Late arrival into Gare Du Nord

I wouldn't choose my hotel to be near Gare du Nord when there are so many lovely areas of Paris to stay in.
You can download the G7 taxi app to get a taxi. (Or maybe someone can tell you if there is an active official taxi stand/rank at that time of night.)

I'm sure you'll get many great suggestions on this forum.

When is your trip ?

We’re planning to arrive either June 5 or 6. We haven’t gotten our tickets yet until we book our hotel.

We just stayed 3 nights in the area about 10-15 minutes walk from Gare du Nord. It's not a bad area, but not as much charm as other areas. I walked at night by myself and while I had to walk by groups of men on the street, there was never any comments or concern. Certainly if you're traveling in a group, you'll be fine, but still I think next time, I would choose another area, just for interest's sake. Subways felt quite safe to us. The only issue I would say is if you have luggage, remember that not all stations are accessible and even those that are, if you have to change lines, you will encounter walks and steps up/down to change platforms. It might be worth taking a taxi with the luggage. I am quite sure there was an official taxi stand at Gare du Nord. Also, we used the bolt app which seemed to work well for the few trips we needed.

It does not make sense that if you think an area is sketchy and possibly dangerous to then book your hotel there. In any event, the area near Gare du Nord is not the most charming part of Paris and I guess sketchy could be right word for it but there is no need to concerned about your safety on public transportation at 10:30 at night especially for a group of three. Your bigger issue will be walking through a station to make a connection if you choose to stay in an area that will require you to change from a metro line that serves Gare du Nord. If you are philosophically committed to mass transit, look for a hotel near a stop on metro lines 4 or 5 or the RER B. IMO the areas around the Notre Dame Saint Michel and Luxembourg on the RER B and the Saint Germain des Pres, Saint Sulpice, Saint Placide, and Vavin stations on Line 4 and the Richard Lenoir, Breguet Sabin, and Bastille stations on Line 5 if you want to be relatively centrally located for a first trip to Paris. All of that being said, I would just arrange for a car with Mon Chaffeur through https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/train/train-services/mon-chauffeur and not worry about the metro or staying near Gare du Nord.

I'd pick a hotel based on what you want to see and do in those four days, not based on short distance from Gare du Nord. And I'd take a taxi to get there from GDN -- turn right after you pass through the barrier from the track to find the taxi stand. Don't accept a ride from anyone who offers one inside the station, go out to the stand where a dispatcher will put you in one. They should be available at that time of night. With three people, the taxi fare should be manageable.

But if you want to use the transit system, then take the RER B line to one of the Left Bank stations -- St-Michel or Luxembourg would be good choices -- and look for a hotel in that area. The RER is very fast and would be easier to manage with luggage than the Metro. But the Metro would get you anywhere, opening up more hotel choices, and both systems are safe. Pickpockets are a risk anywhere in Paris, but you won't be in crowded situations that late so unlikely to have a problem. Hope that is helpful.

This is not late at night for the metro == we routinely go from one side of Paris to the other as late as midnight - the metro is full till it closes; it is not dangerous; there will be couples returning from dinner, groups of young people, etc. Paris is not a sketchy 'dangerous city'. The train area is not particularly charming but it isn't dangerous. I would choose a more charming area and not be concerned about using the metro to get there. You could of course go to the official taxi queue and take a taxi -- be sure they run the meter.

Thank you all so much for your helpful and detailed suggestions!! I’d really appreciate it. I feel more at ease. We have booked our train trips now so we’d be arriving at 9:50pm. We’ll definitely look for our stay in a more centrally located area.

Just take a taxi. It really won't be that much unless you are staying on the outskirts of the city.

I would be more concerned with issues on the Metro late at night. Not attacks but pickpockets. Especially with luggage.

And I agree, don't stay near Gare du Nord.

When you come off the train and into the station proper, turn right to go to the taxi stand (there are signs up above indicating the way to taxis, metro, buses etc).

Unfortunately you will be harangued as you walk to the taxi line by touts trying to get you to go with them. Ignore them and get in the official line.

I like JHK's suggestion of the car service arranged through the train line. This is because it's a large, multilevel station that I find confusing. And I've been familiar with Paris for a long time. It also has all the touts offering rides; nobody wants to have to run the gauntlet to get a ride. So for a first time visitor arriving at 21:50, the car service would be the easiest.

The one good thing about Gare du Nord is at LEAST you are at at street level when arriving on a train - i.e. whether walking to taxi stand or to exit for car service, at least you can just walk straight out to street level, unlike somewhere like Gare de Montparnasse where you have levels to go down within the station itself to get to the street.

(Of course you are still above the level for subway, RER, but that isn't going to matter in this case luckily )

I felt that area was sketchy at high noon. But I would just get the metro two stops down to Place Repiblique and north-ish toward Canal St Martin.

Pickpockets are more likely at 2 pm than 10 pm; thieves like to go home for dinner too. Pickpockets are ubiquitous in Paris since Schengen dropped borders and crime families from eastern Europe who specialize in skilled thievery have no barriers to entry to major tourist cities. They aren't 'dangerous' i.e. mostly they operate by skill and stealth. The most dangerous spots for pickpocketing are not metro stations or trains at 11 pm -- it is the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Orsay -- and any transport. With pros you don't notice them at work; you just notice your wallet or money is gone later.

The only way to avoid pickpocketing is to be pickpocket proof. Your valuables need to be secured and not in backpacks, pockets or casually held purses. I use a money belt under my clothes for our passports and money and cards when in transit. Once at my destination I keep most of this stuff in hotel safe or apartment and only travel with one card and a little cash well secured. Once using the. metro to get to the Montparnasse area my husband was accosted by amateur pickpockets who surrounded and frisked him as he descended metro stairs with suitcases in each hand (this is unusual and akin to a mugging except they were not violent -- most pickpockets operate skillfully and you don't even notice them just that your money is gone.). These doofuses didn't get anything because our valuables were in my money belt; my husband didn't have anything in his pockets. They were chased off by a raging French woman literally waving her umbrella and scolding them.

Keep the valuables in a cross body purse under your control in front, a neck wallet or an inside pocket of a zipped up jacket until you can secure them at your lodging. I carry my cell phone in a bandolier cross body carrier so it cannot be grabbed from a cafe table or forgotten or easily snatched on the metro. Thieves want phones, money and credit cards. Professionals have tens of thousands on a card within the hour as they are organized to tap the card immediately before it is reported stolen.

Janet's advice is good, and applies really to any big city in Europe. (Americans don't seem to have the manual dexterity to make successful pickpockets.) Being aware of your surroundings, and not distracted by "distractions," are useful skills. I hope your days and evenings in Paris go beautifully and make you want to return to this magnificent city.