Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Most travel to France centres on Paris, the French Riviera, and the Alps. Paris draws the biggest crowds around the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Gare du Nord. These spots are the main places where pickpockets and phone snatchers work. Thieves often target people on the Metro, on RER B to Charles de Gaulle airport, and at busy café terraces. The French Riviera, including Nice, Cannes, and Marseille, is busy each summer. Marseille has a higher rate of petty crime than other big cities. Travellers should watch out for bag snatching near the Old Port and on crowded beaches. Nice and Cannes are calmer, but car break-ins happen in tourist car parks. The Alps and Pyrenees are popular for skiing and hiking. Resorts like Chamonix, Val d'Isère, and Courchevel are well run, but mountain weather changes fast. Avalanches have killed off-piste skiers in recent winters. On Corsica, most visits pass without trouble, though the island sees occasional protest action. Rural areas in Brittany, the Loire Valley, and Provence report fewer problems than the big cities.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its France advice on 18 February 2026. It does not warn against travel to any part of the country. The update covers the new European Entry-Exit System, which changes how non-EU travellers are checked at the border. international passport holders now have fingerprints and a photo taken on their first trip under the new rules. The official advisory guidance tells travellers to allow extra time at airports and ferry ports while the system beds in. The official advisory guidance reissued its France advisory on 28 May 2025 at Level 2, meaning exercise increased caution. The notice covers both France and Monaco. It points to terrorism, with groups still planning attacks that may come with little or no warning. It also flags protests and strikes, which are common and usually peaceful but have turned violent on rare occasions. Pickpocketing and phone theft in crowded areas round out the main concerns. Neither government has called for any departures or placed regional bans.
What travellers should know
France keeps its national terror alert at a high level, known as Vigipirate. Armed soldiers and police patrol stations, airports, and tourist sites as a visible deterrent. Bag checks at museums and large venues are routine. Travellers should carry photo ID at all times, as French police can ask to see it. A printed copy of the passport works for most day-to-day checks. Strikes often hit trains, flights, and fuel supplies, especially around pension or labour reforms. Check SNCF and airline updates the day before travel. May Day and Bastille Day see the biggest protest marches in Paris, Lyon, and Toulouse. Stay back from crowds if a march turns tense. For petty crime, keep phones out of sight on the Metro, use a cross-body bag, and watch drinks in bars. The European emergency number is 112. NHS holders should carry a GHIC card for state healthcare, though full travel insurance is still needed for repatriation and private clinics.