If you’re planning a trip to Paris, read our useful guide on how to travel safely when you are there.
Is Paris a safe city: know before you go
A report by France’s interior ministry from 2024 found the number of crimes being reported to the police across France had increased across several categories – including theft, burglary and violent crime.
The total number of tourist arrivals to Paris, however, numbered around 30 million at the end of 2023, and the majority of these travellers face no issues at all. The risks tourists face in Paris are similar to those in any other European city. If you take safety precautions and do a little research in advance, you can minimise your chances of having any incidents while visiting one of the most romantic and captivating cities in the world.
Paris safety: Paris at night
Paris has a lively bar and club scene. If you’re going to sample the nightlife, you’ll definitely be heading out after dark. Most clubs don’t open until 10pm and many of them continue the party until sunrise. Late dinners, shows at the Moulin Rouge, boat tours down the Seine – there are any number of reasons you might need to stroll the cobbled streets after nightfall.
Tips for staying safe at night in Paris:
- Don’t walk the streets alone. If you are travelling back to your accommodation alone, get a car service, such as Uber or a taxi, or use public transport if you are travelling a short distance where stations will be busy and well lit.
- Don’t have valuables on display. Keep cash, phones and bags out of sight. Keep them inside coats if you have them, and don’t stand near doors with your phone out on the metro.
- Choose accommodation in a safe neighbourhood. Whether you like hotels or Air BnBs, the advice is the same. Choose one in a safe neighbourhood.
Stick to the busier, touristy streets. If it’s early evening or somewhere with a lot of tourist activity, such as around the Eiffel Tower, you can stroll around feeling pretty safe. If you’re leaving a club in the early hours of the morning, it is likely more advisable to avoid the walk and hop in a car service, like you probably would at home.
Paris Safety: solo female travellers
Whilst everyone should remain vigilant when they explore new places, women who are travelling alone face additional risk. Sexual assault in France made headlines across the world in 2024 with the trial of Dominique Pelicot, which, while in a different area of France, exposed the prevalence of sexual assault in even a small town. It also exposed attitudes towards women who report sexual assault.
Tips for solo female travellers in Paris:
- Stay in well-reviewed accommodations. If you’re staying in a hostel, choose a single-gender dorm or a private room with a lockable door. If staying in a hotel, try to choose one in a safe, busy neighbourhood and keep your room locked even when inside.
- Be wary of overly-friendly strangers. Often the point of travelling alone is to make friends and learn through new experiences, but women travelling alone need to be careful. If someone’s behaviour seems a little too insistent or enthusiastic, it’s best to create some boundaries. The film Taken came out several years ago now, but it’s still possibly the greatest warning for not sharing cabs or details about where you’re staying with friendly strangers, especially in Paris.
- Stay vigilant. Don’t accept drinks from strangers or leave your drinks unattended, share your location with friends and/or family back home, and try to figure out your routes to and from places in advance to reduce the risk of getting lost.
The British Government has advice for female travellers in Paris who need to report a sexual assault. If this happens to you and you want to report it, you can contact the emergency services on 112 or the British embassy in Paris on 00 33 114 513 100. You can also contact our 24/7 medical advice line for medical support.
Paris safety: where to stay
As already mentioned, a key decision for any keen explorer is where to stay. Do you want to be in the heart of the tourist-y action, with its buzzy nightlife and attractions? Are you looking for a more authentic Parisian experience? Do you want to be based slightly outside the main city where accommodation is likely more budget-friendly?
The top neighbourhoods to stay in Paris:
Champs Elysee in the 8th arrondissement – one of the safest and most central areas of Paris. Risks here include pickpocketing and theft. You can stroll down to the Arc de Triomphe, depart for many river cruises, stroll around boutique shops or read a book in one of the many wonderful cafes.
The 3rd and 4th arrondissements – a trendy area with medieval vibes, the Louvre straddles both arrondissements, with Notre Dame located in the 4th. You have more budget-friendly hotel and hostel accommodations to choose from, the trendy and vibrant area of Le Marais is LGBT friendly.
The 5th and 6th arrondissements – popular with families, there’s plenty of things to do with younger children. Napoleon dedicated one of the city’s beautiful parks to children – Jardin du Luxembourg. Orchards, pony rides, puppet shows and a wonderful carousel make this a must-visit for families.
Once you’ve decided on your neighbourhood, there’s one more choice. Hotel or apartment
It’ll likely depend on how you travel. With hotels and apartments now of similar(ish) prices when you consider the fees, often it comes down to preference.
