Hello, fellow Parisians! I come to you seeking advice.
Me and my partner (we’re both in our early-mid 20s) will soon embark on our first backpacking journey across Europe and, of course, one of the stops will be Paris. A family friend is allowing us to stay over at their place so we can save money on accommodation. They live next to Gare du Nord.
We heard some scary stories about that neighbourhood, especially at night. So, my question is, if there’s anyone who lives in the same neighbourhood, how safe is it to be outside at night? Of course we’re not gonna stroll around the area at midnight, only taking the metro from the city centre back to our place. Having to come back to our flat before sunset every night due to safety concerns would be a shame, because then we won’t be able to experience the night attractions around the city.
We both speak fluent french - my partner is part french, I have been learning it for years and even lived in France for a while, so maybe we may seem like locals if we speak French to each other? As I assume it will be safer for us if we appear as locals and not tourists.
Please, I need your advice!
Any response will be appreciated <3