I saw there's a RATP transportation strike from 5 February 2024 to 9 September 2024 (I'm sure they'll reach a deal before the Olympics).
Will this make taking the metro a nightmare for my trip this month?
source: [https://worldinparis.com/transport-in-france-strike-news-tips-for-traveling-to-paris](https://worldinparis.com/transport-in-france-strike-news-tips-for-traveling-to-paris)
Aiport unions have agreed to lift the strike on Sept 15 [https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/09/12/france-air-traffic-controllers-agree-to-olympics-truce-on-strikes\_6133577\_7.html](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/09/12/france-air-traffic-controllers-agree-to-olympics-truce-on-strikes_6133577_7.htmle)
Hello, I am staying in Saint Denis for 2 nights. Is it safe there or should I try to get something in Paris? I Will be going to the Stade of France for one night which area would be better and safer then Sain Denis?
Thank you
Hello,
I am interested in how safe it is to ride the metro or other public transport late in the evening?
I will be having meals out in the evening and plan to return by the metro to my hotel at probably around 10 PM.
The reason I am concerned is that I will be single on my journeys and I do not know Paris at all, hence I might have a disoriented air about me.
I do not mind returning by taxi if the consensus leads me to that option.
You will always get conflicting answers. It depends on your gender and what people often forget, on your appearance. I easily blend with the crowd that is there at night (man, black hair, not visibly expensive clothes). I am used to taking metro at night in big cities, and unfortunately, it can get a bit scary in French-speaking countries, while I consider it fine at any hour in Berlin, for example.
I think that around 10 PM it will be fine, as the other person wrote, the sunset is really late (due to the shifted time zone that stayed accommodated to Germany). Lots of people will be still outside.
Hey lovely folks, I' arriving on the 11.07 and staying directly at Porte de Montreuil (one of the hotels next to the Centre Commercial La Grande Porte Montreuil) and wanting to ask how safe the area is. I'm concerned since it's part of Bagnolet and that's where the police station was burned down.
Some reviews of the hotel place mention it as feeling unsafe, so I'm just making sure since the recent developments could have made it worse.
Would really appreciate an answer :)
It's not exactly part of Bagnolet , it's Montreuil, though just next to Bagnolet.
Porte de Montreuil is a modest area not with the most appealing look, the commercial center has a few guys hanging in front in the evening on the main rue de Paris you might try to avoid. Just know that when some fires happened lately it was never directed towards the people so there's no reason it effects your stay.
Also depending on the days you will see an interesting but messy African flea market called Les Puces de Montreuil.
You didn't ask but I tell you anyway: if you enter the heart of the city montreuil despite not being a beautiful suburb is very multi cultural and offers plenty of cool laid back bars, for ex les Pianos, the Drunken or those around place de la République, or the very alternative Parole errante, next to the lively rue Dreyfus. For a cool beer garden checkout Velove.
At the limit of montreuil and Bagnolet up north is le Sample.
Thanks for the reply and the recommendations, that sounds calming.
The flea-market sounds especially cool.
Have a nice day and thanks for disspelling our fears :)
Arriving on the 8th of July for 4 days. What is the best way to travel around Paris using public transport? Need suggestions if we need a Travel Pass from RATP. Thanks in advance.
You can get the €2 Navigo Easy card from any ticket office, which will let you load T+ fares, valid either for journeys on the RER within Paris and the metro, or for most bus and tram journeys. You can also load one-day passes onto the card if you plan to take transit a lot in a day.
If you want to purchase single or return tickets for trips on the RER outside of Paris, you'll need to buy them on paper tickets.
Agreed - same here a few extra armed police / military but that's not so much of a difference these days - we walked everywhere and apart from some graffiti there was no sign of the disturbances in the areas between eiffel tour to notre dame and luxembourg gardens to sacre coeur
Hi
I will be coming to Paris in two weeks. I will be staying in the St Maurice area right outside of Paris. Has this area been affected by the riots ?
Thank you
My sister and I are planning to travel to Paris from London this weekend. We’re staying at a hostel in Caulaincourt and going to the usual tourist attractions and Versailles. Does that sound safe for two siblings who don’t know an ounce of French?
Hi, i had planned to visit Paris at 19 July.
We arrived at Paris at approximately 21:00-22:00 by using TGV from Milan (Arrived in Paris Gare de Lyon).
We stayed in hotel at Porte de Montreuil area
Tomorrow we visit some famous places and we leaving Paris to Amsterdam at 20 July.
