A Woman Shared the First Thing She Does in Paris. Millions Watched – Then the Comments Made Me Check Her Other Videos

A few months ago, when I shared what a tourist did in front of the Eiffel Tower, I honestly believed I had written about the most shocking thing someone could do in Paris.

Apparently, I was wrong.

Today, I am sharing something else entirely unbelievable.

Last time, the experience was presented by its author as a hack. This time, it is presented as a safety tip – the first thing a woman says she does when she is in Paris. Frankly, I am asking myself if there is anyone out there actually doing this.

Oh, and I will also share some of the comments left under her videos. They made my day!

But there is more.

I have worked in marketing and communication for more than 20 years, so I also looked at this from an online visibility and content strategy perspective. What this woman did in Paris may be only the beginning of the story. The video can be interpreted in several ways, and who knows which interpretation is correct?

After watching more of her content, I noticed a pattern.

So, what happened?

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What Was the First Thing She Did in Paris?

Before sharing my analysis of her videos, the reactions of people and a few more things, let’s see what started it all.

A woman traveling to Paris prepared to walk around the city. She had a purse, jewelry and sunglasses.

She also has a roll of brown packing tape. Yes, you read that right. Tape! 

She started by covering part of her purse with tape and fixing the purse to her body. Yes, she put tape directly across her clothes, her body and her bag.

But she didn’t stop there.

She placed another piece of tape over a ring. Then came an earring. She covered it with another piece of tape, attaching it to the side of her face.

Her sunglasses were next. She taped one side of the glasses near her temple. The tape also appeared to catch some of her hair.

I don’t know how firmly this would attach the sunglasses to her head. If someone tried to grab them, would the person fail? Or would they leave with the sunglasses and a few strands of hair?

But her phone remained in her hand while she walked around, filmed and took photographs. The jewelry, purse and sunglasses needed packing tape. The phone didn’t.

I Know What It Is Like to Worry About Pickpockets

Now, I know exactly what it is like to be a woman traveling in a country where you know there are pickpockets.

I come from such a country. I have plenty of experience paying attention to my purse, phone and belongings, both at home and while traveling. In fact, I created a complete guide explaining how to avoid pickpockets.

I am careful. I don’t leave my phone unattended on a restaurant table. I don’t walk through packed public transportation with an open purse. I know that distractions, crowds and busy tourist areas can create opportunities for thieves.

I also don’t dismiss another person’s concerns. I don’t know what happened to this woman in the past. Perhaps she had a bad personal experience. Maybe someone close to her was robbed while traveling.

Looking through her content, she seems particularly focused on safety and cleanliness. Paris isn’t the only destination where she takes extensive precautions.

But taping earrings, rings, sunglasses and a purse to your body is far beyond anything I have ever considered doing.

She Posted More Than One Paris Video

The creator, Victoria’s Way, has at least two TikTok videos showing this Paris routine. One Paris video had approximately 3.3 million views when I checked it. Another version, sharing the same central idea, had approximately 1.8 million views.

That is more than five million TikTok views between two versions of the idea. And that is only TikTok. Her videos are also shared or reposted on Instagram, Facebook, X and other platforms, allowing the same concept to reach entirely different audiences.

She has another Paris video containing several safety tips. In that one, she demonstrates ways to hold or secure a purse while sitting, blocks a hotel room door and hides jewelry inside what looks like a lipstick tube.

Those examples may be more practical than covering your face and accessories with packing tape, although some people will still consider them excessive.

And the approach isn’t limited to Paris attractions. In a video filmed in Spain, she once again demonstrates how she positions and secures her purse. The destinations and individual recommendations change, but the central subject remains the same: protecting yourself and your belongings while traveling.

How Did People Respond?

Speaking of the videos showing her taping everything in Paris, the comments were … well, read them, and you will see for yourself.

Many people immediately suggested a much simpler solution.

“How about we leave all that jewellery at home?”

“Why wouldn’t you leave them in a hotel safe, or holiday without jewellery and take a travel security handbag.”

“Think I’d rather just not wear the jewelry.”

One woman explained the precautions she personally takes:

“I wear a travel wedding ring, not my real wedding set when traveling. In addition, I don’t bring my name brand purse… less stressful. You have to be a smart traveler. It can happen anywhere really, that’s are world 😞”

Then Came the Practical Questions

Other people wondered whether the tape would create new problems.

“What happens when you need to open your purse 👛 🤣”

That is an excellent question. Do you remove the tape every time you need money, a credit card, tissues or something else from the bag? Do you then use another piece to seal everything again?

Another commenter focused on the one object that appeared to remain uncovered:

“Also tape over your phone camera lense could’ve prevented this content”

Some Visitors Didn’t Recognize This Version of Paris

Several people who had visited the French capital said their experiences had been very different.

“I don’t think we toured the same Paris!!”

“I’ve been to Paris many times and never felt this necessary, like any big city anywhere in the world just keep your wits about you and enjoy your trip.”

“Was there a few months ago. Nothing indicating the need to do that. For one, the streets are patrolled. We walked all over day and night. Felt perfectly safe.”

These are individual experiences. Someone can visit a city several times without a problem while another person can lose a phone within an hour of arriving. Still, the gap between normal caution and the precautions shown in the video explains why so many viewers reacted.

Was the Video Satire?

A few commenters thought everyone else was taking the video too seriously.

“Pretty sure it’s tongue in cheek?”

“People look up satire in the dictionary.”

That is possible.

Social-media videos often use exaggeration, visual humor and absurd situations to attract attention. Covering almost every valuable object with packing tape certainly produces a stronger image than simply closing a purse.

But after looking at more of her content, I am not convinced this was created purely as satire.

