Safety at French ports/cities

[cdnishk]

Hi, we've read (on the news) and heard (from our air stewardess friends) terrible stories about street robbers (not just pickpockets) at various French cities and to a lesser extent also at Italian ports in the recent months. How bad is it really? We'll be on the RCL in July calling at 3 different french ports and 2 Italian ports. I heard that Chinese looking tourists are being targetted. :eek: We are travelling in a group of 8 including 3 teenagers, all chinese looking although actually from the UK. Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. It would be such a pity if it means we have to miss the Vatican and crowded but interesting places such as these.

[Hlitner]

Guess I would answer your question by saying that "we have heard about various British cities having street robbers, bombers, riots, etc." Guess my point is that the news folks have a way of exaggerating things to sell more papers....and many folks read the papers and regurgitate the stories as fact. The reality is that European cities have more then their share of pickpockets (many of them are gypsies) but violent street crime in major tourist areas are pretty rare. Of course its always wise to properly secure your valuables, don't wear expensive jewelry, and always be alert to your surroundings. One personal observation is that we have noticed that many Oriental folks tend to carry several expensive cameras and camera bags. When you have lots of valuable cameras just hanging around your neck it makes an inviting target.

 

Hank

[LondonTowner]

I think there must be some very strange scaremongerers in the US, because have never heard any of these stories in Europe.

 

My partner and I are currently on holiday in Normandy, France. We feel even safer than we do at home in central London, which is certainly not unsafe.

 

I don't understand where US citizens get these strange views about Europe. It doesn't seem to occur with Canadians, Australians and other nationalities.

[Baggywrinkle99]

OP appears to be in the UK. Pickpockets gravitate to any tourist destination anywhere in the world, including London. As noted, people make themselves easy targets by carrying expensive cameras, expensive jewellery, flashing wallets full or money/credit cards. There's no need to be paranoid, just use your common sense like you do at home no doubt.

 

PS. The only time I have ever knowingly been a pickpockets target (she failed) was on the London Underground.

[Hlitner]

I should have added that the only time, in more then forty years of extensive international travel, we ever felt threatened (or scared) was in London. A few years ago a drug addict threatened to cut my wife's throat as we were about to climb the steps up onto the bridge near the MOMI Museum. I was quite a bit younger at the time, was able to get my wife on her way up the steps, and managed to deal with this knife wielding addict. Having been to over 100 countries we have never had another experience to come close. Bottom line is based on our anecdotal story one should avoid London. NOT.

 

Hank

[Alex71]

The highway between Lyon and the Spanish border (Autoroute du Soleil) is notorious for crime. If you use this route, never leave your car with luggage unattended and never nap in your car. It's also a good idea to lock the doors of your car when travelling through southern France, since robbers might drive by on a motor cycle and try to grab a purse or wallet.

 

Not trying to scare anyone, but it's better to take precautions. I don't think violent crime is a problem though.

[Antonintassie]

Just be aware if you live in a major UK city the common scams will be well known to you as they are common in London etc

[John Bull]

Some French cities, such as Marseille, have a worse reputation than others. But that's true of the UK , the USA, & elsewhere, and I've never considered France to be particularly problematic.

And being in a group of 8 is safer than being just a couple.

 

I've not heard of oriental visitors being targeted. If you've heard that from a number of sources, then you perhaps need to be more vigilant.

If you've heard it from a single source, then bear in mind Hank's comment about one-off anecdotes.

When you spend a great deal of time in a place (such as your home-town) you have a balanced picture. But just like Hank had a one-off encounter in London, I had a one-off experience in Innsbruck. Neither should be regarded as typical.

 

JB :)

[Keith1010]

Wherever we travel around the world we always are careful when we are out and about. Some places around the world have higher crime then others. In certain places crime is up because of the economy. I would just use good common sense and that includes leaving valuables locked in a safe and not taken off the ship and you should always be aware of your surroundings.

 

Keith

[lisiamc]

Purely anecdotal, but my friend was mugged a fortnight ago in Nice, on a busy street, in daylight. A man grabbed her round the the throat and tried to pull her handbag away. She was so surprised that she had a death grip on the bag, and he gave up, only taking her gold chain from round her neck. She was there on business and wearing business attire, so the gold chain wasn't ostentatious or showy, or out of place with what others on the same street were wearing.

 

So always be aware, especially in any place that's new to you.

[Hlitner]

The highway between Lyon and the Spanish border (Autoroute du Soleil) is notorious for crime. If you use this route, never leave your car with luggage unattended and never nap in your car. It's also a good idea to lock the doors of your car when travelling through southern France, since robbers might drive by on a motor cycle and try to grab a purse or wallet.

 

Not trying to scare anyone, but it's better to take precautions. I don't think violent crime is a problem though.

 

Ahhh,,,must bore everyone with an experience related to this post. About 7 years ago we were driving from Southwestern France (Biarritz) to Spain and stopped at a major rest stop not far from San Sebastian. Since we were moving from point A to point B we had all of our luggage in the car. At the rest stop, DW headed for the rest rooms while I followed our standard procedure of staying with the car. A minute later a van full of gypsies pulled up next to our car and most of them headed into the ladies room (DW said it was gross). As I sat on the hood (boot for you Brits) a Spanish Police car pulled up on the other side of my car and the 2 cops got out. As they started to walk away they also noticed the gypsy van and one of the officers walked over to me and just smiled. He suggested (in pretty good English) that I not leave the car :) Guarding a car with luggage is a good rule of thumb in many parts of Europe...especially France, Spain and Italy.

 

Hank