Places I won’t go & things I won’t do in Paris (as a local)

I get asked a lot about safety as a Paris resident, even though Paris is fairly safe if you take precautions. But are there still places I won’t go? Absolutely! But safety isn’t always the issue.

Every area of Paris has its appeal. In general, there aren’t places I’ll avoid simply because of their location. But there are experiences in certain places in Paris that you’ll have to drag me to!

Here are just a few of the places and experiences in Paris I’d do anything to avoid. What are yours?

1. Large metro stations

Your maps app might tell you that it only takes 20 minutes by Métro to get around Paris. But look again – which stations is it instructing you to use? If it’s sending you through a major hub, plan on walking a lot. And plan for a longer journey. 

This is especially true for the Châtlet and Montparnasse-Bienvenüe metro stations in Paris. Granted, they are so big because so many trains access them. You’ll find commuter trains (the RER) and trains to other parts of France, respectively. But this has slowed me down significantly in the past, especially when I just want to switch Métro lines!

My solution? I’ll take a longer single train instead of one with a transfer at one of those stations. Or, if I absolutely have to get to one of those stations, I’ll pad my schedule with plenty of extra time. 

2. Fancy clubs

I’ll admit it: I had my clubbing days, once upon a time. But I hated clubs even then. The lines to get in, the high prices for drinks, the sticky floors… they have never been for me. But after having lived in New York, London, and Paris, I think Paris clubs are the absolute worst. 

The snooty bouncer? Snootier in Paris. The expensive cocktail? More expensive in Paris. The bottle service? Don’t get me started but yes, worse in Paris. 

Instead, I like to go to a bustling bar like Le Comptoir Général. There, you’ll start the evening with a drink or two. But there’s also space for low-key (or sometimes intense!) dancing. No lines, no judgment, no 30€ drinks.

3. Picnics on the Seine

I know this is a bucket list item for many visitors to Paris. I’m sorry to say that it’s one of the things in Paris I just won’t do — but hear me out! 

I’ve been to dozens of picnics on the Seine. If you wanted to find me on a sunny day in the 2010s, that’s where I’d be. I’d be there with the rest of Paris, but I’d be there. However, the fact that people love to picnic there means that there is food waste everywhere. And that food waste means rats. 

I soon realized that I was turning into a crank about these picnics. Even when I brought a blanket, it came away filthy. It was hard to find a place to sit with a nice view. And after dark, there were those rodents. 

If you must picnic on the Seine, do it in the daytime. Otherwise, a walk or boat tour is the perfect way to see the river. I recommend the Canal Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement and Paris’s parks for picnics instead!

4. Rideshares (usually)

In many cities, rideshares are a great alternative to taxis. They can be cheaper, faster, and easier to hail. But that’s not necessarily the case in Paris. The more I use rideshares here, the more convinced I am that taxis are better. 

The main time I want to use rideshares is when I’m going out or coming home. These are usually at “peak hours.” Rideshares, and Uber, in particular, charge surge fees that can be enormous at these times. 

I’ve also had numerous drivers cancel rides on me. Most use loud GPS to get around the city because they don’t know it as well as taxi drivers. 

Now that Paris taxi company G7 has an app, I’m off the rideshares for good. 

5. The parks on either end of Paris (the “Bois”) after dark

These great Paris parks are safe — usually. The Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes are the parks that “bookmark” Paris. The Bois de Boulogne is on the western edge of Paris. The Bois de Vincennes is on the eastern edge. I go to both parks all the time for walks—they’re beautiful! And I used to ride horses at the stables in the Bois de Vincennes in my 20s.

However, I always go with a friend. There is rampant crime in both parks, mostly in areas with lots of foliage cover. This has gotten better over the years. However, I have still been approached for illegal activities multiple times in both parks. 

Visit the parks! Just do it during the day and with an activity partner. 

6. Have my phone out on public transportation

As a Parisienne for more than a decade, I use public transportation multiple times a week. This includes the Métro (subway) and the RER (commuter train). 

However, I’ve stopped using this transport when I need to do something on my phone. I’ll either do it outside with my back against a wall or wait until I arrive at my destination.

Why? Because I have been mugged on the Métro. A young man grabbed my phone just as the closing doorbell sounded. I went after him, and we had a tug-of-war on the Métro platform. Not very dignified! And in the end, he won.

A pair of men also approached me on the RER. One spoke to me from the front, while the other sat at my side. When I looked down, his hand was in my sweatshirt pocket holding my phone. Noticing this made them flee, but I don’t ride the Métro if I need my phone out anymore.

7. La Défense (for fun)

Multiple visitors have asked me about La Défense. This Parisian suburb hosts many companies, as you can tell by the corporate style of its architecture. I don’t have anything against La Défense. If you need to go there, believe me: you’ll know. Your business will likely tell you. 

But it’s not my cup of tea for everyday fun. Yes, you can find shops here, but there’s very little charm. It lacks the leafy streets of the nearby suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Meanwhile, it’s not very residential, so you don’t feel like you’re really in Paris when you’re here. (And, of course, you’re not!) 

8. The areas surrounding train stations

I love the French railway system, SNCF. Their high-speed trains make it possible for me to crisscross the country. Tickets are cheap, and the service is great. However, I don’t like the areas immediately surrounding any of Paris’s train stations. This includes the Gare du Nord, the Gare de l’Est, and the Gare de Lyon in particular.

Pickpockets and scammers know that travelers are generally preoccupied. I’ve been approached outside these train stations more often than I can count with common Paris scams. 

My solution? I don’t recommend speaking to anyone not wearing a uniform who approaches you. I also try to show up at the last possible minute for boarding, but this isn’t an approach I’d recommend to other travelers!

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Those are the places I won’t go and things I won’t do in Paris. But there are tons of things to do in Paris that I love! Check out some of them on my 5-day Paris itinerary and my one-day Paris itinerary.