Dangerous Destinations In Paris You May Want To Avoid On Your Vacation, According To Research

Traveling is an amazing adventure, but it can be pretty intimidating. After all, you may not know where to go, the best places to see, or what's considered the dangerous areas. Even in popular tourist cities, there is a hint of danger if you end up on a street that most locals know to avoid. In addition, tourist areas tend to have their own dangers, filled with people attempting to run scams. Paris, seeing nearly 30 million visitors every year, is one such city. Just like most of the world, there are streets and neighborhoods best avoided whenever possible, especially if you're looking for a stress-free and relaxing getaway. 

It's worth noting that, while some areas of Paris are more dangerous than others, the city as a whole is not terribly scary. In 2024, the World Population Review ranked Paris as the 23rd safest city globally, with its health, personal, and digital security all receiving high marks. The crimes you do come across in Paris are usually based around theft and pickpocketing, though muggings and burglaries are also somewhat common. Thankfully, the majority of areas throughout Paris are safe during the day. As long as you are aware of the most common travel scams (which actually lessen in winter, according to travel writer Rick Steves) before you visit, and pay attention at night, you should be fine. But it still doesn't hurt to avoid the more dangerous spots, like Porte de Clignancourt and La Chapelle, whenever possible.

Like most parts of Paris, the 19th arrondissement is somewhere you can safely explore during the day. There are a few interesting reasons to visit, including the Buttes-Chaumont, Cité des Sciences, and Grand Mosque of Paris. Additionally, the Canal Saint-Martin, which runs partially through the 19th arrondissement, is one of the less-crowded, cheaper spots to view Paris' beauty instead of the Eiffel Tower.

However, at night, it is a little more dangerous. The 19th arrondissement should be avoided once the sun goes down due to the high frequency of robberies and activities related to drugs, especially near Place de la Bataille Stalingrad. Drug activities in particular are a problem in Paris, as there are large camps throughout, especially in parks and around the 19th arrondissement. 

Thankfully, this danger level is going down. Though there are still some shady encounters, police are making efforts to visit the arrondissement more often and reduce the crime rate. According to u/sirius1245720 on Reddit, "Avoid [Place de la Bataille] Stalingrad from 11 p.m. ... But there is also, on weekends, police on the place." So while it still may be a dangerous area at night that you should avoid whenever possible, there is a bit of relief in the fact that the local police are working to make it safer. And if you do end up needing help one night, you can find local law enforcement nearby. 

Porte de Clignancourt is the only place on this list that is dangerous during the day and at night. It's part of the 18th arrondissement of Paris and is well-known for its giant market, the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. People looking to buy interesting items, gifts, or memorabilia for their trip will find everything they could want in one place. 

Unfortunately, because it's a busy shopping destination, petty crime is also common in the area. It's not unheard of for you to have your things taken by a pickpocket. Keep your items close to you in secure bags and perhaps avoid wearing your more precious jewelry. Of course, with so many shop stalls, there are plenty of other scams going on as well. This means you need to keep an eye on your precious items, as well as on what you're buying and who you are talking to. 

One visitor brought up the dangers of the area in a Tripadvisor review, saying, "En route to the markets my wife and I ran the gauntlet of a multitude of pedlars and racketeers, pickpockets and bag-snatchers and a whole host of unsavoury characters including two men involved in a very aggressive argument. ... On our return it was dusk and the overtly criminal activities along the street were really gearing up a notch; at the Clignancourt metro station there was a gang trying to sell used travel tickets and watching the pay stations with eagle eyes, no doubt looking for easy targets."

There are some pretty amazing things to see in Paris' 10th arrondissement, especially if you want to break away from the extremely popular attractions in the city and see something else. The Canal Saint-Martin, for example, runs through part of the 10th district as well as the 19th. Les Petits Trains, Gare de l'Est, and Marché Saint-Quentin are all great places to visit in the 10th arrondissement.

