Paris Special Advice:
Due to recent terrorist attacks, we have updated our terrorist threat rating to “High“. Keep your vigilance high, and stay alert for the latest news. France, like a few other European countries, has been targeted by a number of terrorist attacks in the last years. Main targets tend to be urban areas with large crowds and dense public transport. Paris has been hit a few times in recent years. Unfortunately terror strikes blindingly.Paris
SafeAround will allow you to see on a map the city’s safest and most dangerous neighborhoods and areas, details on scams and other risks, as well as some useful travel advice.
SAFETY INDEX
Warnings & Dangers
OVERALL RISK : MEDIUM
Paris is an overall safe city. With a rating of 63.4%, it is ranked 58th out of 162 on the ranking of the safest and most dangerous cities.
PICKPOCKETS RISK : HIGH
As a top touristic destination, there is a high pickpocket risk in Paris. A few simple precautions will minimize your chances of being pickpocketed.
MUGGING RISK : LOW
Paris is a safe city regarding mugging and kidnapping risks, although some areas are best to be avoided at night.
SCAMS RISK : HIGH
There are a lot of scammers and con-artists trying to take advantage of tourists, particularly in large cities and around major landmarks in Paris. Be aware of “gold ring” tricks, fake petitions, groups of teenagers acting strangely or trying to distract you; and people offering help with your luggage.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : MEDIUM
There might be some risk while taking public transport in Paris.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : LOW
There are no natural hazards in Paris and in France overall, other than a few avalanche risks in the Alps.
TERRORISM RISK : HIGH
There is a high terrorist threat going on in the country; it is best to avoid very crowded areas and public demonstrations.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : LOW
Paris is generally very safe for women travelers.
WHAT TO DO?
Eiffel Tower
Paris’ iconic monument has two glitzy new glass pavilions on its revamped 1st floor housing interactive history exhibits. The tower is surrounded by open areas on both banks of the Seine, which take in both the 7e and 16e. Both are home to very well-heeled Parisians and some outstanding museums. The area attracts pickpockets and scammers, as seen on the map.Champs Elysées & Etoile
A dozen avenues radiate out from place de l’Étoile (officially called place Charles de Gaulle). First among them is av des Champs-Élysées. This broad, tree-shaded boulevard, the name of which refers to the ‘Elysian Fields’ (‘heaven’ in Greek mythology) links place de la Concorde with the Arc de Triomphe and is lined with luxury shops. There have been numerous reports of pickpocketting on the Champs-Elysées, and the area attracts dangerous crowds during the night.Louvre & Les Halles
Louis VI created halles (markets) for merchants who converged on the city centre to sell their wares, and for over 800 years they were, in the words of Émile Zola, the ‘belly of Paris’. Although the wholesalers moved out to the suburb of Rungis in 1971 (and were replaced by the soulless subterranean shopping mall Forum des Halles, currently undergoing a major makeover), the markets’ spirit lives on here. To the southwest is France’s first national museum, the incomparable Louvre. Pickpockets target people around the Louvre, and some gang fights happen at Les Halles.Montmartre
Famous for its nightlife (the Moulin Rouge is nearby in Pigalle) and for being a gathering point of writers and artists, the area of Montmartre is nowadays very lively. When it is crowded, pickpockets and scam-artists roam the area. The nearby zone of “La Goutte d’Or” can be very dangerous at night and is best avoided.