Over 30 million tourists descend on Paris, France, every year. With all the distracted visitors busy snapping photos of Notre Dame or the Arc de Triomphe, pickpockets find easy targets. However, an alert mind and travel-savvy tips can free tourists to enjoy the glowing European capital without losing valuables in the City of Lights.
Preparation is the first deterrent against petty theft. Review the travel safety checklist.
Paris Travel Safety Checklist
- Before travel abroad, copy passports and all important documents. E.g. insurance cards or rail passes. Keep the originals on your person at all times. Store the copies in a secure compartment of luggage.
- When planning each day’s excursions, prepare money and valuables in private. Count out sufficient spending money for one day. This cash should go into the inner pocket of a coat or a front hip pocket. If storing the money in a wallet, choose a slim model that will fit inside a front pocket. Do not place wallets in a back pocket, shoulder bag, or backpack.
- Next, place passport, travel tickets, credit cards, important documents, and extra cash, in a money belt. Money belts really are a tourist’s best friend. Wear what Rick Steves calls “the portable safe” under clothing as designed and don’t plan on taking it off until the end of the day.
Pickpocket Haunts in Paris
Pickpockets frequent the most crowded Parisian attractions. Some favorite destinations for tourists, and therefore pickpockets, include the Eiffel Tower, the Champs de Elysees, the Tuileries Gardens near the Louvre, and metro stations.
When visiting these hot spots, be aware of the surroundings. Prevent petty theft by following six simple guidelines.
- Move with purpose. Thieves are looking for distracted targets. Plan out routes ahead of time. If the need arises to check directions, step into a sidewalk café or back up to a wall before opening the map.
- Beware of strangers who approach with questions or stand too close. Pickpockets often work in teams. The decoys try to draw attention to themselves while the partners sidle up, steal something, and disappear in the crowd.
- Take shoulder bags or backpacks with a sturdy strap. Here is an important tip: wear bags across the chest and in the front to prevent nimble thieves from slipping it off the shoulder in a jostling crowd. If the bag closes with a flap, keep that side turned towards the body. Consider investing in small zipper locks with a key.
- When navigating public transportation, never leave belongings on the back of a seat or stashed under a chair. Rest an arm casually across the front pocket where the day’s cash is stored so no one can touch that pocket unnoticed.
- Remain alert. The metro lines and the Eiffel tower area see a lot of petty theft, especially at night. Keep vigilant and pickpockets will choose an easier target.
- Stay informed. A popular ring scam in Paris involves pickpocket teams near the Champs de Elysees. Knowledge of such scams will prevent you from becoming the victim. Enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Notre Dame or the Louvre, but note the surrounding people as well as views.
Last Safety Advice for Travel Abroad
Dress simply. Avoid garish colors and glitzy jewelry. Keep expensive electronics and cameras out of sight in a plain bag when not using them. Storing valuables in a money belt ensures peace of mind about the most important documents. By keeping a limited amount of cash in a secure front pocket, moving with purpose, and remaining alert in the hot spots, tourists can stroll through the Parisian City of Lights with so much as a shadow of worry.
Headed to other European destinations? Peruse travel safety tips for Barcelona, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam or Prague.
Josanna Simpson - Josanna Simpson, who holds a BA in Literature, is an aspiring novelist in her late twenties with a passion for British literature and the ...
