Is Paris safe?

Short answer: Paris is broadly safe for visitors. It records about 119.8 offences per 1,000 residents in calendar year 2025, which is one of the higher rates among France's 96 départements - typical of a big city. Most of that is theft rather than violent crime (violence runs at about 8.2 per 1,000).

Those rates are counted per resident, so a busy city centre looks worse on paper than it feels: it has few residents but huge daytime and tourist footfall, which pushes the per-resident rate up. Read the numbers as a guide, compare within France only, and remember that recorded crime is not the same as how safe a place feels.

Data: official recorded crime, calendar year 2025. Source: SSMSI (French Ministry of the Interior).

Safest arrondissements in Paris

1. Paris 20e Arrondissement - 65.1 crimes / 1,000 residents
2. Paris 17e Arrondissement - 82.4 crimes / 1,000 residents
3. Paris 15e Arrondissement - 82.8 crimes / 1,000 residents
4. Paris 14e Arrondissement - 83.6 crimes / 1,000 residents
5. Paris 16e Arrondissement - 86.8 crimes / 1,000 residents

Where recorded crime is highest in Paris

1. Paris 1er Arrondissement - 670.0 crimes / 1,000 residents
2. Paris 8e Arrondissement - 377.9 crimes / 1,000 residents
3. Paris 10e Arrondissement - 249.4 crimes / 1,000 residents
4. Paris 2e Arrondissement - 242.2 crimes / 1,000 residents
5. Paris 4e Arrondissement - 199.6 crimes / 1,000 residents

Why the centre looks worst. The highest-rate arrondissements are usually the ones tourists actually visit. Rates are per resident, and central areas have few residents but enormous footfall, so pickpocketing pushes the number up - it does not mean these areas are violent.

Common questions about safety in Paris

Is it safe to travel to Paris right now?

For most visitors, yes. Paris draws large numbers of tourists with comparatively low violent crime (about 8.2 violent offences per 1,000 residents). The main thing to watch is pickpocketing and bag-snatching around sights and transport. Safetlas uses officially recorded annual crime data, not live travel advisories, so for strikes, protests or events on a given day, also check your government's travel advice.

Which areas of Paris should I avoid?

No arrondissement is a no-go zone, but recorded crime is far higher in central, tourist-heavy arrondissements than in residential ones. The highest rates are in Paris 1er Arrondissement (the Louvre and Châtelet), Paris 8e Arrondissement (the Champs-Élysées), Paris 10e Arrondissement (the Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est) - typically pickpocketing hotspots inflated by heavy footfall. Calmer, more residential arrondissements include Paris 20e Arrondissement, Paris 17e Arrondissement, Paris 15e Arrondissement.

Is Paris safe for solo female travellers?

Paris is a common and generally safe destination for solo female travellers, with the usual big-city precautions. Recorded sexual offences run at about 3.0 per 1,000 residents. Most theft and harassment affecting visitors happens on public transport and around crowded sights, so keep bags closed and in front of you and prefer well-lit, busy streets at night. Safetlas was built after a bad solo-travel experience - this is exactly what the map is for.

Is Paris safe at night?

Central and busy areas stay lively and generally safe well into the night, especially the main streets and nightlife districts. Quieter spots around some stations feel less comfortable after dark. Recorded crime is driven more by daytime theft than night-time violence, but the usual caution - busier streets, licensed taxis or ride apps - applies.

Prefer the whole country? See how safe France is, or read our methodology.