Bed Bug update for France?!

The rumor about the sudden invasion of bed bugs has gone as it came...

It's now completely forgotten until the next one...

Crocodiles in the streets ? aliens in elevators ? Who knows....

How does one know if a particular hotel or travel service is dealing with this public health issue?

You just assume that there is always potential, at any hotel. take precautions.

The advantage of a hotel is that housekeeping is trained to look and report anything suspicious. One bad review online and the hotel is cooked. So, I don't think people are too worried at this point.

all hotels are a risk including those where you live; we encountered bed bugs in a room only once and it was in a nice boutique hotel in Amsterdam for one of the creepiest experiences of our travels -- it was 30 years ago long before the current explosion of bedbugs all over the world. It was horrible. But we managed to not bring them back -- I did discard the suitcases when we got home to lessen any risk and of course washed everything and didn't bring the suitcases into the house. They stayed in the garage till discarded.

Since then I check the bed in every hotel or apartment we rent before putting anything down -- luggage goes in bathroom, bathtub if there is one, until the beds are inspected. This is not 100% -- it only takes on pregnant female bug left by the last tenant -- but you can find major infestations that way. Never have. spent 6 weeks in Paris this fall as well as travel to the south and so hotels without encountering any. but being careful is now just routine in our travels. We know someone in the US who got bedbugs in their apartment building from a social worker who carried them back from a home visit. It is nightmarish and expensive to get rid of them. the first building we sublet in Chicago had a bi-annual inspection of all condos by a bedbug sniffing dog. We had to lock our cat in the bathroom while the pooch inspected the bedroom and living room couch etc. It was comforting to know they were being pro-active.

No one we know has seen bedbugs in their travels in Paris. It was one of those media spasms. BUT it is always a risk everywhere.