Is Paris Safe to Visit? Safety Advice for Paris

We went to Paris. Today we’re going to talk about safety advice for visiting Paris. Because one of the questions we get quite often is, is Paris safe to visit?

Yes, Paris is safe to visit. We’ve come here probably 20 times with our kids and grandparents by ourselves. We’ve had a fantastic time, and we have not felt unsafe when you’re here. But you need to realize this is a big city.

There are lots of tourists, and when there’s a big city, there are lots of tourists. There are some things that you need to consider when dealing with crime. I think the thing that scares tourists the most when they come here is probably getting robbed. They’re worried about pickpockets, okay? I won’t lie to you—there are pickpockets here in Paris, and there are probably two spots you really need to focus on the most to look out for pickpockets.

1. Tourist Sites (Is Paris Safe to Visit) 

Any tourist site that has a lot of tourists is going to be a site where they’re going to work, and two, the metro is okay. So, if you’re going to be going into the Louvre and you see a lot of people taking in the Mona Lisa or any of the sites, you’ll notice there are actually signs in the Louvre saying to be aware of pickpockets.

They do work there because they know you’re so interested in looking at the Mona Lisa that you don’t notice when their hand slips in your back pocket or your front pocket or whatever. Okay, that can also happen at any of the sites. You’re going to the Art to Triumph, and you’re there looking at things like the Eiffel Tower. Just be extra cautious whenever there are a lot of tourists.

2. Metro (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

Now, on the metro, the most important time to pay attention when you’re on the metro is when you’re getting on and off the metro train. Because if you’re getting on and off, that’s what you’re really focused on. We got to get off here. We got do we have like let’s go, or we got to get on let’s go, and they know that so that’s when their hand slips in your pocket or and then the doors close they’re either in the car with your wallet.

 They’re outside the car with your wallet, so do be extra careful and actually vigilant going in and out of the metros. Also, I will say that when you put your ticket in to go into the metro, some people might try to follow you, and sometimes you think they want to get in for free. Well, no, sometimes they’re going for your back pocket.

That actually happened to my dad, and the cops literally jumped over the things and grabbed the girls who did it to my dad. they dropped everything on the ground like oh, we don’t have it, so you can’t get it. So we ended up going on our way, and I don’t know whatever happened to those girls that take part in my dad, but it’s one of those things you really need to consider.

When you’re here now, it’s not a huge problem, but do be aware, you know, use your money belt, keep your wall in your front pocket, and those usual things that are going to be helpful. Another thing you have to think about

3. Scams in Paris (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

When you come to Paris for safety, there are scams. I really recommend you watch out for one: the petition scam. People will approach you and ask you to sign a petition. Are you against nuclear war? Of course, we are, but I don’t just stay away from the petition scammers.

If anyone tries to tie anything on you or your kids, just be like, no, just walk away. If they try to give you something like, oh, did you lose this ring, or would you like this flower? Just walk away. Okay, another thing. I think for the safety of your money, I’ve seen a lot of people doing the cup scam.

Where is it like, oh we, re’s the ball in the cups? I was up by Soccer Core yesterday. I was just watching people just lose money after money, okay because you’re never going to win that game. So, it’s kind of a safety thing, but I think the most important safety thing is the thing that actually gets most of the tourists in terms of ending up in the hospital.

4. Crossing the street (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

When you come to Paris, it is crossing the street look. Paris is infamous for the driving or crazy driving crazy parking and people in the honking and all kinds of stuff and you as a tourist remember. Your magic fanny pack does not protect you from that Peugeot that’s driving too fast down the road. You need to make sure you’re always looking both ways.

You may think it’s a one-way street, but it might not be okay, so that’s one of the big things there and one of the biggest traffic faux pas and cross-walking faux pas that happened in Paris. Look, if you’re going to go to the Arctic Triumph, you know it’s in the middle of the world’s largest traffic circle. You do not cross the road to get onto it. There are steps you go down and underneath the traffic circle to come up at the art to Trump. You don’t try to walk across; I mean, every time.

I go there, and there’s some fool trying to go through it. That’s a good way to get yourself in the hospital. When you are here, okay, so don’t do that now. This is another safety thing that people kind of get worried about when they come to France.

