Hello everyone !
After having red many things about dangerous places to avoid in Paris as a tourist, I decided to give my own advices. I%26#39;m french, and I was born in Paris suburbs. I%26#39;ve past almost all my life in Paris agglomeration, and I know Paris city as my own pocket.
First of all, Paris city is globaly a very safe city. The main annoyances you can risk here are pickpockets in touristy areas, or scams you can avoid if you%26#39;re just a bit smart. In outline, exactly the same annoyances than in most big cities of the western world. The risk of being mugged is almost non-existent during the day and very low (and restricted to a very few places I will talk about lower) at night.
That said, let me give you some specific details.
Paris itself is a quite big delimited area, that count more than a million souls. Outside Paris you have a belt of many cities that forms the Paris suburbs. Paris + suburbs = nearly 9 millions people.
In Paris itself, there are places a little bit more insecure than others. You have to keep in mind that all the city is very safe, but those areas a bit less. That%26#39;s the way you have to look at it, don%26#39;t misunderstand and don%26#39;t think that Paris is globaly unsafe, but that a few places are fine. Here are the few places you may want to avoid during your stay:
• Northern 18th and 19th district at night, around Marx Dormoy, Porte de la Chapelle, La Chapelle, Porte de Clignancourt, Porte de la Villette. Montmarte is very safe day and night. Pigalle is safe too, there%26#39;s a lot of tourists and police there, but maybe you can feel disturbed by the sex shops if you go there with kids.
• The very delimited area of Gare du Nord / Gare de l%26#39;Est at night (10th district).
• Around Châtelet les Halles at night (1st district). I personnaly think this place very secure, but you may feel alert because of the emtyness of the streets, or a few young people from suburbs hanging out.
• Some blocks around %26quot;Porte de Montreuil%26quot; station (20th district, Saint Blaise neighborhood) at night.
Paris is no longer what it used to be. 15 years ago, unsafe places were more spread through the city. Lots of things have changed. Prices rised a lot, and poor people were forced to live outside Paris by the forces of the economy. Some whole areas hugely changed. Places like Stalingrad, Bastille, Place des fêtes, Oberkampf, Place de Clichy, Place d%26#39;Italie, Mouffetard, that were known to be working classes areas turned to be much more fancy now. Of course, most of the authenticity and original charm of those neighborhoods disappeared the same way. Police is also there to keep it this way.
Let me give you a few tips to feel confortable during your stay and if you don%26#39;t want to be seen as a tourist at 100 meters around. First, the basics, don%26#39;t show your camera all the time, don%26#39;t speak loudly in your own language (in the metro for example). Secondly, observe people and the way they look. Try to dress yourself like a local. Fill up your bag with as less things as you need. There%26#39;s nothing more %26quot;touristy%26quot; than a full 30 liters backpack on your back all day long. Relax too, no need to look like you%26#39;re lost anywhere you go, with a big map in your hands. Walk, ask locals for the direction, smile, and you%26#39;ll find your way very easily. If you observe those few basic advices, people won%26#39;t stare at you and the contact with people will be much more pleasant.
During your walks in the city, you may encounter around a corner some young people you may think they are delinquents. Maybe because the guys speaks loud, are in group, and seems immigrants, you may feel you%26#39;re in danger. Don%26#39;t be afraid, most of the times, those are just kids hanging out, sometimes unpolite but not necesseraly violent. Be cool if they come to you asking for a cigarette or else, smile and be polite. If you feel something suspicious, just walk away. If you do so, what you risk is some unpleasant words, but they will let you walk.
If you meet someone drunk, avoid him, swith sidewalk, no one knows what a drunk guy can do, everybody knows that.
Let%26#39;s speak a little bit more about the suburbs. You will miss a big part of Paris if you just don%26#39;t go outside its limits. Try downtown Saint Denis, Montreuil or Ivry sur Seine which are beautiful and authentic. Medias have recently stigmatised Paris suburbs, in France as well as abroad. Paris suburbs are very heterogeneous. Most of them are calm, quiet and safe, but some are truly dangerous, you have nothing to do there, but running at problems. Mainly, avoid projects areas outside Paris. The most dangerous places are far from Paris, there%26#39;s no chance that you%26#39;ll find yourself in the middle of it. Avoid the two woods Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne at night too.
Well, I hope this post will help you during your stay in Paris, or better, decide you to bring there !
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Huggz, I commend you for giving this sober and very nuanced description. Thank you !
Some people worry too much and then miss a range of lovely, interesting places in Paris, e.g. in the 19th and 20th arrondissements. On the other hand we also need to face some very unpleasant facts and act sensibly - but without scaring each other to death.
You managed to keep this very difficult balance.
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Thanks Gittek !
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Great review ... Thanks
France and Paris have very few killings by guns each year - unlike the US.
I feel safe in Paris but always watch my surrondings.
I%26#39;ve been to France many times never mugged. I did see within 6 inches from me, in the metro, a guy with a wine knife under his coat .. being prepared to cut a purse strap and run. I starred him down being prepared for anything and he left the car.
Just pay attention to the people around you and watch being %26quot;bumped%26quot; with the people bumping you being very apologentic.
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Thanks, Huggz -- a very fair and balanced description.
the good news is, a tough neighborhood in Paris (and environs) looks like a tough neighborhood nearly anywhere -- graffiti, things look run down, lots of people just hanging out on the street...
If you%26#39;ve ever been in a big city before, you know exactly what I mean.
Keep your wits about you, and trust your instincts. Paris is safer than most cities its size...but it doesn%26#39;t mean that it%26#39;s all benign.
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I live in Paris too and do not quite agree with your vision of things.
First of all, as a tourist, and especially a first time tourist, one should not go to the areas by peripherique and doors/portes unless accompanied by a local.
Staying in busy places, animated streets is a smart move.
The rest is also a question of luck...
A woman looking very chic in the 7th or 16th arrondissement, walking around with shopping bags from designer stores, is more likely to be a target than a tourist with a heavy backpack.
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I think the general rules you would apply for any city would apply for Paris. It%26#39;s no more unsafe/safe than any other large city in the world. Of course, you do have a lot of people who travel to Paris who haven%26#39;t been to a lot of big cities, so they naturally have a paranoia. It%26#39;s nice to see posts like this that remind us that common sense is more or less all you need to stay safe in Paris, or anywhere else, for that matter.
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Hi, thanks for posting your comments. It%26#39;s good information for visitors as every city has its bad areas. The major metropolitan city where I live gets yearround visitors some of who have inadvertently wandered into unsafe neighborhoods resulting in not only robbery but fatalities.
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Thanks for all the detailed info. I am trying to determine if the neighborhood around the Tati store is one to avoid. I have read a lot about Tati and would like to go when I%26#39;m there in November. This will be my 4th time (only) in Paris, and I am trying to map out a plan that includes getting a bit off the beaten path. I want to be inclusive but not too naive. Thanks so much.
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re. Tati stores. Those places are ok and always full of clients.
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