What areas should we avoid in Paris and Munich?
Dec 18th, 2006, 10:31 AM
#22
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We spent a week in Munich last summer and didn't find any areas that seemed unsafe.
I can see getting into a bad area while driving though - I got into a rather unsavory section of Oakland not too long ago. I got on Hwy 580 going the wrong direction and needed to turn around. I took an offramp that didn't have an onramp going the other direction right there and had to drive through town awhile to find my way back onto the freeway going the direction I wanted to go. Such is life. It happens.
I wouldn't worry about Munich though. Even the areas around the main train station were ok - not the most picturesque, but not unsafe.
I can see getting into a bad area while driving though - I got into a rather unsavory section of Oakland not too long ago. I got on Hwy 580 going the wrong direction and needed to turn around. I took an offramp that didn't have an onramp going the other direction right there and had to drive through town awhile to find my way back onto the freeway going the direction I wanted to go. Such is life. It happens.
I wouldn't worry about Munich though. Even the areas around the main train station were ok - not the most picturesque, but not unsafe.
Dec 18th, 2006, 10:59 AM
#24
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I live in Paris and feel safer here than I did in New York (early 90s) or London (2001-02). I feel comfortable riding the metro late into the evening in central Paris - with one exception. I try to avoid Chatelet-Les-Halles (not a problem to ride through it on the train itself but I try to avoid changing trains/metro lines there - or getting on or getting off the metro there.
Dec 18th, 2006, 03:23 PM
#25
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Anywhere can have crime. Paris may be relatively safer than NYC, for example, but that doesn't mean violent crime doesn't occur in the center and just in the banlieues. An acquaintance of mine was traveling on the RER from CDG, exited at one of the stations in Montparnasse (will need to verify with her, but I don't think it's Denfert) and was mugged by three guys. This was in the afternoon and passersby didn't bother to stop and help her.
Dec 18th, 2006, 03:44 PM
#26
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Mr_dreamer -
Well - your first mistake was renting a car in New York. There are cabs to take you to your hotel. A rental car is a huge waste of time and money. And it does sound as if you need serious help with your mapreading skills (how did you get onto the local streets? It's impossible to miss the Parkway - since there are entrances every 1/2 miles or so - besides the 2 from the airport.)
And if you think Elmhurst is a bad area - then you've never seen a bad area.
Well - your first mistake was renting a car in New York. There are cabs to take you to your hotel. A rental car is a huge waste of time and money. And it does sound as if you need serious help with your mapreading skills (how did you get onto the local streets? It's impossible to miss the Parkway - since there are entrances every 1/2 miles or so - besides the 2 from the airport.)
And if you think Elmhurst is a bad area - then you've never seen a bad area.
Dec 18th, 2006, 04:27 PM
#27
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Hi Mr_Dreamer,
I am a 24 year old female student and when I was in Paris (May 2006) I felt safe the entire time I was there (8 days). However, I did get a little uncomfortable around Pigalle in the evening, but that's just me. It does not necessarily mean that it is unsafe.
I think it's too bad that so many people give answers criticizing the OP as opposed to just helping him. I'm sure that many people have felt nervous in specific areas, or have had bad experiences, I know that this doesn't automatically mean that a place is unsafe. I think the OP is just looking for info about certain areas where people have felt uncomfortable or that seem to be less "welcoming" so that he can avoid such areas.
Many people are nervous about travelling to unknown destinations and I think the OP is looking for help and reassurance not criticism....I don't understand why people can't just post a helpful reply and then move on. Geez!
I am a 24 year old female student and when I was in Paris (May 2006) I felt safe the entire time I was there (8 days). However, I did get a little uncomfortable around Pigalle in the evening, but that's just me. It does not necessarily mean that it is unsafe.
I think it's too bad that so many people give answers criticizing the OP as opposed to just helping him. I'm sure that many people have felt nervous in specific areas, or have had bad experiences, I know that this doesn't automatically mean that a place is unsafe. I think the OP is just looking for info about certain areas where people have felt uncomfortable or that seem to be less "welcoming" so that he can avoid such areas.
