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BEWARE PARIS TRAIN STATIONS!!!
Submitted by joeyb1b on April 16, 2004 - 12:21pm.
I would like to warn any potential Paris travellers about the Gard du Nord train station. This is the main Paris train hub connecting London/Paris/Brussels etc.. Eurostar and all others use this train station.
I'm from the US and spent 10 days in UK and 3 in Paris. The Gard du Nord station is very "seedy", from the minute I got off the Eurostar train I put my billfold in my front pocket and tightly secured ALL my luggage. There were lots of Arab/African men, teen to middleage just standing around. No bags, not travelling, not picking anyone up, just standing around watching and looking around. After 3 days in Paris I returned to this station to wait for my train back to London. I was 2 hrs early. BIG MISTAKE!
As I was waiting at a table, an Arab person approached me from the side and started talking French. I told him I didn't speak French , but he persisted. When i looked back down my camera bag which had my passport inside was GONE! 10 seconds total time. It was a planned setup! I ran to 7-8 policemen nearby who refused to help me because i didnt speak French. They told me to go talk to some other "police" nearby who turned out to be track repair workers. They then advised me to go to the next train station to file a report.
The dectective of immigration for this train station later told me that the police weren't there "help people", but to deter terrorism. I told her that I thought that was the job of the guys in front of the train station with the jeeps and Machine guns. Coincidently this detective has her purse stolen the same way the previous week from the same station. I told her in America it doesn't matter what language you speak, if you are robbed the police will help you. She said not from what she's seen on TV.
Bottomline: stay away from the Gard du Nord station at all costs. If the person in charge of immigration is getting robbed then you know its bad. If you have to go, strap everything you want to AROUND your body, zip up everything and when standing in line keep all luggage in front of you, not to the side.
To those who will doubt, go there and see for self. I felt safer in Mexico.
I'm from the US and spent 10 days in UK and 3 in Paris. The Gard du Nord station is very "seedy", from the minute I got off the Eurostar train I put my billfold in my front pocket and tightly secured ALL my luggage. There were lots of Arab/African men, teen to middleage just standing around. No bags, not travelling, not picking anyone up, just standing around watching and looking around. After 3 days in Paris I returned to this station to wait for my train back to London. I was 2 hrs early. BIG MISTAKE!
As I was waiting at a table, an Arab person approached me from the side and started talking French. I told him I didn't speak French , but he persisted. When i looked back down my camera bag which had my passport inside was GONE! 10 seconds total time. It was a planned setup! I ran to 7-8 policemen nearby who refused to help me because i didnt speak French. They told me to go talk to some other "police" nearby who turned out to be track repair workers. They then advised me to go to the next train station to file a report.
The dectective of immigration for this train station later told me that the police weren't there "help people", but to deter terrorism. I told her that I thought that was the job of the guys in front of the train station with the jeeps and Machine guns. Coincidently this detective has her purse stolen the same way the previous week from the same station. I told her in America it doesn't matter what language you speak, if you are robbed the police will help you. She said not from what she's seen on TV.
Bottomline: stay away from the Gard du Nord station at all costs. If the person in charge of immigration is getting robbed then you know its bad. If you have to go, strap everything you want to AROUND your body, zip up everything and when standing in line keep all luggage in front of you, not to the side.
To those who will doubt, go there and see for self. I felt safer in Mexico.
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Distance between Gard de Nord and Boulevard Saint Marcel
Not that bad!
gard du nord security
cant speak french
Transport from CDG airport to Dinard
Meeting Place
As for the security angle. No matter where you go in the world. You should have your wits about you.
Train station Gare de lyon
Gare de Lyon to Eiffel Tower
The Gare de Lyon and the Eiffel Tower are on opposite sides of the central city but central Paris is fairly compact. From Gare de Lyon take the Metro #1 direction La Defense and get off at Franklin D. Roosevelt station where you change to Metro #9 direction of Pont de Sevres. Get off at Trocadero, only three stops, and you will be near the Eiffel Tower. There are several other options depending on exactly where you are picking up the car.
Go to http://www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php This is the Metro Web site and you can type in Gare de Lyon, choose station and then type in the address where you get your car and you will get directions in English.
Gare de Lyon is within Paris city limits
Rue d'Orsel is a block straight up the hill. You are very near Sacre Coeur. You should have no trouble going through Gare du Nord. Relax.
Lycée means high school. Why ?
CRC
CRC
CRC
We always take the RER and have never had trouble. Gare du Nord is not lovely but as crc says, you are not staying there; you are going through.
If you are totally paranoid about it, take the Blue Shuttle which is a LOT cheaper than a taxi. Click on the blue and red France.com at the top of this page and click on Shuttle Service on the right side of your screen. You may have to scroll over and/or scroll down to find it.
What's scary and to avoid is rather the stations between CDG and Paris downtown. That train stops in the worst Paris suburbs, so you may want to avoid that. I wrote a whole post about how to get to Paris downtown from CDG safe, but I can't find it. The trick is easy : once you get on the RER platform in CDG, you'll notice there are trains that go straight to Paris, and some that stop at every stations in between. Hop on the direct train of course. It will take you straight to Gare du Nord, and then on to Châtelet-les-Halles, which is probably where you'll have to get off since it's the major RER and metro hub.
CRC
His most well known book was "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues." My favorite title of his is "Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas."
The reason I thought you might enjoy it is the style is far out and weird, very similar to what danairozo was writing this weekend. Thinking about it though, perhaps you should stick to James Michener.
CRC
However, it DOES help to know some French
CRC
I do wear my purse (with camera) slung across my body but I do that at home too. It just makes sense. Cities everywhere have problems and it's best to err on the side of caution. Someone else on this forum suggested taking the express trains to and from the airport as being safer since pickpockets can't easily hop on and off. We do that and appreciate the advice. I don't think I would go to a train station two hours early either. It would be more fun to wait two hours at a nearby café watching the world go by.
Your advice in the last line is excellent and should be followed in any major city, including in Tennessee! I'm so sorry you had the problem, but please don't avoid all Paris train stations because of one bad experience. Just be a bit more cautious the next time . . . wherever you are.
Thanks for posting.
Dude, what America do you live in ?? A few months ago I had to ask a cop for some help in Jackson, Tenn. Now, he was the nicest man and did a great job helping me out, but I doubt the outcome would have been the same if instead of 'Excuse me officer, but could you please show me the way to downtown ?' I would have asked 'pardon M'sieur l'agent, c'est où le centre-ville ?'. See what I mean ??
But, I agree with you : Gare du Nord is a shameful freaky rat hole.
CRC
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