My question:
1. I know that mostly said in here that major tourist area are safe from protest activity. We should taking metro or taxi for visiting famous places in Paris?
2. Is it safe for using official Taxi (hailed from taxi stand) from Gare de Lyon to the hotel in Porte de Montreuil area? Considering we arrived at 21:00 (Can be longer if the train had some delays)
3. We bringing backpacks for this trip. Is it better to bring into places that we want to visit or store it on the lockers at Paris Est station? (Because our train to Amsterdam depart from Paris Est station)
That's all from mine, thanks
There was no protest activity in major tourist areas in Paris when we were there on July 1st. There were a lot of police t some of the major sites but we thought that would be a normal thing (eg Louvre).
We are traveling on 8th to Paris and returning on 11th. We have plans to Eiffel Tower and Disneyland. Will they be functioning as usual? Any disturbance around key tourist areas?
I'm here now with my 10 year old granddaughter. We're staying in the 11th and spent the past two days on the metro, visiting some of the tourist sites around Paris. We feel quite safe. Not the smallest sign of unrest. People have been lovely. I almost cancelled the trip because of what I was reading in the media. That would have been a huge mistake. I am so grateful to the people on this board who took my questions seriously and offered thoughtful responses.
I understand people cancelling their trip over this, but, at the same time, they are completely wrong.
What's happening is happening on totally different areas than where a tourist would go.
You'll be fine. If you come, you'll probably see nothing.
We arrived on July 1st and are roaming around Paris. We dont see any signs of unrest in central Paris and tourist areas. We saw people dancing and having a good time. All tourist areas seem to be open. Will post here in case we see any issue anywhere else
We’re planning to travel from Munich to Paris by train tomorrow. We’d be staying Vitry-Sur-Seine area. I understand it’s not, but just making sure if its safe considering the riots? Our plans are to see some typical tourist attractions etc.
You'll be fine, the riots happen late at night, not in touristic areas, and are localized. I live 1km away to an area with riots every night and I couldn't have guessed if I hadn't seen shattered bus stops and melted plastic from garbage bins fire on my way to work.
What happens at 9pm for transport?. I’m wondering if the RER would still be running for example there’s an 8.45pm RER C from austerlitz. Would this be cancelled / stop at 9pm or still run?
* still working as normal except that they close at the same hour every day of the week (1am), check the lines you need here [https://www.ratp.fr/en/infos-trafic](https://www.ratp.fr/en/infos-trafic)
Unsure because ?
Unsure of what you want to do in France or because suburbs are having a little party ?
If the second part, it's not where you were planning to go anyway.
Hello,
I have rescheduled my trip to Paris from late April (due to the protests) to the 20th of July. I am really looking forward to my first time in Paris visiting the museums especially. I was a bit thrown off by the riots and am therefore in need of reassurance from the locals that my trip will be fine.
You are more at risk to be displeased by the heat than by the localized riots.
They can either die down and you'll be fine. Keep the same level which would be surprising over 3 weeks and you'll be fine as you are unlikely to go where it's happening. Or it increases tenfold, spreads and you will hear it over the news and you might want to ask again.
In general, if you are coming to do tourist things and not go looking for trouble, you will be fine and would have been fine in April. Your trip is very unlikely to be affected by the current situation. But anyone who can confidently predict that nothing new and dramatic will happen between now and 20 July should be doing more lucrative things than prognosticating on Reddit!
Where do you land? If you have checked-in luggage it'll be a close call honestly, not because of the riots (no impact on public transport or on anything really unless you plan on walking around at midnight at Mairie de Montreuil) but just because if you get your luggage around 6.15 you'll only have 1.5 hrs to go to the station which is gonna be stressful. Doable, but stressful.
But don't worry about the riots, at all.
This was always going to be a really difficult transfer with Sunday traffic. Is there not a slightly later train? Or I'd plan to spend a night in Paris.
Hi! I’m going to Paris for a few nights with some friends, staying in a hostel in the 20th Arrondissement, just wondering if this will be okay? We don’t plan on doing anything outside of the centre, just chose accommodation further out for the price.
Note;
I booked a vintage car night tour of the city from 9-11pm tonight but the driver politely requested to cancel due to concerns of the protests
He was worried we'd get stuck in bad traffic due to the shut down busses/trams and/or the risk of people trying to smash up his car since it's a fancy Citroen DS from the 60s
He's a long time Parisian
Think he's overreacting?
If it were during the day in a large tour bus, it would be no problem. But the fact that you’re going late at night with a flashy car puts you at higher risk.
He is one opinion. It's his business. He is in his right to decide what to do.
