Cote d'Azur
 

Hi there,

A friend and I are travelling the Cote dAzur in September and have been reading about a couple of separate attacks and thefts at railway stations, especially around Ventimiglia. This is a place that we would love to visit, but we are concerned about safety. Can anyone advise please how safe it is to visit these places. Is crime really more prevalent here than in the rest of Italy?

Thanks
JMH

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty darn sure the Cote d'Azure is in France.

Maybe it's because I've been there several times.

Ventimiglia is in Italy and that's what she is asking about.

adrienne - that I understand. I've just never heard the Italian side called with a French name.

With the exception of the Mafia, crime is what you would expect in any size town or city in Italy.

http://mafiatoday.com/tag/ventimiglia/

There's always the immigrants to Western Europe.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-europe-13193336

When I was last in Florence, I had an interesting discussion with the local innkeeper, who talked about the Mafia sponsoring the immigrant scams and thefts. He wasn't a happy camper about it.

Oh well...She's not the only person who has a title that has nothing to do with the question. This is pretty prevalent on this board. Or the only person who has put the wrong tag on a thread.

I see this is fairly unfriendly forum perhaps I'll just leave it at that!

Ventmiglia is just over the border from the Cote d' Azur, about a mile from Menton. Perhaps the poster wants to visit from the French side. Sorry, dont' know anything about the town, however.

I find Ventimiglia shabby and unappealing. If you don't have a compelling reason to go there, I wouldn't bother. I suppose the market is of interest to some, as it's one of the best of its kind in that part of Italy, but I still wouldn't bother. I know nothing about recent crime there, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Hi Jillian. I find Ventimiglia somewhat shabby but not unappealing. I must not as I have been to that market twice the last two times I was on the Cote d"Azur. We traveled from Beaulieu Sur Mer by train. There were scads of people there on a Friday so I think it is safe to say that someone could be pickpocketed.
But I did not feel unsafe. Are you planning to go just to the market or will you visit the town? I was there morning and afternoon.
I just bought food the last time I was there. My friend bought all of the fake purses in the world it seemed like!