Hostels are slightly different. Frequented by solo or younger travellers, you can check out their reviews online to make sure you’re staying in the right place for you. HostelWorld has over 90 hostels you can consider just in Paris.
Paris safety: getting around
The metro in Paris has been getting a bad rap on social media sites lately, with footage of pickpockets, phone thefts and odd behaviour from riders going viral. It can be off-putting to tourists, but the metro is a quick, convenient and cheap way to get around attractions and to and from the airport.
If you can, travel in groups, keep valuables out of sight and use mapping apps to make sure you know the best route – Citymapper is a great one for getting around. Some of the trains are now automated, which means fewer staff around, but you can find staff in the stations if you need help.
Uber is available in the city. The usual advice applies: make sure the car you get into is yours by having the driver confirm your name (don’t do it for them), make sure the licence plate matches your app, and use the uber ‘share journey’ feature to let someone know your route and where you are.
Tips for travelling safely around Paris:
- Do not flash your valuables or carry large amounts of cash. Be careful when using your phone – thieves may snatch phones and run off.
- Walk popular, well lit routes. Especially at night. Map your journeys in advance and take a photo so you can follow maps offline in case your data package runs out.
- If you’re travelling alone, make sure someone back home has a copy of your itinerary and is expecting you to check in.
Paris safety: Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing in Europe is a crime that has gained increased international attention, again thanks to social media. Several accounts show how easy it is for pickpockets to swipe valuables, while others follow actual pickpockets around and expose them with shouts of ‘pickpocket’ in the local language.
According to research by QuoteZone, all five of the most prevalent sites for pickpocketing in France are in Paris. At 251 per million people, it’s the second highest country for pickpocketing.
It’s a crime that’s on the rise as tourism returns to pre-lockdown rates. Crowds are once again providing the necessary cover for thieves and pickpockets to operate. It can be a particularly inconvenient crime – with payment methods, route planners and much more stored on our phones, for them to go missing can be devastating – and costly – to your holiday. Similarly, cash is almost impossible to replace.
Tips to prevent pickpocketing:
- Keep your valuables out of sight. Keep them in cross-body bags or in inside pockets of coats and jackets. Don’t keep your phone out or in a back pocket.
- Stay alert in crowded spaces. Be wary of people who come up to you asking for directions or who stand too close to you.
- If possible, keep ID documents and a back-up payment card locked in your room safe. That means even if your bag/wallet is lifted, you’ll still have identity documents and a way to pay for things.
Paris safety: Scams
There are several types of scams targeting tourists in Paris.
- Street scams – Whether the intention is to aggressively sell you a cheap good at an inflated price (such as rings, other ‘lost’ jewellery they’ve just found, or roses) or to distract you (by tying a woven bracelet around your wrist or asking for directions) so someone else can steal from your pockets, if someone approaches you in a busy crowd and stands too close, you can firmly say no, cross your arms/secure your valuables and walk away. Sometimes people will pose as lost tourists and be carrying maps – while they place the map on your table or at your chest level, they’ll take your phone or bags.
- Restaurant scams – some establishments will pad your bill, especially if the check is quite large or you were drinking and may have lost track of rounds. Review pricing and try to keep track of your bill in your head so you have a rough idea of how much it should be. Don’t be afraid to query items that seem out of place.
- Performance scams – Paris’ street performers have an incredible reputation. Many of them are legitimate entertainers, but some are scammers. They will approach you without a performance, encourage you to take a photo with them, and then aggressively demand a lot of money as payment. If people approach you, you can refuse firmly. Don’t stop moving and just keep going, and don’t take a picture with people in the street.
Paris safety: General tips
There are some things you can do to make your trip easier.
- Learn emergency numbers – in Paris, 112 will connect you to the emergency services.
- Write down the address of where you’re staying and keep it separate from your phone. Keep some cash, a back-up card and your identity documents locked in the safe in your room so you have a back up if you are pickpocketed.
- Learn a few French phrases. Although many people will speak English, it’s helpful to learn some phrases, such as ‘can you help me’, ‘do you speak English’ and ‘do you know the way to…’.
- Always check the government website for safety advice. The Government can advise you about the risk of terrorism and civil unrest. Civil unrest, although largely political and peaceful, can be dangerous at night and pockets of violence can erupt, such as during the four-month-long pension protests in 2023.
- Buy your Travel cover. You can use your Travel Insurance for Paris to cover medical emergencies, lost or stolen documents, gadgets, luggage and cash. What your policy covers is up to you, but the right policy is a vital part of travelling safely.