She offers safety advice repeatedly, in multiple destinations and on cruises. Sometimes she uses the same purse technique. Other times, she demonstrates hotel-room precautions, personal-safety products or ways to conceal valuables.

Her broader content suggests that she takes the underlying subject seriously, even when the visual presentation is intentionally exaggerated or humorous.

Of course, I cannot know exactly what she intended. I didn’t read every comment posted across every social-media platform, either. But among the comments I did read, I didn’t find anyone saying they tape their jewelry, purse and sunglasses in the same way.

Then I Looked at the Marketing Behind the Videos

Remember the man who climbed into an airplane’s overhead bin while someone filmed him? It was the kind of unusual scene almost guaranteed to get attention online. In a second video, the man appeared at the airport saying that he had missed his flight. It wasn’t possible to confirm whether missing the flight was a consequence of the stunt, but the ending certainly wasn’t the one he appeared to want.

From an online marketing perspective, this  (the videos mentioned) is a very efficient type of content. The visual hook is immediate.

You don’t need to understand the language or listen to a long explanation. Within seconds, you see a woman putting packing tape across her belongings and want to know why.

The disagreement is also built into the video. Some viewers will say the advice is ridiculous. Others will share stories about being robbed. Some will defend Paris. Others will criticize it. Many will tag friends, send the clip to someone planning a trip or leave a joke. And every disagreement, question and joke increases the activity around the post.

The concept can also be repeated.

The same format can be filmed in Paris, Barcelona, on a cruise ship, in a hotel room or before visiting another large city. The individual tips change, but the creator remains associated with one recognizable subject: safety.

Then there is the commercial path. The video itself may be only the beginning. Viral views bring people to a profile. Some become followers. Others click the creator’s links. Victoria’s link page includes an Amazon storefront, travel essentials, hotel-safety items, AirTags, hidden-camera detectors, security products and other travel-related shopping links.

A strange safety demonstration can attract millions of views. The profile then offers many more safety videos and links to products connected with the same concerns.

There are several possible interpretations. She may genuinely believe that every precaution shown is necessary. She may believe in the basic safety advice while exaggerating the demonstration to make it entertaining. She may have discovered that highly visual safety fears generate views, comments and shares, so she continues developing the format. All three could be true at the same time.

And it can simply be a video emphasizing the need to pay attention to your belongings in Paris. Which is true, you need to be careful – but definitely not to tape them to your body.

Anyway, one thing is clear: the virality goal is achieved – and not just on one platform. And yes, I know, this article helps those videos too!

Pickpocketing in Paris Is Real – But Packing Tape Isn’t the Official Advice

I want to be clear about something. 

Pickpockets operate in Paris.

The city’s own visitor safety advice tells people to beware of pickpockets, remain vigilant and keep luggage and personal belongings close.

Warnings also appear in busy places used by tourists.

I saw visible and explicit notices reminding people to watch their belongings. Such warnings should be taken seriously, especially around public transportation, stations, major attractions and dense crowds.

But the official advice doesn’t tell visitors to attach their sunglasses, earrings and purses to their bodies with brown packing tape.

During my first trip, I used public transportation and visited busy places throughout the city. I went to the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay. I visited Versailles and the Eiffel Tower. I walked beside the Seine and through areas filled with visitors.

I had earrings, a bracelet and a watch. I had my phone, purse, money and cash. I also carried a camera that was not cheap. I used it to take photographs for my travel blog while exploring places I had wanted to see for years.

I paid attention to my belongings. I kept my bag closed. I avoided leaving valuables unattended. I was more alert in crowds and on public transportation.

With those basic measures, I had no problems. 

Yes, a purse or phone can be stolen in Paris. They can also be stolen in many other major cities and tourist destinations.

Paris is enormous, popular and filled with all sorts of people. Nobody can guarantee that every visit will be incident-free.

But visiting one of the world’s most famous destinations shouldn’t mean becoming so obsessed with your belongings that you can no longer enjoy the experience.

Paris had been a dream destination for me. I wanted to admire its architecture, visit its museums, see the Eiffel Tower and experience the places on my Paris list.

I wouldn’t have enjoyed those moments while wondering whether the tape was stuck to my hair, whether I could open my purse or how I would remove it from my earrings later.

Would You Do This in Paris?

I will never advise anyone to ignore pickpocket warnings.

Use a closed crossbody bag. Keep your phone secure in crowded places. Don’t carry unnecessary valuables. Pay attention when someone tries to distract you. Leave expensive jewelry in a secure place when that makes you feel more comfortable.

Those are realistic precautions.

But taping your jewelry, purse and sunglasses to your body?

Frankly, I would rather leave the jewelry at the hotel.

Travel safety should help you enjoy your trip with fewer worries. It shouldn’t become the main activity of the trip.

Would you cover your belongings with tape before walking through Paris?

Or would you rely on basic precautions and enjoy the city?

If you want to check out the videos I mentioned, here are the sources:

• first video on TikTok and Facebook
• second video TikTok
• video for Spain
• video with more tips for Paris
• her link.tree page

Violeta Loredana

Violeta-Loredana Pascal is a communications expert, business mentor, and the founder of Earth’s Attractions and PRwave INTERNATIONAL. A pioneer in the Romanian digital PR landscape since 2005, she holds a degree in Communication and Social Sciences from SNSPA Bucharest. Violeta is a senior trainer at AcademiadeAfaceri.ro, where she leverages over 20 years of experience to teach professional courses in PR strategy and workplace productivity. By blending high-level business consulting with a passion for holistic travel and wellness, she empowers solopreneurs to overcome procrastination, build profitable brands, and design a life of purposeful adventure.