Is Paris Safe Right Now? A Note From Someone Who Lives Here
Bonjour fam,
My DMs have been busy since Saturday. A lot of you saw the images out of Paris this weekend, and you’re all asking me the same thing: Is it safe to come? I’m going to answer you honestly, because that’s the only way I know how to do this.
Saturday was a hard day here. Thousands marched in Paris and across France, and at the center of it were students. In Paris, some of it turned violent. There were fires, broken storefronts, and a lot of tear gas in the areas the march passed through. I won’t pretend that didn’t happen. Parisians are upset about it too.
Here’s what the headlines leave out.
This started with the students
Since September, high school students across France have been blocking the entrances to their schools. They’re protesting missing teachers, overloaded schedules, crumbling classrooms, and buildings that can’t handle the heat. University students joined them at the start of October, and teachers and parents have been marching alongside them for weeks.
On Saturday, the rest of France showed up for them. Workers, unions, farmers, and families came out in support of the students, and to raise their own voices about the rising cost of living: food prices, fuel, and energy bills. That’s what protest looks like in France. People take to the streets when they feel unheard, and it’s a right the French protect fiercely. When young people say their schools are failing them, the country listens, and a lot of it marches with them.
I’ve lived in Paris for over a decade, and I’ve seen plenty of French protests. I was here for the Gilets Jaunes. I’ve watched cars burn and windows get broken when people are out protesting prices, and I’ve seen the same thing happen when Les Bleus win a big game. It sounds wild if you’re not from here, but it’s part of how this country expresses itself. The city cleans up, the cafés open, and everybody goes back to their lives.
The trouble has an address and a time
Protests here are announced ahead of time. They have dates, meeting points, and routes. Saturday’s march started at République and headed toward Place de Clichy. Away from the route, most of the city kept going: cafés open, people picking up their bread, the metro running, with some stations closed near the march.
The trouble happens in specific places at specific times. Know where those are and you avoid them. That’s exactly what Parisians do.
We know this story
Let’s keep it real. Those of us coming from the States know what it looks like when unrest makes the news. We’ve watched the National Guard deployed in American cities. We’ve seen protests met with heavy force. We watched a mob storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. And through all of it, most of us still went to work, went to brunch, went to the game.
We know the difference between a headline and daily life, because we’ve lived it at home. Give Paris that same perspective. What happened Saturday was serious. It was also one bad day in a city that is very much open, very much alive, and very much still outside.
So here’s my answer: Paris is still Paris. We’re living our lives. We’re still outside.
How to move around Paris smart this week
Check where marches are planned before you head out, and steer clear of those areas.
Check ratp.fr or the Bonjour RATP app for metro closures.
If you come across a large crowd you weren’t expecting, walk the other way.
Americans can sign up for STEP (step.state.gov) to get U.S. Embassy alerts by text or email.
That’s it. Common sense, a little planning, and you’re good. This is what a soft landing in France really looks like: not a city without hiccups, but knowing how to read it like a local.
What this means for Friday
Our NFL pregame meet and greet is still on: Friday, October 23rd, 4pm to 7 PM at Treize au Jardin. Treize is in the 6th arrondissement, a quiet, well-heeled corner of the Left Bank, across the river from where Saturday’s march went. It’s the kind of neighborhood where the biggest drama on a Friday afternoon is who got the last slice of pie.
And for what it’s worth, we’re down to our last 7 tickets. Our people are still coming. Grab one of the last tickets here.
Here’s what I’m doing between now and then:
Checking the news and police announcements every day for anything planned on Friday
If anything changes, you’ll hear it from me first, by email, before the event
I can’t wait to see you Friday. Come hungry, wear your team colors, and let’s have a good time.
À vendredi,
Latrice