Many people are nervous about travelling to unknown destinations and I think the OP is looking for help and reassurance not criticism....I don't understand why people can't just post a helpful reply and then move on. Geez!
Dec 18th, 2006, 04:29 PM
#28
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I'm sorry to get confrontational, but this is really bothering me....honestly nytraveler, what does it matter whether you think renting a car in NYC is a "good" decision or not? That has nothing to do with this poor guy's question, you are just being immature and mean.
Sorry to all of you for this, but I had to get this out, for some reason it was really pissing me off.
Sorry to all of you for this, but I had to get this out, for some reason it was really pissing me off.
Dec 19th, 2006, 02:27 AM
#29
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We do not plan on staying in the general tourist areas of Munich-Salzburg or Paris that's why I asked about areas to avoid. We want to see how the locals live-like we did when we visited the cities of America. We are not scaredy cats or afrid of being in low income areas but, a little information about where not to go in a foreign country is very helpful don't you think? We rented cars in New York,L.A and Chicago because we wanted to see more then just downtown and
tourist attractions. If I throught driving in Europe was like driving in the USA I would have rented a car there too but I'll reserve that for our next visit.
tourist attractions. If I throught driving in Europe was like driving in the USA I would have rented a car there too but I'll reserve that for our next visit.
Dec 19th, 2006, 07:59 AM
#30
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hey Dreamer!
I'm a NYC girl and I traveled solo to Munich and Paris in October/November. I'm used to traveling around NYC at all hours and I consider myself pretty street smart. I never felt uneasy in any of the areas in Munich. I took the S-Bahn and U-Bahn all over the city and felt totally safe. Parts of Paris on the other hand can get a bit creepy after dark. I agree that Pigalle can be seedy. I stayed in a hotel in St. Germain and I remember feeling a bit uneasy when I exited the train at around 11 PM. It was very deserted and the people who were out and about didn't seem like the friendly type. The Latin Quarter is your best bet for night time activity. It reminded me of the East Village in NYC. Lots of people around into the wee hours.
Have Fun!
I'm a NYC girl and I traveled solo to Munich and Paris in October/November. I'm used to traveling around NYC at all hours and I consider myself pretty street smart. I never felt uneasy in any of the areas in Munich. I took the S-Bahn and U-Bahn all over the city and felt totally safe. Parts of Paris on the other hand can get a bit creepy after dark. I agree that Pigalle can be seedy. I stayed in a hotel in St. Germain and I remember feeling a bit uneasy when I exited the train at around 11 PM. It was very deserted and the people who were out and about didn't seem like the friendly type. The Latin Quarter is your best bet for night time activity. It reminded me of the East Village in NYC. Lots of people around into the wee hours.
Have Fun!
Dec 19th, 2006, 08:27 AM
#32
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Hi Mr Dreamer,
Munich is really pretty safe as all the others have mentioned. For a good resource on Munich, check out this forum (www.toytownmunich.com) for English-speaking folks living in Munich, there's also a description of the different neighbourhoods in Munich. Have fun!
Munich is really pretty safe as all the others have mentioned. For a good resource on Munich, check out this forum (www.toytownmunich.com) for English-speaking folks living in Munich, there's also a description of the different neighbourhoods in Munich. Have fun!
Dec 19th, 2006, 08:34 AM
#33
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"We want to see how the locals live-like we did when we visited the cities of America"
Contrary to what the previous poster implies, then avoid the central areas of Paris. The Latin Quarter is now arch-touristy, same for the Marais or Saint-Germain (I can't imagine someone felt uneasy in SG as it is the city's most expensive area!)
Mr Dreamer, if what you really want is a glimpse of "real Paris", with non-prettified bars, restaurants not revamped to look like what the tourist imagines Paris is, if you want to see grocers', fishmongers', butchers', boulangeries, charcuteries, and ordinary people, old ladies walking their dogs, a crammed metro at rush hour, find yourself a place in some of the outer arrondissements, especially near well-established food shopping streets : rue de Levis in the in the 17th, rue des Abbesses, rue Lepic in the 18th, rue des Martyrs in the 9th, place Gambetta in the 20th, rue Daguerre in the 14th, rue du commerce in the 15th, etc , which are all safe, middle-class areas. Do not ask me for hotels there because as a resident I don't use them. Happy discoveries!
