For Chinese, Paris is far from a city of romance

Although less numerous than visitors from the United States, 900,000 Chinese tourists descended on Paris last year out of the 1.7 million visitors to France from the country, Thomas Deschamps, head of the Paris Tourism Office, said. This was a 23 percent increase from 2012.

This year, growth has been 11 percent compared with the same period in 2013.

Pickpockets threat

Chinese tourists also aid the economy as consumers. About 60 percent of them went shopping in Paris in 2012, according to a report by the city's tourism office. They spent 59 euros ($79) a day on average, slightly more than the 56 euros spent by the Japanese and more than double the average 26 euros.

Because they carry large amounts of cash, Chinese tourists are often targeted by pickpockets.

The pickpockets have been so numerous in Paris that last year staff members at the Louvre museum went on strike to demand a greater on-site police presence.

Chinese media reported that 48 tourists were robbed in May as they headed to their hotel in a Paris suburb. In France, the problem was highlighted by the mugging of a group of Chinese tourists in Le Bourget, near Paris, said Muriel Sobry, police chief of the 8th Arrondissement in Paris, which covers the Avenue des Champs-Elysees.

Safety is a primary concern for Chinese. In 2012, Paris had excellent satisfaction ratings for everything from food to service and cultural events. But it failed on two counts - safety and cleanliness. The two categories had satisfaction levels of 58 percent and 64 percent respectively, according to a survey by the Paris Tourism Office.

A few months ago, China offered to send some of its own police to Paris to help tourists, Deschamps said. This didn't happen, because the two couldn't agree under whose rules the Chinese police would operate, Sobry said.

This summer, Paris has deployed mobile police stations in buses parked near major landmarks.

"Don't put your mobile phone on the table at the cafe," and "avoid wearing expensive jewelry," are among the advice given in the Paris Safety Guide, which has been available in Chinese since the year of 2013.

The Paris Police website is also now accessible in Chinese.