Is she being too paranoid?

Question

I'm leaving for France next Tuesday and my mom told me it wasn't a wise decision to bring along a designer purse to use. Do pickpockets really go after these kinds of things more often or is she just being too paranoid? I'll be visiting Paris, Nice, Bourgogne, and a few other cities. Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

No, she isn't paranoid, France is the main destination for tourists worldwide, and thieves all over Europe come for the tourist season. You have less serious crime in Paris than in most capitals but you have a lot of thieves. In the big crowds around the monuments it is easy to grab and run, and people with designer purses or clothes are a target, especially when they are distracted by the sights.

You can take your designer purse if you want to go out, but for visiting choose either a zipped purse you carry across your body or under your clothes. NOT a backpack, which is another favourite target. I always counsel a travel belt under the shirt for your papers and some emergency money.

That is true of Nice as well.

Answer 2

DON'T TAKE IT!!!!!!!!

i got my icecream stoled right out of my hand by a hungry gypsy, literally underneath the eiffel tower!!

Seriousley there were just PACKS of gypsies, they did the full gypsy look, like esmeralda from disneys hunch back of notre dam! i have a friend who got her bag stolen there as well!. its really a bad idea to take a nice bag there!

Answer 3

Golden rules :

passport stays at the hotel in a safe- photocopy and adress of the hotel is wide enough - credit card ALSO stays in the SAFE -

take everyday the amount of cash you think you'll need, divide it in three contingents and put them in different pockets, or even places that you can guess, but I will not write here  ;o)))

If waiting a metro, the one arriving is FULL up, let it go and wait for next one - in the wagon, SIT DOWN, or put your back on the wall of the wagon - NEVER STANDING UP offering the possibility to be surrounded -

Keep the coordinates of your hotel - they can help hugely

Otherwise take a breath and enjoy your trip