :). Folks will cruise to islands like St Thomas and Puerto Rico without a thought...but question places like London, Paris, Istanbul, etc. I feel more comfortable walking the streets in Paris then I would in San Juan...especially after dark.

 

Can anyone guarantee it is safe to travel anywhere? Or course not. But if one uses some common sense and always is aware of their surroundings then they are likely to be fine in most places. Not everyone is suited to be a world traveler and I am not sure a few posts here on CC are going to reassure those who obsess on the safety issue. But I will tell the OP that my DW considers Paris her favorite city in the world and she would happily be walking Paris streets tonight if she could snap her fingers and be there.

 

Hank