Women in Paris face some additional safety concerns, but less so than in most of the rest of the world. The usual precautions are advised -- that is, to stick to secure hotels in the major tourist districts and avoid late-night walks along the Seine or through the relatively deserted back streets of Paris. Try to ride on the Métro in cars with other passengers, not in lonely compartments. As the world grows more politically correct, the old macho attitudes of cat-calling at an attractive woman are dying out, though still prevalent among many of the newly arrived immigrants from less developed countries. Carry a purse with a zipper and a thick strap that you can drape across your body, and avoid wearing a money belt or waist pack. Also avoid ghettoized or seedy districts of the city. If you travel in the neighborhoods previewed in this guide, you should avoid trouble. Of course, proper dress is always discreet. Parisians tend to frown on the wearing of "shorty short shorts" on their streets. In Paris, donning Paris Hilton garb for a night on the town might mean you'll be mistaken for a prostitute.