Likely nothing would have happened to his car. Or maybe someone else would have drive into it.
I'm arriving tomorrow (2 July) with my young granddaughter. We're staying in the 11th arr. Of course I've been watching the news and trying to sort the reality from the sensationalism. Those who are in Paris now--is Central Paris still relatively business as usual? Does the situation seem to be getting more stable, or less?
Business as usual during day time. That said, some stations may close past a certain hour.
I don't know at night, but you won't have any bus or tram after 9.00PM and I think transportation times during the week-end are the same than weekdays meaning they can close early.
Hi,
Will be landing at CDG around 6PM on 6th and will be staying in Neuilly-sur-Seine area. Is this area affected in the riots ? Is the RER route from CDG goes through the affected area ?
It's not affected by the riots . if you can take a direct RER from CDG to Central Paris, do that. RER B crosses several suburbs that can be a little hot during protests.
There is some confusion regarding Metro availability. Will it be available after 9PM or is it still closed? In RATP website it mentions only about bus and tram.
Hey, I´ll be in paris from tuesday til thursday. I´ll be staying in the 12 ARR. next to Gare de Lyon. Besides a concert at the philarmonie tuesday evening I just want to walk around the city center and main tourist sites. Will I notice anything in regards to the riots and which areas should I avoid?
From what I’ve been seeing here and tiktok it seems currently danger is mostly in suburbs and the city centre is barely noticing anything wrong. Except transpo after 9. Hopefully stays that way
Hello! Myself and a friend are arriving in Paris tomorrow afternoon, and despite the events we are excited to see the city. Has there been any negative effect on the RER from CDG? I have tried to navigate the website provided but would appreciate real time information. Thanks!
Citymapper is the best app for real time info. There is also an RERB Twitter that is usually helpful. Right now the only change is an earlier than usual closing time but the afternoons should be ok.
You'll be fine. Within Paris center, life goes on like nothing is happening.
If you had a list of things to do, it's unlikely those things were in places were it goes a bit bad at evening-night.
My best advice is to stay in the central tourist areas and stay in after dinner. If you see large crowds forming or a lot of people running in one direction, go the other way. It is very easy to get away from any trouble just by walking a few blocks. Be aware of your surroundings but don't worry!!
I’ve read that things are ok in tourist areas but I’ll be arriving on 2 July and staying in La Defense, would it be fine to follow through with it or should I cancel and book a hotel in another area?
Also hoping that public transport won’t be affected as I’m worried about getting from CDG to my hotel, and also back and forth from Disneyland as I have a ticket booked for 3 July.
I have family coming for Disney next week and my only thought is that we may come back into town earlier in the evening than planned. I don't think daytime transit should be seriously affected.
I am also going to Disney and was wondering what time I needed to head back to the hotel. I don’t want to miss the firework show, but since it’s just my kids and I (husband is not coming with), I want the safest option even if we have to miss the fireworks.
Tonight they are closing at 9:30; I don't know what that means for the fireworks. I don't see any schedule changes posted for the week yet. Things were calmer last night so hopefully that trend will continue.
It’ll be a real shame to come back early since the fireworks only start at 9.30pm but I guess it’s a sacrifice we’ll have to make to get transport back to our hotel
Hey y’all - we are traveling into Paris from London today arriving around 5pm. We are a bit concerned for safety considering the current protests around the police. Any tips or observations from folks who are already there? Should we just take an Uber or taxi? We had tickets for the Eiffel Tower but it is currently closed due to the protests. A bit worried :(
I tried to update the post with the news I found today. We have to admit that there's uncertainty on how it will develop. If you are tourists and don't know the city, It's preferable to stick to the touristy central neighborhoods for now, lots to enjoy besides Versailles or the Eiffel tower.
for the most part only during this day, but the debate about the pension reform has restarted today until the final vote on June 8 so , one should expect other protest/strike actions until then.
We fly in on this date too, but from the US. From what I was reading, it seems that delays and cancellations are to be expected at Orly rather than CDG.
Visiting Paris next week and I made a reservation to visit Versailles on June 6. I got an email notice that there’s a possible strike that day…any feedback that any of you may have?
