Red Light Districts, Paris

I was prey of similar scams, however for 5 Euro worth of beer they billed me for 110euro, However they tried to threaten me hard, but I said i will not pay this amount, which is not valid amount. They forcibly did not allow me to go out, Then I threaten them with police, even then these guys were not worried, Then I took out my phone and pretended calling some friends and other people to come to this place to take up matter legally. This time the lady owner got bit frightened and asked me to pay another 10Euro and leave. I left the place , came out and straight away went to nearby police station. I explained the story, But the couple of police officers and lady police officer showed their inability to help me, As they said you do not have prove and said this happens everyday , so we cannot do anything. I found these police officers are also involved in this gang scam on red light streets of paris. They will not help, even they do not have sympathy for tourists.

I clearly understand French economy in particular, where so many homeless and beggars hover the streets. I saw two white girls near eiffil tower picking up leftover icecream from garbage bin, which someone threw little before. Looks like so called historical glorious countries are getting worse than third world countries, I can imagine PARIS POLICE must be getting bribed by these bar owners, else such scams would not be possible.

my first experience to paris was worse and this country really sucks , as I saw beggars, loosers, unemployed youths, cheap girls looking for money and on top of that dull faces struggling with survival difficulties. Paris sucks.

( excuse me for my bad English)

I was in Paris for business. I went to the Moulin Rouge for the show and then went to a strip club where the door man/solicitor offered me a "beer and free show" for 20 Euro. I said OK, why not, paid and went in. I was given a beer and guided to a table with only one exit to get away from the table without having your way blocked (first sign). For some reason there was nobody in this place even though it was right by Moulin Rouge. I finished my beer and the owner brought me a bill for $340 euro. I said 'I am not being scammed' and I said call the police or let me leave. I said this 3 times and then tried to walk past the guy and he pushed me. He then called over a bald bouncer and they were both blocking the little walkway. I said call the police then I started yelling call the police. FYI - I was asked 'where I was from' and 'are you alone' and answered them honestly - 'Not from Paris' and 'Yes'. I tried to leave one last time and the bouncer said you are going to pay fat boy. He started pushing me backwards telling me I was going to pay and phase 2 began - I slammed the bouncer up against the wall and head butted him and started asking him to fight me. I let him back up from the wall and shoved his head back into it and said come on B*. He was terrified. I can handle my own but I could see how a lot of tourists would get taken by this. Between my shock, fear and anger I started thinking about what to do next. The manager who pushed my earlier was backing up and said 'please leave'. I started yelling 'All you are cowards', the 'French are cowards' and was walking around trying to get someone to even look at me wrong. They have no self respect to begin with so my words probably did little damage but I felt good about it. I beat 4 guys at their game. The French are cowards and disgusting - they try to rob then back down like little girls when a real man challenges them. There is nothing tough about Paris but be prepared to fight - any US city is far more dangerous and tough but this type of stuff would never happen to you in the US.

I spent the rest of my night in my hotel room thinking that I should go back and finish business because the owner was walking around not bloodied up. I had to leave the next morning so didnt go back but I am planning a trip back to Paris and will do my best to prevent this from happening to another foreigner again. So - Signs to look for that things are bad for you when you walk in - 1. No people but workers. 2. Seated in a confined space. 3. Pressured to go in or participate.

To handle the situation for most people - 1. Shout Call the Police and stand your ground. Continue shouting as loud as you can until they let you go. Push them away, kick, scream, yell, etc. 2. If you can fight - fight but they are going to intimidate you and its not a 1 on 1 situation. I am 6'0 260lbs and one the bouncer was bloodied up a bit he backed down like a little girl and I was being asked kindly to leave. I should have ended the life of the owner of that place and would have had I truly been in Paris alone.

I walked around in Red Light area in Paris (Moulin Rouge). It is very dangerous. Some people were drunken and almost hit me. Many people standing in front the cafe/bar offered shows/girls. They pulled my hands and pushed inside. They said the drink was 10euros. But before I left, they asked for 800euros. Some big guys came and insisted me to pay and I can't call the police. The money in my wallet was taken and my credit card was robbed. 800euros (from my credit card) + 370euros (from my wallets) have gone! Be careful! It's dangerous place!

the titile says it all really!

my french friends(im from London) are in a band and were playing a gig at the fashion school ESMOD so i went along to see them on my own(like you do) and the gig finshed at about 9pm
so i started making my way back to the hotel where my friend was waiting for me and i took a wonder down Pigalle Place, Paris' as it was early and there were still a lot of people out and about! so off i went little did i know i was walking doen the red-light district of Pigalle!!! full of sex shops and prostitutes! and dirty french men! standing outside the sex shops. so i ran but then some man grabed my arm and would not let go! he was then saying that he wanted sex i think he thought i was a prossie! then i explaned that i'm from england & im visting friends but he wouldnt take no for an answear! then to my amzement my friend(who was waiting at the hotel) had gone lookin for me and found me and told the man to F off and she grabed my hand and draged me the hell outta there!

its full of tackey men! who think they have the right to talk to you like that.

stupid ***ers!

i you go to pigalle then go in the day time not night time.

and if any werid french men try talking to you just walk on by thats what i should of done.

I ran into a similar incident in Pigalle where the bouncer was requesting that I pay him 500 euros for a drink I didn't even drink. He was blocking the exit and so, it would be difficult for me to leave. Rather than paying him, has anyone tried fighting your way out? A punch in the nose ought to have a different effect and calling the cops, thereafter? What they are doing is a scam and do not deserve to be paid.

Regardless, for those who are interested in what I really did. I kept telling him I had nothing until he emptied my wallet which was around 200 euros. He then wanted my credit cards, too, but I was able to prevent him from taking it.

this is the first i went to this area.
i was ripped off in the middle of the day by a gay who was playing card ( sort of gambling) and he was oplaying with group of four men and women ( who turn to be his own gang) he was giving them money alot of money for a clear game and i partcipated in a stupid way for a clear card to me , when i opened it changed ( by the time you look for your money ,one of the four quickly change the card) it took me a while to receover from how native and simle and how dangeruos those people are. thank god i am safe.

I have read that you shouldn't even walk places like Rue St. Dennis in Paris. Let me assure you this is rubbish. During the day it is just like any other street. During the night the sex shops are very visible and there is the occasional prostitute. I didn't feel frightened or the least bit threatened day or night. Obviously these type of streets in any city has the potential to be dodgy. Just keep an eye on who's around you and you'll be fine.
If you picked this tip just looking for more info on the Paris redlight secene then for you-
Boulevard du Clichy- (close to Sacra Coeur). This is where the big sex shops are and shows like Moulin Rouge. If you pause to look at something there's a good chance you'll get hassled from someone trying to persuade you to enter a club. Just ignore him and keep walking.
Pigalle- famous redlight street though I don't know why since I saw no red lights there.
Rue de Garde- Over by the Montpasse tower. Small sex shops like Rue St Dennis. In the news when Wayne Rooney did some stuff the papers didn't approve off.
Please remember that Paris isn't like Amsterdam or Antwerp or Hamburg etc. Prostitution is illegal and if you search for a girl you may well get ripped off or worse.

Well, yeah, so the area around the Moulin Rouge has a lot of strip clubs and such things. So when you pass by them at 10pm and you're drunk out of your skull - yeah, someone might try to get you into their club. It's sorta like an IQ test "I am drunk, and in a part of town reknown for screwing foreigners out of their cash - what do I do?"

Use common sense people - just like when you go to a joint back home. Use your head....not that one. The one with the brain in it.