To have found certain parts of Paris edgy

[Sheeled]

I stayed in Belleville, which was ok. Walked ina respectable area today, there was a guy possibly in his 30s, clearly.not right mentally verbally harassing and jostling people asking for money. Didn't see much police presence anywhere.

There were big groups of men, many of whom were shouting at each other and again many looked quite unwell, around the main train stations.

Large areas around the stations smelled I mean really smelled of urine.

A lot of people seemed really unhappy and afraid.

Don't know if this has always been the case or are we simply talking about some areas. I dont think Ill be visiting again in a hurry.

Yeah i agree with you re the "bustles" comment. I also get this sense that if something bad were to happen, Londoners would be quicker to intervene than parisians, not too sure why. I grew up in both countries so this isnt coming from any kind of cultural barrier, just a vibe i get abiut paris.

I know, it does sound funny 😆

But Paris has changed- it's no longer 3 course formule with boeuf bourgignonne and creme caramel or off you fuck. It's much more of a world city nowadays, with food from dozens of different cultures. And the area round the Gare du Nord is full of people and restaurants from South Asia. Which is very useful for me as a vegetarian.

I can assure you that I made up for it with the viennoiserie 😆

Eta: I did briefly work in a fish and chip shop near Bastille in the 90s, which was quite the experience! The customers were half British expats on a nostalgia trip and half adventurous Parisians in search of exotic foreign cuisine. It was quite an upmarket fish and chip shop, mind you.

They aren't exactly going to list "no go areas" are they?

@crackofdoom that fish and chips sounds worth travelling for!

I've been to Place d'Italie which had nice Italian food.

Perhaps the 3 million visitors annually to the Tower of London don’t realise that they’re in Tower Hamlets?

Yep, nothing to see here, nothing to visit, just move along….

🙄

@Fnssc there aren't "no go" areas in Peckham and Brixton you dolt.

Look at the who robbed the Louvre in 2025.

It wasn't anyone of "Français de souche" background now was it?

I agree but the OP is specifically asking about Paris

I have only experienced Birmingham to walk from New Street to Moor Street a few times for a connecting train to Oxford and Jesus wept, it was ROUGH. I actually sped up and felt a bit on edge tbh.

Paris is rough too OP, it’s the only time I’ve nearly been mugged. I was standing waiting for a tube and a group of kids approached me from behind, surrounded me and started speaking nonsense really quickly. I clamped my hands firmly in my pocket over my phone (which was the only valuable I had on me) and told them to dégagé. They scattered thankfully. The Pigalle district close to the Moulin Rouge is terrifying at night.

My Dad is French and hates Paris but to me that’s only the same way lots of British people hate London. I’ve never ever felt unsafe or afraid in London.

I'd admit that there may be some "nice" restaurants.

But of course the entirety of Peckham and Brixton isn't safe. Same reason whilst Gare Du Nord might have nice Indian food, I'm not going to go there at night.

Yes, compared to some other places where more normal/less wealthy people live. No corner shops or greengrocers. The odd Costa or Nero or something else uninspiring, and super-exclusive restaurants behind fences and blinds.
They feel soulless at weekends in particular, when I suppose all the people who have their pieds-a-terre there go elsewhere.
There are some nice trees, sure, but there are nice trees all over London.

Stick to the main streets and you’re fine. Even the back streets are ok, as long as you keep your wits about you and don’t walk around like an idiot flashing your phone, designer bag especially at night then you’ll be sweet.

I was in Birmingham about a year ago just before Xmas I think for an away day. Had to organise a walking tour all round it. I have no idea which areas are safe or not though! Seemed safe enough to me. We went near the canal area, curry area, jewellery quarter, university, mail box, library, museums and then to Dishoom in the centre. Away day was trendy warehouse in curry area. Think I sourced that venue! We did do it by daylight and afternoon. And a huge group of us. Though I did get stuck and got a very late train home from the main station, forget name. Again absolutely fine! The only thing that might freak me out is the huge metal bull in the station!

Years ago in late 80s I visited Bastille area when I was 17 with mes parents. Stayed in a cheap b&b. Luckily my French then was almost fluent (not now!) and so was my mum’s. Well, conversation wise. I just found it grotty a bit. Not unsafe.

A Japanese female tourist who stayed with us had a horrific experience there a few years ago, but apparently this is a thing. Other Japanese have had it. She wouldn’t tell us what it was but she was a shy young librarian. Guessing mugged?

I lived in Paris for 16 years.

I was never mugged, pickpocketed, burgled or attacked.

I was once possibly being followed in the metro at 5am after a night out and I'd lost my friend, but I just yelled at the guy to stop it and he went away...

For me the worst was the dog shit everywhere.

I mean what's so great about a corner shop? I never really enjoying going to one. They just exist. I don't find them to be a cornerstone of a community.

I didn't go to Costa or Nero. I went to a lovely brunch venue (it's independent) and ordered some stuff I liked. I got to sit outside and really took in the view. I then walked and found a nice restaurant to have lunch in. I just walked in and had a really great chicken soup followed by a chimichanga. Saw some great pubs. Walked around and had such a great time.

The nicest parks are the royal parks in London. I loved going there.

Yes we had the same and they were incredibly aggressive- grabbing our wrists and blocking the way. Always around the tourist hotspots unfortunately. It’s a shame as otherwise an enjoyable break.

You’ve described most cities I’ve ever visited tbf…were you expecting to be wandering the set of Amelie? The only one that hasn’t felt like that was Copenhagen and it was almost disconcerting to be in a capital city that felt clean and quiet around the stations.

Budapest is safe as well.

Had a lovely weekend in Paris recently. Didn’t notice anything dodgy or unsafe particularly. I live near Brixton though, which I would argue is extremely edgy, even in the daytime. There are so many drug addicts everywhere there. I go there a lot, but I often wonder why I don’t move somewhere else!

Used to live there.

It was fine.

Paris has its bad parts, so do most large cities. Just know where they are.

The area round Les Halles, North East Paris, bits of Canal St Martin, Puces St Ouen. There are lots of sketchy areas in Paris, have been for at least 40 years.

Paris sketchy in parts but so is London & Birmingham. Some kid attempted robbing me in Paris last year but got my stuff back out of his thieving little mitts.