What do you do with the documents?
 

We plan a trip to Paris and we would like to rent a small apartment near Louvre. My question is: what do you with your passport and other documents - do you take with you every day or leave them in apartment?

When we stay at hotels, we always leave all documents in the safe, but what to do in a apartment?

Some do have safes (but in private flats I'm sometimes reluctant to use them.)

But when there isn't a safe -- that is what money belts are for . . . .

I would leave them in the apartment unless it looked especially dodgy :)

I'm a big believer in neck pouches. I've always used them. But I don't cram all kinds of stuff in them. Only the essential items that, were they lost, would halt the trip and cause all kinds of problems.
1-Passport
2-Driver's license
3-ATM/Debit/Credit Cards
4-Large denomination bills (if any)

I don't like using hotel or room safes. Just a matter of habit. Some people like them.

I follow the Platzman plan.

((I))

I also keep our passports, spare ATM/credit cards and large denomination bills with us at all times in a money belt that fits in the large zippered front pocket of my TravelSmith slacks. When I am in a crowded situation, I can just put my hand in the outside pocket and actually hold on to everything in the zippered pocket underneath until it quiets down. It is a relatively tight fit to get the money belt in and out of the zippered pocket so there is no way it could be unzipped and removed without me knowing it (I hope). I have never felt comfortable leaving things in the safe. If I happen to be wearing shorts or something other than my TravelSmith slacks, I just wear the money belt around my waist.

I am also a follower of the Platzman plan. I prefer a leg pouch.

~Liz

When showing me around my Paris rental apartment a couple of years ago, the young French man who was the agent showed me a compartment in the dresser drawer where he suggested putting passport, etc. When I inquired as to whether it was safe, he laughed and said, "This isn't New York."

The money belt and/or neck pouch makes sense. Btw, what is the point in the agent showing a guest that drawer compartment? I'm not saying anything negative about the person, but it's possible that the guy could come and check it when you're out.

The moneybelt makes sense to me under certain circumstances but unless you are going to be renting a car I do not see any reason to take a driver's license to Europe. A passport will be much more useful in terms of identification and I have yet to visit anywhere in Europe wyere a driver's license was required, or even asked for, in terms of confirming identity.

Would you know any place on internet to see a photograph of a "moneybelt" to see how it is ? I'm sure we have to have something like that here in Spain but I can't say right now how it is called , maybe I should have one.

Kendarina, here's an example:
http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/ca...=124&id=32

I have one that isn't silk, and it's quite uncomfortable when it's hot or when you are wearing winter clothing.

kenderina: This link has photos of several different types. http://www.travelinginspain.com/trav...oney_belts.htm

I am not recommending any one variety - some are pouches that hang around the neck, some are pockets that attach to belt loops, some fit around your waist, etc. But that link shows several styles.

Basically a "money belt" can be any sort of security pouch or belt. They all serve the same basic purpose . . . . .

Hello Kenderina, a money belt is a very good idea but try to get one made of silk otherwise they can get very hot and miserable as WillTravel said.

Do you have a shop near you that sells luggage? Usually they sell moneybelts also (at least here in the US they do).

Thank you very much !
Yes, we have it , we call the moneybelts "riñoneras". But they seem to be more noticeable than the webs ones. I mean, you cannot put it inside your clothes. These are better, more dicreet :)

I've gone through a few neck pouches over the last 16 years of travel. I have the beige colored ones from Eagle Creek (8-10 dollars). They're comfortable unless its a hot day. Just make sure the neck strap stays hidden under the shirt collar.

Oops, I meant to say under the shirt NEAR the collar. Do NOT wear it outside the shirt,unless you wish to make it an easy day for your friendly neighborhood thief.

Thanks to all of you for advices.
It seems that the neck pouches is the best solution. I'll use this if the apaartment has not a safe.

Thanks again.

The reason why you would need to use a safe in a hotel is that a hotel is a public place and that lots of people have the key to your room and are likely, for perfectly legit reasons, to enter your room in your absence. An apartment is a private place, you are the only one (with the owner/agency) to have the key to it, Paris apartment buildings can only be accessed by dialing an entrance code, and there is often a second one. So, OK, nothing is 100 % foolproof, but the risk of getting your docs stolen on the street vs in the apartment must be statistically one thousand times higher! So, forget about this pouch nonsense, it just screams: "I am a tourist, please rip me off". Just photocopy your passport (you won't need it, but just in case), have 70-80 euros in cash, your Visa card, a Carte orange, and off you go!

Art_Vendelay we're trying to be safe than sorry. The neck pouches and money belts are not really uncomfortable. And they're worn out of view they don't scream 'tourist'. Pretty much we stand out as tourists anyway if we don't speak fluent French. You admit nothing's 100% foolproof even leaving the documents in the apartment. I'd rather carry them with me.