Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Safety in Paris

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I have been traveling to France every year since 1989 and have never felt unsafe either walking around at night or using the metro. However, I have never strolled the 18-20 arrondissements at night. I usually stay in the 6th, 7th or 16th. I have been living in downtown Chicago for the past six years and Paris is definitely safer. Enjoy your trip and be sure to have a falafel sandwich at l'As du Falafel on the rue des Rosiers in the Marais.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jars50 (Post 17296747)

I have been traveling to France every year since 1989 and have never felt unsafe either walking around at night or using the metro.

My first trip was 2004 but my first solo trip was 2016. I've never felt unsafe either, walking around Paris at night. I walk as far as I want to walk and then take a taxi back.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e9e1c28817.png
First night in Paris - out the door, walking. Dec. 2016. The first photo - of a dog in front of a store - happened to be OO's favorite store. I returned to shop the next day and now it's one of mine.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f1c1850e74.png
Walked to the Louvre and then caught this "taxi" to the Galeries Lafayette
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...434939a27c.png
Walked down the Champs-Élysées, visiting the Christmas markets. The bottom three photos are from the vintage Citroën tour. Everything else is walking.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f1ec3e384b.png
Pre-dawn walk, Oct. 2019.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...66697a509c.png
Windmills and sunset at the Hotel Terrass. Drinks with a Fodorite.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd2d356162.jpg
Stepped out of a taxi - meeting a FB friend for dinner - and this was the view. After dinner we strolled around the Eiffel Tower and I think I walked all the way home. Maybe a taxi for part of it. I don't remember.

lparro, whatever you do, get out and enjoy the City of LIght at night. It is gorgeous!
And safe.

I guess this has become a trip report ???

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerouac (Post 17296681)

However, line 69 is a perfect example of how complicated some bus lines can be for tourists since different directions are often in completely different streets.

Bus 69 map | RATP

I used to love these maps, now I tend to use the app, but would love to find these maps again. thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by swandav2000 (Post 17296648)

Respectfully disagree. The ratp.fr website/app has good maps of the bus lines. Just find a line that is close/ish to your start and end points! If you need to walk a bit from either start or end point, I think that's not a huge problem -- many times you are walking a lot for a metro correspondence. Once you find the bus line that fits your plan, you can get a map of that line, and drill down to find an enlarged map of where the bus stop is. It truly is easy, and to me, a much more pleasant way to travel.

One of my favorite pre-trip obsessions is finding the lines that I'll be using from a new accommodation, and locating the bus stops that are nearby (I usually make a Google map of the bus stops I'll be using). And, yes, some lines (69) are particularly good for overviews of the city.

s

I'm a bit late to this party but I just want to throw in my support for using the bus to be able to see what you're "missing" along the way. Google maps provides detailed plans, and unlike the buses of old, they tell you the name of each stop as you head toward it inside rather than having to guess or ask someone. I always hated that part. But yes, scope out your return trip before you set out, as Kerouac says; we fell into that rabbit hole once. And for longer distances, the Metro is more practical.

Quote:

Originally Posted by janisj (Post 17296872)

I guess this has become a trip report ???

????

Photos of solo walking in Paris at night?

Hmmm,,,,

We've always taken the Metro, with no worries -- easy to read map, good connections. I do agree that it's less easy to cognitively "connect" the various areas of the city to each other.

Love the idea of the night city tours!

Quote:

Originally Posted by annw (Post 17297046)

Love the idea of the night city tours!

My mom used to take those in every city she visited. Remember the Grayline tours? It's an easy way to get around and photograph landmarks at night. We took one in NYC in 1990 and I remember the awe as we got out at Lincoln center. We took one via Viator in Rome and it was so easy to be zipped around in the city by charter bus and then only a few steps away from the Trevi fountain. Love them! The one in Paris, was special though. Being zipped around in a vintage car with champagne. Sweet!