Common Tourist Scams in Montmartre, Paris (and How to Avoid Them)
The friendship-bracelet scam and other Sacré-Cœur tactics
- The bracelet scam: groups of men approach tourists on the steps with "free" string bracelets, often tying it onto a wrist before the tourist can refuse. Then demand €20-50 payment, often aggressively.
- The defence: keep hands in pockets; firmly say "non" and walk; never let anyone grab your wrist. The Paris police have a permanent presence on the Parvis but the scammers operate around them.
- The shell game: cup-and-ball street gambling on the Parvis — rigged, with confederates winning to lure tourists. Walk past.
- The petition scam: usually young women claim to collect signatures for a deaf-school charity; the clipboard is used to obscure pickpocketing from another scammer.
- The "gold ring": someone "finds" a ring at your feet and offers to share it. Don't engage.
- Anvers metro pickpocketing: the closest metro to Sacré-Cœur, the platform crush at peak tourist hours is high-risk. Front pocket, bag in front.
- Funiculaire: the cable car up the hill is heavily watched by pickpockets exploiting the standing crush. Walk the steps instead if comfortable.
FAQ
- Are the friendship-bracelet scammers dangerous?
- Never violent, but persistent and sometimes intimidating. Groups of men approach tourists on the Sacré-Cœur steps with 'free' string bracelets, often tying one onto a wrist before refusal is possible, then demanding €20-50. The defence: keep hands in pockets, firmly say 'non' and walk, never let anyone grab your wrist. Paris police have a permanent Parvis presence but the scammers operate around them. The scam tapers off by midnight when the steps empty out.
Live Montmartre, Paris safety score (updates daily) →