Paris - safety

you ll be fine.. you will find most attractions and sites are in perfectly safe areas.. its not like you would wander out into some outer suburb by accident.. even then its not like they are war zones.

Some areas seem a bit gritty( you might see a sex shop or strip club in some areas.. but they are not going to come and grab you off the street) .. but not dangerous.. Ive wandered all over day and night.. obviously getting drunk as skunks and wandering dark alleys alone at night would be stupid.. in Paris or at home , right?

Your only real safety concern is the safety of your wallet.. watch yourself in crowds( at all the famous sights) .. keep your valuables locked up , dont hang your purse off the back of your chair at a cafe etc.

We just spent 3 weeks in Paris and traveled by metro at midnight from Barbes Rochechouart which is considered a rougher area clear across town to the area of the 13th near Place d'Italie. We have friends who live near Barbes and so are in that area a lot and love the wonderful ethnic foods, interesting things being sold by street vendors (like weird purple fruit I had never seen before ) and just the vibrancy of the area. If you are in the market for stunning African fabrics, this is also where those shops are. WE have also traveled by tram, bus and numerous metros late at night many times in many areas. There is really no area within Paris itself I would be concerned about. The trains are full of people till late at night including many couples, groups of women etc. And the main streets are also full of people till quite late. I feel safer in Paris at night than pretty much anywhere else I have traveled. We have been staying in outlying arrondissement for years including the 17th, 19th, 20th and 14th and never felt nervous. I am an old white woman and often walk around these areas, particularly in the daytime alone without hesitation.

Sounds like your first trip to Paris and I would imagine because of that, you're planning to stay somewhere very central to the major sightseeing spots. There's 4 of you, and if you truly feel uncomfortable moving about the city after dark, then use Uber or take a taxi to get around. But for context, I've stayed (solo) in the 10th a number of times. The 10th is an area that many people (who, FWIW, have never actually stayed there) claim is "gritty" or "seedy" and say it should be avoided. But I have never had any problems there and have taken the Metro to get back and forth from the 10th even very late at night. Yes, the streets immediately surrounding the train stations might seem "seedy" as they may have a porn shop here or there, but as Pat mentioned, no one is going to bother you.

I've also stayed in the Marais (which comes highly recommended on this board, and, FWIW, I've seen a porn shop scattered here and there, too - but it was gay porn). Now if you want safe for 4 women, and you aren't a pearl clutcher, the Marais is certainly it as it is the predominant gay neighborhood in central Paris. We walked around the streets of the Marais at midnight, 2 and even 3AM and felt completely safe.

Not sure how late you intend to stay out in the evening, but the great thing about Paris is that the French (as well as other Europeans visiting the city) do tend to eat much later so there are people out and about.

There's no place in Paris that I feel unsafe, even alone late at night.
As for the Marais, it has been evolving over time and is better than ever. I like the Marais, and many areas in Paris, a lot. If I did not know the Marais has a gay population, I would not have been able to tell. Spent a lot of time there recently.
Maybe I missed the small portion where it's obvious, if there is one. Here in SF, the Castro is overt about it.
Back to Paris safery, I feel extremely safe there. Can't say that about most places here in the US.

But if you stay on the 5th, 6th, or 7th arrondissements on the Left Bank, you are very unlikley to come across any "seediness" and be close to many of the prime attractions everybody goes to Paris to see. Notre Dame, Louvre, Orsay, Invalides, Eiffel Tower.

And if you stay in the 4-7th arrondissements, you will find that many of the gorgeous old bakeries and butcher shops have been turned into boutiques aimed at tourists, and that most of the people you run into will be tourists. The cost of a cup of coffee or an afternoon diabolo will be twice what it would cost in a cafe in an outer district. And the apartments will be occupied as short term rentals by tourists.

I've always found the 7th to be a nice area, and very safe even at night. It's walking distance to the Eiffel Tower and other sights, so a very convenient area to stay. There's also good Metro access via the Ecole Militaire station.

If you are travelling soon, be aware that the sun sets around 10 PM.
People are out and about at least until the last Metro passes - around midnight.
If you find yourself on a deserted street, don't worry - there won't be anybody there, because businesses will be closed.

If you encounter any homeless people, they are just interested in getting some sleep and won't bother you.
You can always hail a cab at a busy intersection - just look for the green light on the top.
It's a good idea to print out the location of where you're staying, including the Postal Code, so there won't be any confusion. The metered fare is good for 4 passengers.

I'm in Paris right now, staying in the 11th just beyond the Marais. There are good direct connections into central Paris a block away and it's a neighborhood with very few tourists but lots of cafes, bakeries, and grocery stores.
With the usual caveat about pickpockets, I feel completely safe everywhere.
Pick up the metro/bus map so you have the plan for the night busses if you are out late.
Have fun!

I would probably not want to hang out near Saint Denis Cathedral at night, I wouldn't worry about walking there from the metro and back during daylight.

I didn't see anything that seemed unsafe in the center. Even Pigale, which has a bad reputation, would be about a one on a scale of 100 (where many American cities are in the 60s to 80s) in terms of being unsafe.

You may see scammers and/or pickpockets, especially around Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and the Seine, but nothing that approaches being physically unsafe.

Normally, the pickpockets and petition girls go home after dark.
It's a good idea to keep an eye on your valuables, though, if you take the Metro around midnight - and especially if you have been imbibing.
You will most likely not find yourselves anywhere near the "outer arrondissements".
Most tourists stick to the central part of the city, where there are lots of things to do.

Normally, the pickpockets and petition girls go home after dark.

Interesting to know that even the French pickpockets work civilized hours. Are they limited to a 35 hour work week?

Never seen any petition girls out after dark. They are collected in vans and deposited in camps, where they are relieved of their money.

Some pickpockets may target people - especially after midnight - who have over-indulged when on the Metro, though.

This is where we stayed17th edge We would walk to the Etoile Metro to go distances, but also sometimes walked down the Champs Elysee or St Honore, and/or by what is now Macron's home. It is near Parc Monceau, one of my favorite Parisian parks. We stayed in this neighborhood initially because my daughter's host family lived right around the corner...for generations of their family. It is a genuine neighborhood and has all the practical shops, etc. one would want, as well as many restaurants. You can be a tourist and then return to a more regular neighborhood, if not a little upscale.

I hear that pickpockets are going on strike due to theft proof bags being carried by US tourists...

I have had problems with curbs in Paris. While gazing around I have tripped on those pesky lumps. Keep your eyes on your feet as well as your surroundings.