Paris trip - 16 & 14 year old sisters

[Tormundsbeard]

I'd describe my daughters as fairly independent & mature. They have asked if they could go to Paris for a weekend on their own this summer... They will be nearly 17 & 15 and regularly go up to London shopping with friends for the day. How safe is Paris? would two girls get hassled? My suggested compromise is I go too, but they can do their own thing.. I am trying not to think of Taken and wondered what other people thought?

No, I wouldn’t let a ‘nearly’ 15 year old and a 17 year old travel in their own to Paris.

Paris has a higher crime rate than London. Are they street wise? Are they used to being in a large city on their own? Can they speak French? Can the navigate the Paris Meteo system in their own? Are they used to being away from their parents for a weekend on their own?

Paris is bad enough as a 40 year old, well travelled, street wise woman on your own. Never mind a 14 and 16 year old.

My ds are 14+16 and def no way.
Don't want to go there myself and I am 46!!

No. I wouldn't

Possibly a Eurostar day trip. Overnight? No.

I went with friends for a long weekend when I was 16.

One of our group had an seizure on the first evening (had never had one before). We coped. People helped us call an ambulance. They were kept in a beautiful hospital right next to the Notre Dame, and we split the rest of the weekend doing touristy stuff and visiting them. They were then released to go back with us at the end of the trip.

It was a pretty stressful experience, but we were 16, not 10, and we handled it. People at 16 have children, work full time, live alone. They are basically adults.

As long as you trust your DDs to keep it together in an emergency, then let them go. They’ll love it.

I wouldn't at 15. If they were 16 and 18 that would be very different. I think being in a foreign country requires an Adult to be present to deal with any issues that arise. I appreciate that I may not be in the majority thinking this.

Do they speak French. Not everyone in Paris speaks English, especially not the police.

Yes I would depending on the maturity. I travelled around Europe for 4 weeks when I was 16 with my friends and had brilliant fun.

No I wouldn’t, at 16 and 18 I would let them

Not a chance. Far too much responsibility for the older sibling. Wouldn’t even consider it.

So they are 14 and 16.
Yes they would get hassled and no way would I let a child of that age go away overnight without an adult.
Also the language comment is a fair question. Are they widely travelled? If they have only been to holiday tourist spots abroad they may get a surprise that no one in Paris chooses to speak English.

No. Paris is beautiful but scary for young girls.
Sexual harrassment of girls and young women in the street and on the metro is worse than in London.
Pick pocketing is a huge problem. No mobile phone is safe unless it is securely stored in a fastened rucksack. Never place your phone on the table in a cafe or restaurant, even in an expensive place. Organised phone theft is on an industrial scale.
I love Paris and spend a lot of time there, but you need to be aware of these issues.

thanks for the feedback.

They are not fluent in French, but are not too far off. I have assumed that the attraction for them is to shop & sit in cafes and feel grown up (probably involving wine & cigarettes). But it might include clubbing etc. They are sensible, but I do not feel they have enough life experience to cope with what might happen..

No, 16 & 18 I'd be reluctant but yes, 14 & 16, no. What do they say to you going but giving them some independence while they are there?

Also, they might encounter problems getting through immigration control for Eurostar. The officials are a law unto themselves and you can't argue.

It's Paris of course they will get hassled. Maybe they could just go for the day on the Eurostar?

I live in Paris and find the responses hilarious! So dramatic about a European city. Just make sure they plan it well, have accommodation booked. They can phone you/send messages. It's only a weekend!

I’ve been to Paris fairly recently or the past 18 mo the and I’d say no. I guess at 16 and 18 I’d struggle to stop them but not sure if encourage it. Pick pocketing is rife there is a lot more overt street crime in Paris than I’ve seen on visits to London. I saw something of some sort every day I was there. From pick pocketing to organised begging. For example young girls the ages of your daughter asking people so sign petitions and donate money to causes asking for names and addresses and cash. They could be very persistent towards people who seemed vulnerable to a bit of pushing. On the metro a girl screamed and grabbed on to a stranger saying someone had tried to grab her bag but it was her that was the pick pocket and she’s pinched a tourists wallet as she grabbed him. That kind of thing. It wouldn’t be my first choice of place to send my teenage dc on their first break alone tbh.

No way. Paris is extremely dodgy in parts. Someone stole my bag off me in a touristy part when I was about 11 with literally nothing worth stealing on me and I was very upset!

I would go too but probably let them do their own thing for an hour or two at a time if they insist.

Would I let my 14 and 17 year old go to anywhere for the weekend knowing they basically want to smoke cigarettes and drink wine, go clubbing and generally portray to the men around them they are both over 18 and able to give consent? No.

Yes obviously you need to trust they are sensible. I neither drank, smoked or wanted to catch a man when I was travelling. I just wanted to see places. So it depends on your daughters and what they are like

Cinnamus
If you live in Paris you know what and where to avoid. You are presumably older and wiser than a couple of young teenagers.
There a several areas where I dont feel comfortable. I wouldn't be happy to let a couple of young girls to go alone.
Paris is a small, compact city. You can find yourself in a dodgy area very quickly just by crossing one or two roads.

I was there in a group in my 20s the overt sexual harassment was unbelievable I don't think I would ever go again it's a dump

No way! I went with a friend when we were both 18, before uni.
We got hassled by men on the metro etc and although we were fine I wouldn’t want my now 15 yr old to go with a friend of a similar age. At 18 you can handle yourself better.

where are you situated? would it be possible for them to go for the day? If not one night in a very central hotel booked and chosen by you?

I am inclined to say let them do it!

No chance. I’m 29 and went last Feb for 1 night/2days with my best friend. We both look young (still asked for ID regularly) and were harassed a lot. Also as a redhead, lots of guys touching my hair on the metro! It was awful. I hated it. The final straw was a homeless guy flashing at me. I couldn’t sit to get Home.

I’m well travelled, with the same friend and with partner, lots of European cities and so on, but Paris was grim. Never again.