Is France a safe country to visit?

Safety. Do you feel safe in your country? Is safety important to you? What makes you feel safe in general?

These are examples of questions my French Coffee students will answer this week. And yes, that's our topic of conversation this week: safety. French Coffee is my online French conversation group. It's the perfect group if you want to improve your French oral expression, enrich your vocabulary, progress in grammar while speaking and gain confidence in speaking. 
 

Are you planning to travel to France or live there soon? And you want to know if France is a safe country where you will feel secure.

According to the "Safety and Security" index, published in the World Economic Forum's 2019 Tourism Competitiveness Report, France is no longer among the 50 safest countries to travel to. It is in fifty-first place. 

Let's take a look at what is safe in France and what is not.

If you are wondering if there is a risk of being murdered in France, there is little risk. 

It is true that there have been attacks in France, and it is precisely because of this, that France has lost its place in the ranking of the safest countries. Unfortunately, there can be an attacker anywhere and anytime. 

If you are afraid of having your wallet or your phone stolen, then yes, there is a risk in France. It's true.

Especially in big cities, there are a lot of pickpockets in France. Be very careful with thieves when you are in places where there are a lot of people, like very touristy places and public transportation.  You should be careful to secure your belongings. Don't put your things in your pockets. Put your things in a backpack that does not have a front opening.

If you are afraid of being scammed, there are also risks in France. It is common to see tourists who come to France being scammed. Don't trust everyone. Ask professionals, like the tourist office for example, if you have doubts or questions about something.

If you are afraid of natural disasters, you can come to France, because there is little risk. I can't say that there is no risk, but there are few risks. It is also true that there are more and more natural disasters in France, such as floods or fires. But, these are exceptional events and not common. 

If you are afraid of crowd movements or violence during demonstrations, there are also risks in France. There are many demonstrations in France and there are often overflows. That is to say that it can end badly and that there is sometimes violence. However, if you do not participate in these demonstrations, and you avoid the streets where there are these demonstrations, there is no risk.

If you are afraid of diseases, there is normally little risk that you will catch them in France. So, well, with Covid, it changed everything a little bit. But, in general, it is rare to get sick in France. There are no dangerous diseases. You can, maybe, catch a cold, a flu or a stomach flue. If you want to avoid these diseases, I advise you to come to France in the summer.

If you are a woman, you are not totally safe in France. There is a risk, especially in the city, that you will be harassed in the street or on public transportation. I invite you to stay in places where there are many people, to be accompanied if possible in isolated places. And I recommend that you do not go out alone at night. There is still a risk of being assaulted in France by malicious people. And, I would say in any country, unfortunately, a woman must always be careful.

In summary, France is a pretty safe country. You have to watch out for pickpockets, scams, not being in the middle of a demonstration and always be careful if you are a woman and especially if you are in town.

Other than that, France is still a nice country to travel and live in. I live there and so far, I'm still alive, knock on wood.