Please sign in to post.

Paris rats

I keep reading about the rat problem in Paris. Are rats running around during the day? Or just at night? I ask because I'm terrified of rodents and want to avoid them if possible.

Posted by
2003 posts

Strangely I am not too concerned about this. I will be there in September. I've traveled the subway in NYC and the rats there are almost as big as a cat. Also, maybe the heat will keep them in the cool sewers as long as the heat wave continues.

Posted by
112 posts

lindaann, I was in Paris a few weeks ago and I did not see any in the streets or alleys. We were not out super late. I'm not a rodent expert, but I do live in Baltimore (lol), and I would say the critters tend to be hanging around trash or alleys -- not the kinds of places you would be near as a tourist.

Posted by
3448 posts

The last time I was in Paris was September 2019. I noticed a lot of rats on the shore along the Canal St. Martin at dusk.

Posted by
660 posts

The only rats I remembered seeing were in the plaza in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. They were usually out at dusk and running near the bushes.

Posted by
893 posts

I'm so concerned about rats, i just booked another trip to Paris... they're not an issue, I Haven't noticed.

Posted by
8570 posts

It is not predictable. the last couple of times we were in Paris we saw maybe two or three rats the entire time. A few years ago I was sitting with friends in the square in front of Notre Dame in the evening just enjoying the beauty of the Cathedral at night (this was just before the fire by a year or so). We watched maybe a dozen and a half rats of all sizes going in and out of the trash baskets (which were hung with transparent plastic liners as they now are because of terrorism). It was sort of hilariously weird.

Cities have rats. I am sure Chicago is full of rats but I have not seen any this year. years ago a friend was staying with us and although I had literally not seen a rat all year, as she left our apartment building one ran over her foot.

So not predictable.

Posted by
7307 posts

During the day, it is a non-issue, I never see rats. Maybe once a year I see a mouse on the metro (on the tracks, usually) and that's about it.
At night, there are rats around parks. So, perhaps avoid crossing the Champ de Mars at night, and you should be good.

Posted by
2710 posts

Are you talking about rodents or the people trying to get you to sign petitions?

Posted by
5451 posts

I don't recall seeing rats in the day time. But once the sun goes down its a different story, especially if there is a lot of trash around, or underbrush, like in the parks. Coming off the Vedettes du Pont Neuf one night, it seemed like the little ****ers were having a rave in the little park adjacent to the dock. Gave me the willies.

Posted by
3563 posts

We spent 16 days in Paris last year. The only place we saw rats was in Champ de Mars at dusk. I was a little shocked, but everyone just seemed to ignore, so I did the same. Agree, gave me the willies!

Posted by
8899 posts

I really dislike rats myself. However, I accept that they are out there and continue to travel. Rats are interested in food:garbage. They are not so interested in you. I think that you will be fine. My theory is that if you sit and watch long enough, you will see them in almost any city.

I watched an entire colony of rats work the riverbank restaurants in Ljubljana. It was actually quite interesting. Anywhere where lots of easily food is available, you will find rats.

Posted by
8991 posts

Agreeing with Tocard, there is a proliferation of two-legged rats all over.

Posted by
21196 posts

The most rats I have encountered was along the Rhine in Mainz in the evening. They liked to hang out under parked cars.

Walking our terrier along the Chicago River outside our luxury hotel at night, she always scared up lots of rats and was eager to go after them, but I held the leash tight. Rat hunting became her favorite sport.

Posted by
2161 posts

We saw a lot of rats in April 2018 following rain/flooding in 2017 and 2018. Most were in the area of the Eiffel Tower, Champs de Mars, and the little park next to it. They came out early evening just before sunset. We were staying at the Londres Eiffel and normally cut through the park to get back to the hotel. Once I saw them, I insisted on walking home the long way around!

We were in Paris twice last year, in June and December, and didn’t see any rats.

Posted by
2095 posts

Didn't no one see one with a chef's hat?