Paris: The Safety Guide
Paris is generally a safe city. If you are in the city centre, you can walk around at night, just try to stay where there are street lamps and other people. There aren’t any unusual, sneaky laws to be wary of, either.
The biggest threat for tourists is pickpocketing and swindling. Always keep your wallet and phone deep in your bag or in an interior pocket. I have several friends who have had their phones stolen. If you’re on the metro and need to use your phone, take your phone out quickly, then put it back. I’ve seen a person grab someone’s phone from their hands and jump off the metro. I also had a friend who put his purse on his lap and someone grabbed it and ran off as the train was leaving. Hotspots for theft are in and around the metro, at train stations and in crowds or sidewalks with heavy foot traffic. If someone tries to sell you metro tickets, don’t take them, they’re fake. If someone tries to get you to sign something on a clipboard (usually saying it’s for a deaf organisation), don’t sign it. They sell your email to spammers and scammers. If someone tries to sell you €5 cigarettes, sure, you can buy them, but someone might bump into you at the same moment you take out your wallet and leave with either your phone or the wallet, or both.
If you're planning to visit Paris, check out our local guides for where to go.
