Paris Warning or Danger Tips by davequ

Same warnings given to all who use the Paris Metro:

1) Pickpockets. Put your passport and big money in a moneybelt or somewhere other than a wallet/pocket at all times. During the days & nights I was riding the metro I witnessed tourists and even locals being clipped by the different types of pickpockets of all ages.

2) Metro late in certain locations: Some dubious characters could accost you late (Metro closes after midnight/12:30am) in certain Metro stations (e.g. Pigalle, Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Forum des Halles, Madeleine, St. Denis, the long passages of Montparnasse Bienvenue, etc.)

Paris Metro is pretty safe at night, but 'round midnight when I'm alone in certain heavily-touristed areas, I conduct myself almost as if I was on the A-train in Manhattan:

a low profile, no extended or unnecessary eye contact with strangers, and be careful talking to someone who approaches you, especially if they are "just trying to be helpful" and are accompanied by a "friend."

Summary: There is no cause for alarm, Paris is still a safe city, but stay on your toes and use common sense when traveling alone late at night.

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Website: www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr

An example/scenario:

- You've dreamed all your life and saved your money to go to Paris:
- now you have (e.g) 1 week to enjoy it.
- Today your plan is to climb the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Ellysees for a classic view and some personal photos of Paris.

Only guess what?

When you get there, you are told the site is CLOSED for the day.. no entrance to stairs, museum, or elevator. All workers are on strike.
Oh well, guess you can just catch this stop next time you come to Paris, right?

How disappointed would you be?

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It happens in Paris all the time.
Different workers strike different sites on different days, usually with only about 24 hours notice.

Many strikes of tourist sites in Paris are of a somewhat "wildcat" nature. You can read Pariscope or scan Figaro and Le Monde everyday and hope for some warning, but chances are there was only 24 hours notice, it wasn't even in the local papers, and unless you're fluent in French, you missed it on the news last night, if it was even on the news.

One Answer:

You are paying for a hotel and their services.
Take the extra time to have the desk clerk/concierge call ahead (if your french is good, call them yourself) to the sites you have planned for today BEFORE you leave the hotel in the morning. Most hotel staff I have stayed with in the past, when asked politely, were happy to do this for me.

The good news is, most strikes of the Louvre, St. Chapelle, Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, etc. happen at only one or two places for about one day each.

All you have to do is know ahead of time what sites are closed / on strike before you jump into the Metro, and you can juggle your schedule for today accordingly.

- Orsay closed or on strike today?
- Fine, go to the Louvre or Marmottan instead, save the Orsay for tomorrow.

Don't let French labor issues or other "force majeure" ruin your trip to Paris. Have a flexible agenda, and look/ask before you leave your hotel.

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Other Contact: Ask your hotel Staff in the a.m.