Gare du Nord Station, Paris at 10pm is a rather dark and sketchy situation. It was the perfect setting for a murder or theft, but I was no longer thinking about movies; it was a current possibility. I was expecting to see the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre or maybe Notre Dame Cathedral; instead, I saw lots of homeless people, several run-down buildings, three dingy restaurants, and two hotels.

Paris – the city of love and lights is said to be the city of lovers… the most romantic place on earth; unless your idea of “love” is two people feeling each other up while holding a bottle of wine, each, than try to avoid Gare du Nord Station at night.

I arrived in Paris via Gare du Nord Station with no knowledge of what to expect and nothing booked for the evening. My hotel room had a single bed with dirty sheets and a balcony door that opened to a 7 story drop to the ground. The shower was black with mold and I’m still not sure what color the towel was suppose to be. The only thing I took with me from the hotel was a bad rash from bed bug bits and pessimistic view of Paris.

If you have the option to use any other station in the city, spend the extra money and avoid the disappointment and possible mugging.