5. Strikes (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

In general, there are strikes, industrial actions, or protests. My advice is if you’re going to be going, just be aware. If there are any strikes or protests going on, stay away from them. You don’t know what the protest is for. You might be for the protest. It’s best to stay away from those if you are a tourist because we’ve been here, you know, when there have been protests going on, and we’ve had to walk through them.

It was fine, but it’s best to avoid those things if you know strikes are going to happen. They usually announce that the trains are going to go on strike. Air. France is going to have issues, and those things get planned around, so just be aware of it now anywhere you travel, obviously.

6. Pickpockets (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

You have to worry about nefarious folks out there, and yes, there are scammers in pickpockets, but anytime you go out, especially late at night, be aware of your surroundings. You know, if there’s a group of guys over there and you don’t feel comfortable walking by them, don’t cross the other side of the street; turn around and go the other way just so you’re feeling more comfortable.

Because you know what, just like in New York, just like where I live, there’s a group of people who look like they’re up to no good; they might be up to no good now. Another important safety factor is when you’re going to get your cash out.

If you’re going to go to an ATM here in France or in Paris, you’ll see they’re all over the place. Okay, now, one thing. I want to tell you, and this is a security thing for your money, if you’re going to be using an ATM, you know, always cover up when you put in your pin number.

7. ATM Security (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

If they ask you, say would you like us to convert this to dollars already never take the conversion. Just say I want euros. I declined the conversion. Let your bank back home, dude, do that. Need the atm to do that. That’sthat’s one thing also. You’ll notice there will be beggars that might be by the atm that will be watching, and they might want to ask for money.

So, if you don’t feel comfortable, go inside a bank to use an ATM. I just want to give you a heads-up for that because I’ve seen a lot of people feeling kind of accosted right after they go to the ATM. So I want to give you a heads-up for that now, another safety issue. You need to realize.

8. Luggage (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

If you come to Paris, your safety issue is your luggage. You should not bring too much luggage when you come here because if you’re going to be using the metro or the trains, having a lot of luggage doesn’t work. There’s only a little overhead space to put your bags. There’s only a little space to put things on the metro; you know there’s packed in there.

They’re smaller trains, which can be a safety issue because you don’t have a lot of space for everything. If you’ve got all that luggage and with all these cobblestones, it can be troublesome because I’ve seen a lot of tourists that are trying to get their bangs with all these cobblestones and a wheel brakes off, so do be aware.

9. Walking in Cobblestones (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

Safety is also you’re important. You’re walking here, and all those cobblestones are worn. Good shoes are made for lots of walking. Walking on cobblestones to kind of save your feet and ankles from any bad things happening to them, and one more thing with the trains. I will say if someone offers to help you get your luggage onto the train, if it’s the person going on the train, it’s okay, but know that you don’t want people to help with your luggage. So, do minimize the luggage when you’re coming here. There is some other safety advice. I think you need to realize that is one of the things that might get you hurt or run over, or pissed off.

10. Other Tourists (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

Actually, other tourists because when you go to really popular tourist spots. You will see people pushing and shoving, and some people get upset with that one of the big places. I see it in Versailles, where tour groups come through, and those tour guides do not care about anybody else except the people on their tours.

So, they will run you over and push you out of the way. We’ve had people shove our kids out of the way, such as the tour guides. so I will say be aware of the tour groups because they just take over the sidewalk. They’ll push you out of the way, so have a heads-up. If you’re in one of those tour groups, be polite with other tourists.

11. Eiffel Tower (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

If you are claustrophobic, I do not recommend going up the Eiffel Tower. How smooshed you get and how like it can be a bit much. I’ve gone up with people that we only got one floor up, and they freaked out. We actually walked down the steps because they couldn’t take all the people there. So that’s another safety thing to think about.

12. General Safety (Is Paris Safe to Visit)

• Your general safety advice, you know, like don’t walk with your backpack on your back when you’re.
• You know, going in the metro going up escalators, put your bag in front of you.
• Make sure you have copies of your documents on your phone or saved on google drive.
• Something like that in case your passport gets lost in case your tickets are lost. You have those things there uses the safe at your hotel.
• If you’re going to leave your passport at the hotel, have a copy of it with you in case you need documentation.