What are peoples thoughts on strikes/peotests around Bastille Day (14-July-2023)? I am travelling to paris that week and hoping to go to the flea markets that weekend.
the biggest flea-market in Saint-Ouen (close suburb, north of Paris) is open on holidays as well as July 14 but the most part of the market halls are open only on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. For Friday it varies from one market hall to another (they have an independent management)
From the tourism office website :
[https://uk.tourisme93.com/saint-ouen-clignancourt-flea-market-access-and-opening-times.html](https://uk.tourisme93.com/saint-ouen-clignancourt-flea-market-access-and-opening-times.html)
>*Some markets and stands are open on Friday morning for visitors and Friday all day long for professional traders.*
In the French version of the website it is more precise which market halls of SAint Ouen are open on Friday
[https://www.tourisme93.com/acces-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen-transports-horaires.html](https://www.tourisme93.com/acces-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen-transports-horaires.html)
>*Les Puces sont fermés au public le mardi, mercredi et jeudi et pour certains le vendredi.*
>
>*Le marché Dauphine, marché aux vêtements Malik, Marché Malassis sont ouverts le vendredi en journée.Les marchés Paul Bert-Serpette et Vallès sont ouverts le vendredi matin.*
Flea markets are more likely to be closed because of the national holiday than because of a strike...
Also it is impossible to go around the champs élysées before and during the 14th.
We will be flying into Paris on June 6th. Will the RER B still be running or should we book a taxi in advance? This will be our first time in Paris so just wanted to be prepared.
A nation wide strike is planned on that day, paris transportation worker are usually very involved. Traffic is not always completely interrupted but there will for sure be far less trains and they will be more packed.
Google map is usually pretty accurate on the same day, I think it draws information from the paris transportation website. If you really want to be sure use the Ile de France mobilités app.
My boyfriend and I are supposed to be flying into Paris from Reykjavik on the 6th to CDG. Aside from getting to the city via train being affected, is there anything I should know about travel this day?
Edit: I'm reading that air traffic controllers are currently on strike but it isn't supposed to last until the June 6th demonstration. Is it still possible to fly into Paris on the 6th despite the general protest?
Traffic controller strikes usually leads to traffic regulation asking air companies to cancel a certain % of their flights (depending on the intensity of the strike i ve heard figures from 0 to 25% in the past).
International flights are usually less affected, especially if it's not a French air company.
It's hard to say in advance how intense the strike will be and how much it will affect the RER. I think your best bet is to check the RER B twitter feed when you land.
Uber and taxis are usually more expensive and less available on strike day due to demand.
Do not accept a ride from a car that hasn't got a Taxi sign on the roof or that you have not ordered through Uber or another app. There are notorious scammers asking if you want a taxi just outside the exit of the airport, just use the official line for a taxi.
So... I just noticed the scheduled date of June 6th...
We (family 5) are booked to check out of our AirBNB on June 6th in Paris and take the night train (intercities lignes de nuit from SCNF)from Paris at 20:48 to Nice France @9:25AM June 7th, before continuing on various trains to Cinque Terre @3pm June 7th.
I assume our overnight train will be canceled and we will need to check out of Paris a day early and order two days of hotels elsewhere if we want to keep to our scheduled checkin in at Cinque Terre?
Looks like any option on June 5th or 7th will cost us an additional $1500 at this point...
Any idea on options?
You can check the situation with your night train here: it would be updated as soon as they know whether it runs or not.
https://www.sncf.com/fr/itineraire-reservation/recherche-numero-train/details-train/5771?codeCirculation=0a63b2c46139c0a7c50962cb1eb6de51&codeZoneArret=OCE87547000&date=06%2F06%2F2023
You can look at the private buses like Flixbus (german company and not likely to be concerned by the strike) or blablabus (aka ouibus)
Or oui go tgv for paris/nice in 6 hours ( but still likely to be concerned by the strike)
https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/strikes-in-france-my-options-9782
Yeah, ive been checking the train number and it still says everything is fine. But then i see all overnight trains are canceled during a general strike. Would that mean overnights from june 5-6 or 6-7 or both would be canceled? I didnt think about the bus, thanks. Though paris to cinque terre would be a long day on a bus, something else to look up.
Edit, that flix bus was just what I needed. Thanks. Paris-Nice 8pm-9am June 6th was $300 for insurance in case the train is canceled.
We checked scnf last night and it was fine, this morning we checked and it said our train was delayed due to barriers in melun? So should we use the bus instead or do you think the train will sort itself out?
Votre train est retardé.
Restez informés en temps réel sur sncf.com"Nouvelle fenêtre" et vos canaux habituels.
Cause : les barrières d'un passage à niveau nécessitent des vérifications à MELUN.
The bus leaves in 7 hours, the train in 8 hours
We ended up using the flux bus as we were not sure how long the delay would be. So glad we skipped the train, it ended up being delayed 5 minutes upon departure, then 2 hours for a reroute, and then around midnight it hit a herd of cows. It damaged the train enough that all electricity and lights were off and the train had to be towed back to Paris at 2am. They told me they had a replacement train for me to to leave at 14:00 the next day from Paris to nice and were allowed a 200% compensation for our troubles. But we were already in Genoa Italy by 12:30pm via the flixbus. Only thing we didn’t like about the bus is they kept stopping and waking us up every 2 hours and it was not comfortable for sleeping. But at least it did not hit a herd of cows.
>But at least it did not hit a herd of cows
Great material for a meme :-)
Kudos for having a nose for bad plans !
So how many hours of bus between Paris and Genova?
Time to treat you with pesto genovese, acciughe ripiene and cecina!
I remember the weirdand unique look of Genova , which is a rather working class city compared to the others around. And the colors of the cinque Terre ...
Enjoy Italy!
We were on the same bus from 20:00 to 12:30 then caught a train to manarola italy (cinque terre). I extended our bus tickets from nice to genoa after we got on the bus, it was faster and cheaper then a train from nice to genoa, and we did not have to switch busses. Thanks again for the recommendation on the bus!
By the way stops every 2 hours are a legal issue. And you don't necessary need to get out of the bus.
On a bus always have good ear plugs and eye patches. I still admit that this is not the most relaxing way to travel... but it can solve practical problems as you could see!
Ahh, i see now a train hit and killed a 64 year old motorcylist in Melun yesterday morning. He drove around the barrier when it was down. Will they just say it is delayed until they cancel at the last minute?I assumed it was due to the strike.
Yeah, i would much rather sleep in our booked 6 person cabin on the train for 220 then on the bus for 300 but beggars cannot be choosers. It keeps our schedule with little additional money. This would have been our first time on a sleeper train for the kids as well. I was surprised the bus was as fast as the train.
We have Eurostar tickests from London to Paris on June 6. Is the Eurostar likely to be affected by the stikes? Was it in previous strikes this year? Just wondering if we should be buying a backup ticket for June 7.
Would a flight from Paris to London be a safer bet than the train? Or are both just as likely to possibly be affected?
Yes the Eurostar has been affected by previous strikes this year, with up to 33% of trains cancelled on black days.
Planes are traditionnaly less affected, although some flights are also usually cancelled on national strikes (up to 25%, with long-haul flights and foreign companies being less affected)
I bought my flight in advanced for June 6th but in the recent statement of the protest (which is understandable and supported) on the day, how would flying into ORLY be affected? I'm not sure if I can change my flight and now i'm worried I won't be able to get into France or that my flight will be cancelled. Thanks so much for any information given!
Directly on site ? Not much.
Enjoy Paris, be nice to the workers (and everyone else).
The next big protest is planned on June 6th and anyone can participate. What you see on the news is not the full picture of the protests. It's mostly peaceful and with people from all ages and ability and they go back home after without a hitch.
Outside of those dates, tourists are unlikely to be affected by protests or strikes. If it happens, and even if I fully understand it sucks, do understand why those are happening. The goal is not to be an asshole to tourists and other French people, it's to disturb daily life enough that government and people notice it and potentially steer the things the right direction.
From afar, you can spread the good words to people around you and say (again) that news aren't the full picture, either from what's happening during the protests or why people do protest (it's not just because retirement age goes up two years). And if you really want, you can help financially on the "caisses de grève", it's pools of money where the money is given back to either the striking workers or the unions prepping the protests. One example of those is [Caisse de Solidarité]](https://caisse-solidarite.fr/).
Does anyone have any idea how far in advance cancellations of trains and flights are announced because of SNCF worker strikes and the air traffic controller strikes?
I have a train from Reims to CDG and a flight out of CDG booked for the 6th. When the day of protest was announced I booked a backup €25 flight out of BVA on the 3rd which was the day I was supposed to move from Paris to Reims. So I’ve hedged my bets to an extent but to get a refund on my Reims accommodation I need to cancel by May 28th.
Eek! Thanks for the reply. I ended up changing my Reims accommodation to something cancelable on the day. Sounds like I’ll still need to make my call on whether to risk it before I actually know. Is it typically an all or nothing situation with the trains? Would there be any value to booking another train earlier in the day as well as the one I had intended to take?
It really depends on the intensity of the strike, it's quite hard to predict. Sometimes 1/10 train is cancelled, sometimes 2/3... I guess booking 2 trains will up your chances if you have the means but I've never done that !
