Where can I find information on Paris' safety?

Show all answers

Rillifane

Quote the statement of the American State Department:

"France is a relatively safe country. The majority of crime directed against foreign visitors, including Americans, involves pick pocketing and residential burglaries. Visitors to congested tourist sites like museums, monuments, train stations, airports and subways should be particularly alert to their surroundings. Crimes against visitors are generally non-violent crimes of opportunity unless the victim detects the theft and physical confrontation occurs.

Crime in Paris is similar to most large cities, BUT VIOLENT CRIME IS UNCOMMON the heart of the city." (emphasis supplied)

The central part of Paris, where tourists will stay and sight see is expensive and middle class or wealthier. The poor are largely relegated to the outskirts of the city and to dreary suburban housing projects. These can fairly be said to be dangerous but the center has very little violent crime.

I have walked to my hotel from a night out at 3 or 4 AM in Paris on hundreds of occasions over the years and never felt the slightest concern despite the fact that I'm a native New Yorker and have a finely developed sense of urban paranoia.

S J

http://www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr/documentation/reportages/liaisons_81/actualite.pdf

It's a document from the "prefecture" which is the instituion supervising police in Paris.
You can also check the website.

http://www.parisinfo.com/
The officicial tourism website, there is some tips about pickpocket and stuff about security.

Everything isn't perfect in Paris, but you don't have to worry more about your safety here than were you live I think.

Rengim

You're going with your 20 year old cousin, he should let you go in my opinion. If your cousin is male he certainly has no reason to object. Well he does, he's a parent and Paris, to be honest, is not the safest city on the planet. I'm sorry I don't have sites to give you but I advise you to work hard on convincing him. Paris is not a city to miss.

Find a map of Paris, check all the touristic areas of the city and explain to him that you're not going to leave those areas and that they're actually safer than your hometown (Those areas are safer than NYC and DC combined). As a plus find the police stations in those areas, the tourism informations and everything else that's possible (restaurants, cafes, etc.). Find a hotel that's near those areas and that has a good reputation (try to afford it, they're not going to be cheap). A quick google search will help you or buy one of those Eyewitness Travel guides, they're the perfect companion when you're traveling to a city you're unfamiliar with (The Paris one is pretty thick). This will make you look determined (But if you're dad is strong willed he may get angry if that's the case than you'll tell him you bought it out of interest or borrowed it from a friend or something). Also try to tell how much this cultural experience will help you with a future carrier you're thinking of. Prove to him you're mature enough, hey you're thinking about a carrier what could be more mature?

I went to Paris by myself when I was 16 (though we had lived there for a year when I was small and I had a friend there) and I assure you if you're going there purely on a cultural visit your dad has nothing to worry about. But you have to make things concrete for him. A few years ago, when I was 17 we went on a train tour of the Balkan area with two friends (they were both boys, usually the presence of a boy with you makes your parents relax a bit more). My parents were totally against it, I was going to pass through some shaky areas (Kosovo) but I did some research I found good hotels, I put the train tickets on hold (didn't pay them, invisible reservation) contacted the consulates in the cities we were going to and seeing how prepared I was for the trip they eventually let me go (we had a blast if you're wondering).

It's normal, he's a parent and he's leaving you alone so I don't think a website or news article will help you, you need to convince him yourself. It's not just the safety that bothers him, the safety is just an excuse to say no (partly), you'll be crossing the Atlantic without him, that's what's hard on him :) Even if he's a tough cookie, all fathers have difficulties denying something to their daughters, just find his soft spot :) And hey, maybe he can come with you?

Good luck!

talondora

He's a parent, Honey. Don't bother trying. With terrorist precautions each airport is doing and concerns about crime and being an American abroad, it isn't safe for anyone let alone someone your age. I am with your Dad.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: