Upset about Paris...please help
 

Hi,

I need help. I am 41, a risk taker and have back packed through 14 European countries alone. I don't have much fear. With that said, I am to leave for Paris on Nov. 16th for a vacation. I have read EVERY post on this board, the bbc website, etc, since the riots began in Paris (Nov. 2?).
Now the police are "fanning out" near th Eiffel, the Champs, etc. I am beginning to FREAK OUT.
I am staying at the Hotel de Crillon out of pure fear that anything less is not safe.
I now I sound FREAKED OUT but I want a true and accurate assessment of the DANGER in Central Paris.
Should I land at CDG and immediately fly to Madrid? My vacations can be spent anywhere.
Thank you for your replies and I apologize for my ANXIETY (can you tell)?

tim,
be a man and calm down.

I think the news overdoes it. Its not like they are killing tourists.

this is an email I received today:

Hello mimi,

A small letter to you from Phil, Senior Editor of Paris Eiffel Tower News.

Your read the headlines like I did: Paris is in flames, besieged and burning.

Wow. I was there for 2 weeks just 6 days ago. Did I see that?

If you really want to know the truth, here is my report.

Read it here: http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/

Best regards,

Phil Chavanne
Senior Editor
Paris Eiffel Tower News

and this: Hi Mimi,

Thanks for the link. Reading the page amazed me as much as discussions on
BonjourParis' forum when France opposed the US invasion of Iraq.

All I can say is that no tourist to Paris would ever know anything was going
on except by reading the papers. I live here, and that's the only way I
know. I have seen nothing, in any neighborhood of Paris.

According to today's Herald Tribune, the government is concerned--among
other things--of the effect on tourism, but as of now, there have been no
perceptible cancellations, as there shouldn't be, as no one visiting Paris
is in danger--or even risks anything other than the usual Paris vacation.

Best from Paris,

Barbara

You won't be taking any risks. If I were booked NOTHING would put me off.
Don't forget some newspapers like to sensationalise the smallest thing.
When I was in Paris last month my family got worried because they heard about a bomb threat in the Eiffel Tower. I knew nothing about it although I watched TV everyday. Maybe I missed the report.? I think its good there is an evident police presence.
Just go and have a good time!

From what I read the heavy police presence in Paris is until 8:00am tomorrow (Sunday) due to the holiday. Authorities evidently picked up some info on chatrooms and cellphone word messages talking about bombing the tourist sites in Paris.

At least at this point it does not sound like this heavy police presence will continue but of course things could change at any time.

Madrid? Well Spain has the ETA - the Basque terrorist who are said to be responsible for hundreds of deaths these last year. And of course we all know what happened with the trains in Madrid some months ago. And the bombs in the tube in London.

I also read and saw a photo yesterday that the NYCPD were guarding certain hotels in NYC as they picked up information there was chatter regarding bombing NYC hotels after the three hotel bombings in Jordan.

I personally don't think anyone can "predicate" what future problems will occur be it here in the US, in Europe etc.

All travel has a certain amount of risk. But so does getting out of bed in the morning.

Each person, IMHO, has to evaluate their own anxiety level based on current information and make their decisions accordingly. Best wishes to you.

If you're a risk taker who backpacked solo across Europe why would you think you'd be in serious danger going to Paris now?! Gee, Paris is not being torched and all the headline meant is that extra security is being put out due to a planned demonstration (peaceful). Btw, there are always police patroling the train and metro stations normally here and there anyway. It's amazing you want to forgo visiting Paris and go to Madrid. Doesn't Madrid (and other cities) have their own problems?
Calm down!!

I am sitting at an internet cafe in paris now, and aside from the soldiers at the Tour Eiffel, everything is as usual. No worries!

Ditto!!! As someone who is currently living in Paris with my husband and two children, you have a BETTER chance of winning the lottery than even noticing the "upheaval" in Paris. I thought it was predominantly over!

losangeleseurope, one of my work mates has just come back from Paris yesterday, she stayed in the 7th her hotel was 10 mins walk from the Eiffel Tower and she was totally unaware of the trouble and how bad the papers and news are reporting it, until I updated her, she saw nothing whatsoever, please dont worry , go ahead and enjoy your time in paris, its totally exaggerated in the press.

Read the posts on the riots at www.bonjourparis.com from a number of people who live there.

Hello losangeles europe-don't live in Paris, so I cannot speak for what's going on in the streets there. I do think that the situation is in various regions if the country, not specifically Paris.

i do live in New York, and on many occasions see heavy police prescence, bomb-sniffing dogs, and National Guardsmen around, depending on the level of percieved danger/threat here. My opinion is only based on that daily experience:

You say that you are a risk taker. There is always some element of risk in any trip. Don't freak out, or at least if you have some fear, try not to let it rule your actions. Just find your center, take a few deep breaths and go on and try to have a good experience. Be a force of calm werever you go.

If you are not a journalist covering this situation, I believe you can find many ways to spend your time there without getting too close to it.

If by some very unlikely chance you do get too close to anything, stay calm and find a different a way to leave the area.

Just one more opinion,
Wishing you bon voyage, really!

I am showing my age here, but I was in Boston MA in 1967/68

For three days in 1967, Blue Hill Avenue shops were smashed, set afire, and looted.
There were riots there again after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.
I can't remember anyone saying that people shouldn't visit Boston.

There was absolutely no danger for tourists.
Go and enjoy Paris. I'm willing to bet that the trouble will be over by the time you get there.

And we have a teen-age shooting about once a week :)

losangeleseurope: I thought you said you were a risk taker... don't have much fear? Jeeesh... what's the panic about? Even given the news reports, the situation is about civil unrest and not about anti-tourist activities. I am one of those people who take these car burnings and strife with law enforcement very seriously and I can't say that it would prevent me from going to Paris this minute if I had the chance. They should be a bit more vigilant (law enforcement) throughout Paris, but not a single tourist has complained of inconvenience, let alone danger.

I returned from Paris last Sunday, which was at least a week into the situation you are reading about and probably about the peak of it, too. For people in central Paris, they know about it because they see and hear about it in the media. It is nothing to have anxiety about; just something to be aware of. Your comment about choosing your hotel "out of pure fear that anything less is not safe" has no relationship at all to the facts. I hope you enjoy the hotel, but that is the wrong reason to choose it and it does not enhance your safety to stay there in comparison to hundreds of other choices you might make.

I did hear there was some more trouble today, but I forget exactly what -- something different. I agree with some of the things others have said, but not others -- I personally wouldn't freak out over this, but I didn't cancel trips to Madrid right after their train bombings (and was there during part of the subsequent problems, and had my train canceled due to a bomb on the tracks) and went to Egypt right after terrorism problems there which were directed at tourists.

However, I will say that I don't understand your connection between France's internal problems and your hotel choice so that you will be safe. They aren't targeting tourists, but the Crillon would be definitely off my list as to a place I would choose to stay to be incognito or out of the limelight -- it's right on the place de la Concorde, a very prominent spot in Paris. If I were afraid and wanted to be in an inconsequential area, I'd stay in some modest hotel in the 14th or something like that.

Christina, is there a report on your trip to Egypt? I'd like to read it.
I suspect you don't write trip reports but I bet they would be interesting and off beaten tracks.

I smell a troll. I doubt that risk taking pack backers stay in the Hotel de Crillon.

I think I agree with you.

Well, I thought it's a troll post too. The talk about being a risk taking solo backpacker yet he's afraid to stay in Paris as though Paris! It's Paris not Iraq. And he's staying not in a 1* or a hostel but at the Crillon. Plus his emphasis on certain words was a bit too dramatic to me. I ended up giving him the benefit of the doubt but still question his fear especially since he admits he's such a risk taker.

Well, losangeleseurope, you can save yourself a lot of grief and stress by not watching the news. There is no rioting in Paris. The city is calm. It was chilly and rainy today.

I have no idea where you read that police are “fanning out” or even what that is supposed to mean, but the city is not under siege or going up in flames.

I'm constantly amazed by the staggering contrast between what the media report and the reality. Every sentence of every paragraph in news reports is slanted to be as scary as possible. Fortunately, I know how to set aside the bias and look for facts, but apparently I'm part of a small minority.

No, Anthony, you are one of the real ones.
Someone who is THERE!!!

losengeleseurope got the 'fanning out' most likely from the internet news as I saw a story online today that mentioned that phrase. That part he's not making up and the media really is making up stories. From the beginning of the rioting they were reporting about 'riots in Paris'.

There's always a strong police presence in Paris—after all, it's the capital city, and the largest city in continental Europe, and a major metropolis. This weekend they've stepped up police presence just in case any of the scum who like to roll in from the 'burbs on the weekends decide to misbehave. No problems have materialized thus far, however. The fact that it was raining for a good part of the day today (and the considerable chill in the air) probably helped persuade the kiddies to stay home. This was one of those typical overcast and gloomy days in November when everyone tends to feel more cozy indoors, even the punks.

Hi All,

It is later on this Saturday and thank you all for your posts. Without a doubt I was FREAKED OUT and panicked and am still very apprehensive about Central Paris.

Sure, I take risks. Backpacking through Europe alone (as my first trip to Europe ever) was a pretty frightening experience for me but I don't want regrets.

As far as "fear" of Central Paris and these riots...When I begin to read that the police are beginning to hear "rumblings" that major tourist attractions may become targets...I get worried. When I see pictures of the police "fanning out" (yes...taken from an internet news article) showing the police in the Champs checking ID's...I get worried.

Sure, my first trip through Paris (ten days in all) I saw puhlenty of strong, well built Paris police holding back very large german shepphard dogs on leashes as they looked for (?) I don't know. So police presence is fine but I don't need to dodge molotov cocktails.

And finally, why would a "risk taking" backpacker stay at the Hotel de Crillon? For two reasons: safety and because I financially can. My first trip through Europe at age 38, (link to pics are at the bottom of this post) I stayed in hostels and I loved it. I met young people from all over the world. Meeting people, swapping stories, swapping tips are where to go next and what to see is 1/2 the fun. And besides, I didn't have alot of money but I was trying to see 18 countries so hostels were part of my budget. Now, for some reason, at age 41, I feel a bit "self conscious" about staying at hostels (I don't know why.) I cannot in any way afford the Hotel De Crillon for my entire 22 day vacation in Paris but I can surely afford to stay there for two or three days till I personally "assess" the situation. All who hostel are not poor...All who wander are not lost.

Thank you all for your posts. Tim
ps. Thank you for the benefit that I am not a troll on this board. I have gained much knowledge and I am grateful.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/timothyvowens/my_photos

I apologize thinking you MIGHT be.

Having spent the past two weeks in central Paris and returned within the past 24 hours to the States, we can only say that we experienced no problems whatever.

Like I said the first thing I thought is 'troll'. It's good you came back and clarified what you said initially. It really does help.

Great photos, thanks. As to the Venezia photos, the one with the object on the right, I suppose you figured out what it is a long time ago, right? So did you use it to soak your tired feet?! :))

I think 4*/5* hotels might be more likely to be targets of terrorist attacks than just a standard old 1*, 2*, or 3* hotel. In both Egypt and Jordan, and no doubt elsewhere, luxury hotels have been the specific targets of attacks. The Hotel Crillon is the last place I'd stay if worried about terrorist attacks in Paris, although I'd no doubt love to stay there anyway.

Hi WillTravel, I read an article about a year ago regarding hotels and safety issues. It was written for companies that have employees that travel overseas a lot.

One "expert" said that staying in a 4 or 5 star hotel is "safer" because those hotels have a lot of security procedures in place wherein the lower star hotels normally do not.

Another "expert" stated what you did..that luxery hotels are more apt to be targets for terriorist acts and that staying at a lower star hotel is safer because those hotels are not full of business executives, wealthy visitors etc.

It was an interesting article, pros and cons for each type of hotel it seems. Take care.

If it will help settle matters, I'll be more than happy to go to France myself to check out this situation. Send me your contributions (in euro of course) to help defray the trip costs. And I will give a detailed trip report when I return.

what is a troll?

troll = evil little beast who posts merely to stir up trouble.

Kid #3 is 17 years old and has had to take 2 SATs at the American University/Paris St. Cloud. Her emails home have stated that her new french friends do not like the fact that we make too much of these reports and were infuriated when they were called "civil war". She explained that we have to much CNN now that we are all too old for "iwantmy iwantmy iwantmy MTV". Paris in 27 days ... and counting for the family. Yay.

How do her French friends know how much the American press has made of the reports?

This sounds unlikely.

Robespierre--

They know because there are reports of the reports of the reports of the reports.

:)

Jules

Robespierre:

They know because just about every night during the unrest France 2 broadcast clips of American news coverage of the events, including that god-awful CNN map of France that showed Strasbourg back in Germany, Cannes on the Atlantic, and Toulouse in the Pyrénées, which the French press made mincemeat out of.

They also broadcast clips of the coverage from the UK and elsewhere.

I saw that map too - hilarious and also a map of france with flames coming out of every corner and the heading "France on fire" I was at home in Paris looking out the window and laughing my head off.