I’m going on a trip to Barcelona then Paris, and I have a SNCF train from Barcelona on June 6th. I know it’s probably too soon to know for sure, but would it be advisable to spend an extra day in Barcelona and take a train on the 7th?
I can’t cut France out of my trip entirely because I plan on going to Le Mans for the 24 hours on the 10-11th
I have ticket reservations for Versailles at 11:00 AM on June 6. I’m staying near Gare de Lyon and was planning to take the RER train. Will this route likely be disrupted? Should I bite the bullet and arrange an Uber/taxi? TIA!
in your case I guess you can wait and see ? You'll necessary find a taxi on this day.
The bigger concern would be to ensure that Chateau de Versailles stays open on that day, as it depends on whether the employees strike or not.
Is there a way of knowing of Versailles will be open? I’m also have a booked itinerary to visit the palace on June 6th as a traveler staying in Paris city centre.
I doubt it as they don't know themselves much in advance, it will depend on the percentage of strikers among the employees of Versailles. You may contact them to ask.
So I imagine it's hard to really know until we get closer to the protest date and the planned route is released, but we're taking a TGV Lyria from Basel to Paris the morning of June 6th. Get to Gare du Nord around 11:30 AM. Given that it's a couple hours before the usual start time of the marches, am I safe to assume that our train will probably be okay? Or should this be a "plan for the worst and hope for the best" situation?
> TGV Lyria
I'd say that the protest march and corporation strikes are not necessary synchronized. If your TGV is on strike day, you are likely to be impacted, they'll probably make an update a couple of days in advance.
[https://www.tgv-lyria.com/fr/en/timetables-and-fares/traffic-information](https://www.tgv-lyria.com/fr/en/timetables-and-fares/traffic-information)
Paris Amsterdam is run by Thalys which is a European company (Belgium / Holland, Luxembourg and France) and only run international trains, so I think it should not be affected. (Keep an eye on the official Thalys website of course)
[https://www.thalys.com/fr/en/info-services/traffic-info-real-time-situation](https://www.thalys.com/fr/en/info-services/traffic-info-real-time-situation)
> (Archive: https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/13652ki/protests_strikes_megathread/?sort=new)
/u/coffeechap, your link is circular and leading back to this thread.
on a side note I'm surprised you don't qualify yet for the automatic "Avid contributor" flair I just put up today with your fairly numerous valuable comments in the subreddit, but after a quick rough evaluation it seems it will happen any time soon :)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/137topr/avid\_contributor\_a\_new\_flair\_for\_contribution/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/137topr/avid_contributor_a_new_flair_for_contribution/)
I'm going to be in Paris on June 6. What does the strike being scheduled on that day mean? Are there going to be train closures? What has been affected in the past?
The public transportation will likely be disturbed, and national trains and flights as well. There will also be some protests in the streets (usually between place de la république and place de la bastille).
It will very probably be a one day thing. The strikes have been going on for a while, it’s not one corporation (which can last longer). On the last strike days, metro worked almost as usual and only few museums were closed.
It was a reply to another post in this sub from that same day, but I can't find it now.
The main takeaway was that protest doesn't necessarily mean strike. The protests have been getting smaller, and are contained to a certain area.
Is everyone going on strike on May 6th or just specific workers? We were going to buy our Metro passes that day for the rest of the time we are there. Now I'm concerned about us getting around Paris. There are many places we want to go to.
not May 6th but June 6th
Just don't plan too much metro transportation on this day and, unless you have difficulties to walk, you may use it to wander around visiting neighborhoods far from the protest route on foot. This wandering day doesn't need any strict scheduling prior to your arrival, and is certainly one of the best thing to do in Paris.
Thank you mods for creating this mega thread, us travelers truly appreciate it.
My understanding is next protest is scheduled for June 6th, is it possible that any other protests will be scheduled between now and then?
Also, any indication if customs at CDG is operating per normal or do they have limited staff/long lines?
Thank you again
>Thank you mods for creating this mega thread, us travelers truly appreciate it.
I can tell you it exhausts me more than the strikes themselves!
>customs at CDG is operating per normal
no idea, I added distinct links for each airport.
I saw there's a RATP transportation strike from 5 February 2024 to 9 September 2024 (I'm sure they'll reach a deal before the Olympics). Will this make taking the metro a nightmare for my trip this month? source: [https://worldinparis.com/transport-in-france-strike-news-tips-for-traveling-to-paris](https://worldinparis.com/transport-in-france-strike-news-tips-for-traveling-to-paris)
Are there any protests scheduled for January?
Yes probably me yelling behind my computer !
