So, should you carry your passport with you in France? Yes, and no. French laws require that citizens and foreigners have valid identification documents when moving around. Moreover, they may also require evidence of legal status, which law officers can request at any time.

Legally, French law requires everyone to carry a valid form of identification at all times. However, for most tourists, carrying your actual physical passport everywhere in Paris is risky due to the high prevalence of pickpockets in crowded areas like the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. A widely accepted "best practice" in 2026 is to carry a high-quality color photocopy of your passport and a photo of it on your smartphone, while leaving the original document in your hotel's electronic safe. You only truly need the original passport if you are planning on doing "Tax-Free" (VAT) shopping, as luxury stores require the physical document to process the refund paperwork. If you are stopped by the police (which is rare unless you are involved in an incident), they will usually accept a copy and accompany you back to your hotel to verify the original if necessary. For day-to-day transit or entering museums, a driver's license or a clear copy of your passport page is more than sufficient and much safer.