Contrary to what the previous poster implies, then avoid the central areas of Paris. The Latin Quarter is now arch-touristy, same for the Marais or Saint-Germain (I can't imagine someone felt uneasy in SG as it is the city's most expensive area!)
Mr Dreamer, if what you really want is a glimpse of "real Paris", with non-prettified bars, restaurants not revamped to look like what the tourist imagines Paris is, if you want to see grocers', fishmongers', butchers', boulangeries, charcuteries, and ordinary people, old ladies walking their dogs, a crammed metro at rush hour, find yourself a place in some of the outer arrondissements, especially near well-established food shopping streets : rue de Levis in the in the 17th, rue des Abbesses, rue Lepic in the 18th, rue des Martyrs in the 9th, place Gambetta in the 20th, rue Daguerre in the 14th, rue du commerce in the 15th, etc , which are all safe, middle-class areas. Do not ask me for hotels there because as a resident I don't use them. Happy discoveries!
Dec 19th, 2006, 08:45 AM
#34
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Thank you Trudaine for the information.
While we do want to see the major tourist sights around Paris we also plan on exploring the city top to bottom as much as time allows. We throught with our transportation passes we would take the bus/tram/metro? as far as it would go to the end of the line and work our way back to our hotel then do the same the next day only at the other end of the city. As I understand it, four days will be plenty to cover the tourist areas? that gives us three days of exploring. I love the idea of seeing how ordinary people live in Paris and old ladies walking their dogs! sounds great.
While we do want to see the major tourist sights around Paris we also plan on exploring the city top to bottom as much as time allows. We throught with our transportation passes we would take the bus/tram/metro? as far as it would go to the end of the line and work our way back to our hotel then do the same the next day only at the other end of the city. As I understand it, four days will be plenty to cover the tourist areas? that gives us three days of exploring. I love the idea of seeing how ordinary people live in Paris and old ladies walking their dogs! sounds great.
Dec 19th, 2006, 09:49 AM
#37
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Do you have your hotel reservations for Munich yet? When we were there, we stayed at the Hotel Laimerhof, which is a great little place outside the city center. It is in the Nymphenberg neighborhood, which is a few stops on the S-Bahn or a 15 minute tram ride from the center of things in Munich. We loved the neighborhood and with a city transit pass, it was really convinient to get to and from anyplace we wanted to go in Munich. There is also a great beer garden right by the hotel called the Hirschgarten. The nightly rate was good too - I think we had a rate of about 90E per night, which included a nice breakfast.
On the tea and coffee in the room issue - the other thread going on - our room didn't have any hot water maker or coffee machine, so I don't know how making your hot drinks in the room would work out. We stayed in 2 other hotels in Germany and 1 in Austria and come to think of it, none of our rooms had that, so I don't think they are very common.
On the tea and coffee in the room issue - the other thread going on - our room didn't have any hot water maker or coffee machine, so I don't know how making your hot drinks in the room would work out. We stayed in 2 other hotels in Germany and 1 in Austria and come to think of it, none of our rooms had that, so I don't think they are very common.
Dec 19th, 2006, 10:30 AM
#39
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<i>"...take the bus/tram/metro? as far as it would go to the end of the line..."</i>
I wouldn't recommend doing it this way exactly. I <u>would</u> recommend visiting at least two of the specific areas mentioned above by Trudaine. Choose 1 from Left Bank and 1 from Right Bank.
Some of those 'end of the line' areas may fall into some of the 'areas of recent unrest'.
I wouldn't recommend doing it this way exactly. I <u>would</u> recommend visiting at least two of the specific areas mentioned above by Trudaine. Choose 1 from Left Bank and 1 from Right Bank.
Some of those 'end of the line' areas may fall into some of the 'areas of recent unrest'.
Dec 19th, 2006, 11:04 AM
#40
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I used to live in Elmhurst, Queens. This is the only place in the world that I ever got robbed. One day I was walking home late at night on a dark street. Feeling a bit frightened I crossed the street to walk where I saw a few people because I thought it would be safer.
Those people ended up mugging me.
Those people ended up mugging me.