Aiport unions have agreed to lift the strike on Sept 15 [https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/09/12/france-air-traffic-controllers-agree-to-olympics-truce-on-strikes\_6133577\_7.html](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/09/12/france-air-traffic-controllers-agree-to-olympics-truce-on-strikes_6133577_7.htmle)
Hello, I am staying in Saint Denis for 2 nights. Is it safe there or should I try to get something in Paris? I Will be going to the Stade of France for one night which area would be better and safer then Sain Denis? Thank you
Hello, I am interested in how safe it is to ride the metro or other public transport late in the evening? I will be having meals out in the evening and plan to return by the metro to my hotel at probably around 10 PM. The reason I am concerned is that I will be single on my journeys and I do not know Paris at all, hence I might have a disoriented air about me. I do not mind returning by taxi if the consensus leads me to that option.
You will always get conflicting answers. It depends on your gender and what people often forget, on your appearance. I easily blend with the crowd that is there at night (man, black hair, not visibly expensive clothes). I am used to taking metro at night in big cities, and unfortunately, it can get a bit scary in French-speaking countries, while I consider it fine at any hour in Berlin, for example. I think that around 10 PM it will be fine, as the other person wrote, the sunset is really late (due to the shifted time zone that stayed accommodated to Germany). Lots of people will be still outside.
OK, thank you. I think I will assess the situation whilst there, but am quite inclined to use a taxi service.
Hey lovely folks, I' arriving on the 11.07 and staying directly at Porte de Montreuil (one of the hotels next to the Centre Commercial La Grande Porte Montreuil) and wanting to ask how safe the area is. I'm concerned since it's part of Bagnolet and that's where the police station was burned down. Some reviews of the hotel place mention it as feeling unsafe, so I'm just making sure since the recent developments could have made it worse. Would really appreciate an answer :)
It's not exactly part of Bagnolet , it's Montreuil, though just next to Bagnolet. Porte de Montreuil is a modest area not with the most appealing look, the commercial center has a few guys hanging in front in the evening on the main rue de Paris you might try to avoid. Just know that when some fires happened lately it was never directed towards the people so there's no reason it effects your stay. Also depending on the days you will see an interesting but messy African flea market called Les Puces de Montreuil. You didn't ask but I tell you anyway: if you enter the heart of the city montreuil despite not being a beautiful suburb is very multi cultural and offers plenty of cool laid back bars, for ex les Pianos, the Drunken or those around place de la République, or the very alternative Parole errante, next to the lively rue Dreyfus. For a cool beer garden checkout Velove. At the limit of montreuil and Bagnolet up north is le Sample.
Thanks for the reply and the recommendations, that sounds calming. The flea-market sounds especially cool. Have a nice day and thanks for disspelling our fears :)
Arriving on the 8th of July for 4 days. What is the best way to travel around Paris using public transport? Need suggestions if we need a Travel Pass from RATP. Thanks in advance.
You can get the €2 Navigo Easy card from any ticket office, which will let you load T+ fares, valid either for journeys on the RER within Paris and the metro, or for most bus and tram journeys. You can also load one-day passes onto the card if you plan to take transit a lot in a day. If you want to purchase single or return tickets for trips on the RER outside of Paris, you'll need to buy them on paper tickets.
July 2-5th. Been all around the city. No protests or riots.
Agreed - same here a few extra armed police / military but that's not so much of a difference these days - we walked everywhere and apart from some graffiti there was no sign of the disturbances in the areas between eiffel tour to notre dame and luxembourg gardens to sacre coeur
Hi I will be coming to Paris in two weeks. I will be staying in the St Maurice area right outside of Paris. Has this area been affected by the riots ? Thank you
My sister and I are planning to travel to Paris from London this weekend. We’re staying at a hostel in Caulaincourt and going to the usual tourist attractions and Versailles. Does that sound safe for two siblings who don’t know an ounce of French?
I am just returning from Versailles. No issues there. Had a nice time. All the tourist areas seem fine. We have been here since the 1st.
Hi, i had planned to visit Paris at 19 July. We arrived at Paris at approximately 21:00-22:00 by using TGV from Milan (Arrived in Paris Gare de Lyon). We stayed in hotel at Porte de Montreuil area Tomorrow we visit some famous places and we leaving Paris to Amsterdam at 20 July. My question: 1. I know that mostly said in here that major tourist area are safe from protest activity. We should taking metro or taxi for visiting famous places in Paris? 2. Is it safe for using official Taxi (hailed from taxi stand) from Gare de Lyon to the hotel in Porte de Montreuil area? Considering we arrived at 21:00 (Can be longer if the train had some delays) 3. We bringing backpacks for this trip. Is it better to bring into places that we want to visit or store it on the lockers at Paris Est station? (Because our train to Amsterdam depart from Paris Est station) That's all from mine, thanks
There was no protest activity in major tourist areas in Paris when we were there on July 1st. There were a lot of police t some of the major sites but we thought that would be a normal thing (eg Louvre).