It's well worth visiting the district to see these places, but you do need to be on your guard. Most of the arrondissement is safe, but there are a few spots you want to avoid. According to u/Rothkette on Reddit, "The 10th is very large. I would not hang around Gare du Nord at night (I'm a woman) but the other areas (Canal Saint-Martin, République, Strasbourg-Saint-Denis) are perfectly safe." Additionally, u/Navajo said it's worth avoiding the train stations at night: "You have people hanging out, homeless and drugs addicts just in front of the train station."

Many in this area are fairly drunk late in the evening and tend to hang out around the train stations. These people can sometimes be a bit problematic, as they may pickpocket, try and create altercations, and harass those who are waiting for their trains.

La Chapelle is a neighborhood in the 18th arrondissement. Like most parts of Paris, this area isn't overly dangerous. However, it is one that becomes a little uncomfortable when the sun goes down. It's a popular spot for drug activities and where many people choose to sleep in the streets if they don't have a home or safe space to visit.

On Reddit, several people dived deeper into why this area is dangerous. U/Diligent-Level-6016 said, "I wouldn't recommend staying in La Chapelle. Especially with young children/walking around after dark. It's a hub of many refugees sleeping on the streets and addicts, unfortunately." U/Sangfoudre added, "This is not a warzone but definitely one of Paris' worst zones. If you have a choice, choose a location elsewhere."

In addition, for women, especially those roving solo, there are some instances of sexual harassment, even during the day, and quite a few reports of popular tourist scams like fake tickets and tours. It's best to avoid staying or traveling through this neighborhood. If you're worried about being solo, you can always join tours to explore the city, such as a few of the best-rated food tours in Paris. Unfortunately, if you're hoping to see some interesting architecture, like The Adidas Arena, St. Ludwig Church, and Le Pavillon des Célestins, avoiding the area might not be ideal. Focus on staying alert when walking through, and try to do it only during the day.

Overall, tourists won't have much reason to visit La Defense. It's more of an office area in Paris. There are a few places with a lot of great views, such as La Grande Arche and Westfield Mall, but it is mostly a series of offices. This means that during the day, La Defense is usually very full as people head to and from work. However, with minimal houses and attractions in the area, at night the streets in and around La Defense are empty. This can make it a hot spot for some criminal activities once the sun goes down, especially around the nearby metro stops. So in addition to the common and pricey mistake (tossing their ticket prematurely) that tourists need to avoid when taking the metro in Paris, they also have to be on the lookout for potentially dangerous or problematic people. 

According to a commenter on Rick Steves' Europe community chat, "La Defense is not terribly safe at night because it is so deserted. ... La Defense is safe during the day but after offices close there have been some problems." 

On Reddit, u/Rc72 explained further why La Defense can be a little spooky at night: "It's rather labyrinthine, a 3D maze of pedestrian over- and underpasses between high-rise buildings and roads. Think 1980s dystopia. It's nevertheless alright during daytime, as it's quite busy, but it empties at night and all the blind spots and dark corners become rather stressful."

It's not always easy to tell which parts of cities are the most dangerous. Even if you visit, you may miss one of the scarier neighborhoods, or you may have a bad experience on one street that skews your perception. Because of this, you can't just trust one trip or person to determine which areas of cities are safest. Instead, it's a good idea to get opinions from those who live in the neighborhood and rely on several different sources for a realistic depiction.

The five places in Paris on this list were picked based on several different sites for tourists planning to go to the city or people considering moving there, like Paris Unlocked, Offbeat France, and Housing Anywhere, as well as Reddit discussion pages. This helps to paint a broader picture of the most dangerous areas and the reasons behind that danger level.

Also, remember Paris isn't all that scary, especially when compared to a few other popular tourist destinations. In fact, as a whole, the city is so secure that Paris is considered a top-ranked destination for safe, stress-free, and solo travel. So while you may want to avoid these areas when possible, there is no need to immediately panic or worry if you do end up in one of them. Just stay on your guard and be aware.