Paris has the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the croissants and, according to tourists’ own reviews, the busiest pickpockets in the world. A 2025 study of 13,293 theft-related Google reviews from 100 major destinations by the luggage-storage network Radical Storage found that Paris accounted for 16.5% of them, more than any other city. Most of it is opportunistic theft in crowds and on public transport. The good news: a few small habits make you a much harder target.
The short version
- Hotspots: the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro, Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre, the Louvre, Metro line 1, Gare du Nord and the RER B, and the Champs-Élysées.
- The classic Paris tricks are the friendship bracelet, the fake petition and the ‘found’ gold ring.
- Backpack in front on the Metro, phone in a front pocket, and nothing on café tables.
- Got robbed? Block your cards, then file a complaint (plainte) at a police station. Emergencies: 112 or 17 for police.
The 6 places to keep your hand on your bag in Paris
1. The Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro
THE TRICK
A young woman with a clipboard asks if you speak English and wants a signature 'for deaf children'. While you sign, a partner works your bag.
YOUR MOVE
Don't stop for petitions. Say no, keep walking, and keep your bag zipped and in front in the security queue.
Paris's most photographed spot is also its busiest workplace for pickpockets. Look up at the tower, but keep a hand on your bag.
2. Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre
#2THE TRICK
Someone ties a 'friendship bracelet' on your wrist at the bottom of the steps, then demands money. While you argue, a partner checks your pockets.
YOUR MOVE
Keep your hands in your pockets as you walk up, say no firmly and don't stop. Take the funicular or the side streets if the steps are crowded.
Photo: Geoff Wong, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
The view from the top is one of the best in Paris. The bracelet sellers at the bottom are why you should arrive with your hands busy.
3. The Louvre
#3THE TRICK
Everyone in the Mona Lisa room holds a phone up high. Someone behind you is more interested in the bag on your back.
YOUR MOVE
Book a timed ticket, wear your backpack in front inside, and keep your phone on a strap when you take the photo.
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5.
The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world, and the crowd around the Mona Lisa is famously tight.
4. Metro line 1
#4THE TRICK
A group pushes in as the doors close, someone 'trips' into you, and they step off at the next stop with your phone.
YOUR MOVE
Stand away from the doors, backpack in front, phone away when the doors are about to close. If a group crowds you, get off and wait for the next train.
Photo: DiscoA340, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Line 1 links the Louvre, Concorde, the Champs-Élysées and La Défense, so it's packed with tourists all day.
5. Gare du Nord and the RER B
#5THE TRICK
Someone 'helps' you at the ticket machine or with your suitcase while a partner goes for your bag.
YOUR MOVE
Buy tickets in the app or at the counter, refuse unofficial helpers, and keep your luggage between your legs on the RER.
Photo: user:L.Willms, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Tired travellers with suitcases, fresh off the Eurostar or heading to the airport, make easy targets.
6. The Champs-Élysées
#6THE TRICK
A 'gold ring' appears on the pavement. A stranger 'finds' it, offers it to you and then wants money for it.
YOUR MOVE
Walk past anyone who finds jewellery at your feet. The ring is brass and the scene is staged.
Photo: Pierre Blaché from Paris, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
A wide avenue full of shoppers and café terraces, where the main risks are table grabs and staged 'finds'.
Meet the squad that never gets pickpocketed (copy them)
The tricks to know
- The friendship bracelet: a bracelet is tied on your wrist, then comes the bill. Keep your hands in your pockets and keep walking.
- The petition: a clipboard ‘for charity’ makes you look down while a partner looks into your bag.
- The gold ring: a stranger ‘finds’ a ring at your feet and offers it to you for cash. It’s worthless.
- The Metro door push: a group crowds you as the doors close and leaves at the next stop with your phone or wallet.
Before you go: the 5-minute checklist
- ☐ Write down your phone’s IMEI and serial number (dial *#06#). The police and your insurer will ask for it.
- ☐ Leave your passport in the hotel safe and carry a photo of it.
- ☐ Take one card out with you and leave a backup card at the hotel.
- ☐ Turn on Find My / Find My Device and a screen lock.
- ☐ Get an eSIM before you fly, so you have data and maps from the moment you land. Saily lists code Indoleads for 5% off (get Saily).
If it happens anyway
- Block your cards in your banking app first, and use Find My to lock or erase your phone.
- File a complaint (plainte) at any police station (commissariat). You can start it online with a pré-plainte and sign it at the station. Your insurer will want the receipt.
- Emergencies: 112, or 17 for the police.
- Lost your passport? Contact your embassy in Paris for an emergency travel document.
Trip.com codes for your Paris trip
Trip.com codes for Paris
| Code | What you get | |
|---|---|---|
TRIPFLIGHT26 | Up to US$15 off your first flight booking. New Trip.com users · listed until 31 Dec 2026 | Open Trip.com → |
triptrain5p | 5% off trains, Eurostar and UK coaches (max €20). New Trip.com users · ends 1 Jan 2027 | Open Trip.com → |
TRIPFLIGHT26 is listed on Trip.com’s own promo-code page; the other codes come from Trip.com’s affiliate feed. We haven’t tested them at checkout, and Trip.com can change or pull a code at any time. Paste the code on the payment page and check that the total drops before you pay.
Tip: coming from London? The Eurostar arrives at Gare du Nord, and the train code above covers Eurostar tickets. More offers are on our Trip.com page.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Paris the worst city in the world for pickpockets?
In tourists' reviews, yes. A 2025 analysis of 13,293 theft-related Google reviews across 100 major destinations by Radical Storage found Paris accounted for 16.5% of them, ahead of Rome (10.7%) and Barcelona (5.3%). That measures what tourists write, not police figures.
Where are pickpockets most common in Paris?
Around the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro, Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre, inside the Louvre, on Metro line 1, at Gare du Nord and on the RER B airport train, and on the Champs-Élysées.
What should I do if I'm pickpocketed in Paris?
Block your cards first, then file a complaint (plainte) at a police station; you can start it online as a pré-plainte. For emergencies call 112, or 17 for the police.
Sources: Radical Storage’s study of theft-related Google reviews (2025), Paris travel safety guides and Trip.com’s promo-code page. Photos from Wikimedia Commons (authors and licences under each photo). Illustrations by Spicy Coupons. Last checked: 15 October 2026. We may earn a commission from links on this page.
