Paris Venue Area Safe ?

Looked it up, location is not for me, in the shadows of the Peripherique.

YMMV.

Jojo, thx for responding. I had to look up your Periph reference. Understand now. Do you have any direct experience with this area? ty

This is right across from (or maybe is?) Adidas Arena. I have attended a basketball game there and would go again. I don't think I would want to loiter in the neighborhood, but I, a 50-something female left there at dark alone on the tram and was fine.

But you can definitely run into druggies there.

No direct experience with this area on foot, other than I know it is very congested and a bit sketchy (I have been driven through that area in a taxi enroute to CDG). I looked on google maps and could not figure out the situation with Metro access, begs the question of how you would get there, and particularly how you would get back to your hotel well after dark.

You may get someone here who has actually been there and can give you a report on this venue and that area, but it seems a bit out of the typical kind of thing folks on this forum do...

I also checked it on google, and there are no "reviews" of this venue, so I wonder if it is new? I didn't get any warm fuzzies....

Like I said in my first post, not my cuppa...I am a little bit older than you FWiW, and at night, I am comfortable being out and about in central Paris, but I would not be interested in this particular location at night, maybe during the day, but not at night.

I don't think that you will find anyone who has been to Central Chapelle because it is not opening up until later this fall. It will be a space within L'Adidas Arena. So, basically, what Kim said. For me personally, I would not avoid it to attend an event. I'd probably take a taxi after the show and avoid Porte de la Chappelle metro station though I wonder if that area was cleaned up for the Olympics.

Is this the place/venue/event?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Central+Chapelle/@48.8996374,2.3588141,405m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x47e66f2816981b2d:0xd298c9924e37d!8m2!3d48.8996374!4d2.361389!16s%2Fg%2F11ygpmcdqn?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkzMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Reference https://en.parisrental.com/blog/living-better-in-paris/paris-safety-guide-everything-you-need-to-know-for-a-safe-and-enjoyable-stay

But from north of Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement, the ambiance can shift quickly, particularly in areas like Barbès-Rochechouart, La Chapelle, Porte de la Chapelle, and Porte de Clignancourt. Especially after dark, the environment can become noticeably less tourist-friendly. These areas can feel rough due to loitering groups, open-air drug activity, and occasional confrontations. They are not areas where you'd want to be at night — especially if you're a woman alone.

In fact before the Olympic Games, this area was the real jungle. Afterwards, there are relatively few real attacks, but you are constantly confronted with situations that you don't necessarily want to see and, if you need a "feeling of security", it's the opposite that you will experience.

I don't know it, but surely thousands of people regularly go to the Adidas Arena to attend events and survive?

My rule of thumb in sketchy neighbourhoods after dark, if I can drop an acronym, is MYOB. Nine times out of ten that's going to see you alright.

Jojo Rabbit's response brought to mind the chorus of a hip hop classic;

Scared to death and scared to look, they shook

If you're shook, don't look (too hard).

My word, yes. Use Google maps and drop the little man to see the neighborhood. The nearest metro looks to be the tramway for Porte de Clingangourt. Just because it's a suburb doesn't mean it's sketchy. Plus it's a sports/concert arena. There's an amazing cafe nearby called La REcyclerie. Cool, cool spot.

Like Kim said, you're going to run into city problems like homeless, etc. Learn the path you need to take before you go, and go enjoy.

Shout out to GerryM for dropping Mobb Deep in the Rick Steves travel forum.

We got a few killers and hundred dollar billers lurking here in the shadows JHK...

It is one of the dodgiest parts of Paris, but all is relative: it is not that dodgy, and hundreds of others will be heading from the concert venue to the Porte de la Chapelle metro station so you can just follow them. It's just one street to cross.

Just don't make eye contact if you see people with erratic behavior, unfortunately there's a significant crack issue in the area.

I would feel safer heading to the metro with hundreds than waiting for a taxi on my own, by the way.

In general, I think the inner cities in Europe are a bit different to the US. Even if there's crackheads and graffiti, it doesn't necessarily follow that one is in immediate danger.

There's a few people with drug problems around my neighbourhood, even though it's a gentrified mix these days. Facts are that you need to be really desperate, or plain nuts to start with, if you're going to think about robbing passers by with threats. The majority of people are just trying to get along with life, even if they have got a drug problem. Very few people are at the stage of robbing or assaulting strangers, even if they are obviously too high in public.

If there are groups of men around, don't look, don't stare. Really do mind your own business. If anyone says anything, or shouts once you've passed, don't react. If there is street drug dealing or prostitution around, try not to catch anyone's eye. Again though, even if you obviously see it, you're not going to be beaten up by someone selling drugs. That would be bad for business.

I've got no problem saying a firm "no" to people if they ask for money. Sometimes blanking them is ok, but generally saying no is better. I've had someone say to me that being ignored is the worst feeling. In Europe, it's unlikely to lead to threats, but be ready to walk away. [edit: keep walking. Don't stop for people in the street out of politeness]

I've no problem stopping people mid-story and telling them I'm not giving them any money if I do happen to be engaged in some way. If the story includes "I've just got out of jail" that's a sign of bad things to come. I've heard that twice in situations that got a bit hairy. There used to be two "brothers". I'd see in Glasgow city centre every Friday. They'd always lost their bus fare and needed to get home. People's stories in the street are sometimes made up. On the other hand, there's a guy I see locally who I've known for over a decade I give money to sometimes. He's got a drug habit, which we've talked about, and looks to me like he's suffering from a motor-related disease aside from that. You just need to accept that 99% of the time that money you give to people in the street is going to drugs. It's just how it is.

This isn't Paris specific. Brussels Midi Station came up in another thread recently. I'd say folks should visit Brixton or Peckham if they're in London, but they both have a real rough side. It's usually folk that involved in a different sort of lifestyle, through choice or luck, that are most at risk. When you go into the big European cities I really don't think there's the same threat of violence that you'd think of in Downtown LA or Kensington in Philly.

TY all for the colorful and informative feedback.

has this helped you make a decision, gritz? What have you decided?

Hi Nigel..sorry for the delay here. I am leaning to going but am 1 of a party of 3 and haven't mentioned it yet. I don't think it will be an issue. TY for asking.