im a single dad travelling w kids ages 12 and 14 and wish to get opinions on the safest district to get a hotel...will be traveling in nov...been to paris b4 but never alone with the kids and never worried about the areas...thank you

And you shouldn't worry about the areas now, either.

Ages 12 and 14 are not going to be fascinated by places like the Luxembourg gardens for more than 25 minutes, so you can look just about anywhere that has a lot of activity and junky shops.

Also, that age group absolutely LOVE to take the metro, so the more you have to take it, the better.

There isn't any one safest district of Paris for kids or anyone else. If you've been there, you should know that. I'm not sure what you even mean by that, actually. Choose where to stay based on other considerations, there isn't any place you could probably come up with that would be remotely unsafe.

Hey Bb,
You are unnecessarily concerned. Stay anywhere in the 1-8 and the 15 (here the tourists tend to go).

Enjoy your visit.

Unless you're planning to camp out in the Bois de Boulogne, there is nothing about being in Paris with kids that's any different from being in Paris without them, in terms of safety. You'd have to work really, really hard to find a place that was unsafe by any standards. Just book an affordable hotel and enjoy.

What are they most interested in seeing and doing? I'd guess the Eiffel Tower and possibly climbing the stairs in Notre Dame. And perhaps the Seine cruise. I'd think about what you'll be doing and select a convenient neighborhood. They'd probably be happy to eat in cafes (french fries) rather than in special restaurants so I don't think that would be an issue.

If it were me I'd probably pick the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame and the Seine. Or a small hotel in the 7th near the Eiffel Tower.

Different kids like different things. For example, the 19th arrondissement has the Bassin de la Villette with cinemas, restaurants, skateboarding, pétanque, biking and lots of water activities during the day like kayaks and canoes. The Science and Industry museum is just a few minutes walk from there, and it is one of the best such places in the world.

Other kids would not be the least bit interested in all that.

Do your children have special interests?

thank you all...
christina...what i mean by that is when i arrive, or am about to arrive at my hotel in the dark after a day of sightseeing i wanted to know it'd be safe...yes, been there b4 but with adults and now with kids there are different considerations that i need not consider b4.....
ur responses were helpful....thank you...bill

Several years ago an Irish friend of mine took his two young innocent nephews to stay for a weekend near Pigalle. The two little boys aged 8 and 10 said to their uncle that there were lots of pretty ladies in Pigalle. Always gives me a laugh when I think it.

I have never heard a single report of adolescent tourist children being molested or kidnapped on a trip to Paris.

Can't imagine what you are worried about. These aren;t toddlers that are about to be stolen (not that that is a frequent occurance in Paris anyway) but tweens/teens who should be able to navigate Paris on their own given a Metro lesson and a carnet.

As long as you're staying in a decent hotel (and I don;t imagine you'll be in a rent by the hour place in the middle of a slum) you have no cause for concern.

(Our 11 and 14 year olds went shopping by themselves while we did a couple of galleries - and we met them again for dinner. Granted they were used to NYC subway - but you not talking small kids here.)

NYTRAVELER----I am SO glad you made this note...I am taking my 20 yrs old grand-dau to Paris 9/12 for a week. she is quite independent and has worked and lived on her own for 2 years--.Yet as a grandmother I was stressed about having her shop or just look around while I went to the d'Orsay..I am renting a phone for each of us (this is a perk from Trafalgar tours) for emergency use...I am worried about "trickey" --scam people--as she is quite a "people" person and could "fall" for a hard luck story..what type of things shoiuld I warn her about???

As tourists in Paris, my parents allowed me to go exploring all over the city by myself at age 15 while they did different things. No mobile phones back in those days.

Stressed out about a 20-year-old? That does seem a bit much.

But since you ask, she shouldn't pay any attention to anyone who stops her in the street to ask if she dropped a ring. She shouldn't go into Louis Vuitton and buy handbags for random Asian women who might ask her. She should mind her own business, walk with a purposeful gait, and guard her possessions.

traveler 24...although i started this post about the kids, i also mentioned i have been there b4....i actually grew up in brussels and duesseldorf, germany from 7th -12th grade.....i travelled alone/ with friends to many parts of europe at the young age...yes, no cell phones, etc....but that was ME...not my kids or your grand daughter...i grew up that way, and my children havent...so yes, there are things to watch for....some people in this blog are saying " just do it..just do it " and some are confused with why i posted this....maybe they dont have kids....but thank you for understanding my concerns...
when i was in paris 4 years ago the pick pocketing was rampant especially near sacre cour....

I think that is great you are taking your kids there. I would make sure you don't walk around with your passports or a lot of cash. I'm sure you will all have a great time.

It's hard for me to give advice on this - since things that seem obvious to me (and have sine I was a child )- don;t seem to occur to other people - who were raised to be "nice" rather than discriminating and safe.

the answer is simple.

Hang on to/watch you things at all times - that is ALL times - even in a hotel or restaurant.

Assume anyone who tries to befriend you has an ulterior motive (but perhaps not criminal in the case of a 20 year old woman) and don;t trust a thing they say.

If something seems too good to be true - it probably is.

And don;t believe any hard luck stories