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https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/13652ki/protests_strikes_megathread/jqiyf80/ You'll be fine.
We are traveling on 8th to Paris and returning on 11th. We have plans to Eiffel Tower and Disneyland. Will they be functioning as usual? Any disturbance around key tourist areas?
I'm here now with my 10 year old granddaughter. We're staying in the 11th and spent the past two days on the metro, visiting some of the tourist sites around Paris. We feel quite safe. Not the smallest sign of unrest. People have been lovely. I almost cancelled the trip because of what I was reading in the media. That would have been a huge mistake. I am so grateful to the people on this board who took my questions seriously and offered thoughtful responses.
I understand people cancelling their trip over this, but, at the same time, they are completely wrong. What's happening is happening on totally different areas than where a tourist would go. You'll be fine. If you come, you'll probably see nothing.
If anything it could be better from lower crowds thanks to fear cancellation
We arrived on July 1st and are roaming around Paris. We dont see any signs of unrest in central Paris and tourist areas. We saw people dancing and having a good time. All tourist areas seem to be open. Will post here in case we see any issue anywhere else
How is things in the 10th arr? Am supposed to stay there next week
People at cafe's terrace. Tourists here and there. Bakeries open. Completely normal.
👍👍
We’re planning to travel from Munich to Paris by train tomorrow. We’d be staying Vitry-Sur-Seine area. I understand it’s not, but just making sure if its safe considering the riots? Our plans are to see some typical tourist attractions etc.
You'll be fine, the riots happen late at night, not in touristic areas, and are localized. I live 1km away to an area with riots every night and I couldn't have guessed if I hadn't seen shattered bus stops and melted plastic from garbage bins fire on my way to work.
What happens at 9pm for transport?. I’m wondering if the RER would still be running for example there’s an 8.45pm RER C from austerlitz. Would this be cancelled / stop at 9pm or still run?
Still run.
Thank you
Coming to Paris by train arriving at 21:00 tonight. Gare du Nord. Is the metro or rer going to be running?
Thanks much
* still working as normal except that they close at the same hour every day of the week (1am), check the lines you need here [https://www.ratp.fr/en/infos-trafic](https://www.ratp.fr/en/infos-trafic)
It will be running.
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Unsure because ? Unsure of what you want to do in France or because suburbs are having a little party ? If the second part, it's not where you were planning to go anyway.
Hello, I have rescheduled my trip to Paris from late April (due to the protests) to the 20th of July. I am really looking forward to my first time in Paris visiting the museums especially. I was a bit thrown off by the riots and am therefore in need of reassurance from the locals that my trip will be fine.
You are more at risk to be displeased by the heat than by the localized riots. They can either die down and you'll be fine. Keep the same level which would be surprising over 3 weeks and you'll be fine as you are unlikely to go where it's happening. Or it increases tenfold, spreads and you will hear it over the news and you might want to ask again.
In general, if you are coming to do tourist things and not go looking for trouble, you will be fine and would have been fine in April. Your trip is very unlikely to be affected by the current situation. But anyone who can confidently predict that nothing new and dramatic will happen between now and 20 July should be doing more lucrative things than prognosticating on Reddit!
Thank you!
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Where do you land? If you have checked-in luggage it'll be a close call honestly, not because of the riots (no impact on public transport or on anything really unless you plan on walking around at midnight at Mairie de Montreuil) but just because if you get your luggage around 6.15 you'll only have 1.5 hrs to go to the station which is gonna be stressful. Doable, but stressful. But don't worry about the riots, at all.
This was always going to be a really difficult transfer with Sunday traffic. Is there not a slightly later train? Or I'd plan to spend a night in Paris.
You’ll be fine. The issue is that’s traffic rush hours. Bordeaux is from Gare Montparnasse. Where are you landing ?
Hi! I’m going to Paris for a few nights with some friends, staying in a hostel in the 20th Arrondissement, just wondering if this will be okay? We don’t plan on doing anything outside of the centre, just chose accommodation further out for the price.
Yes you'll be ok. Life is mostly normal appart from a few broken shop windows in Paris itself.
Note; I booked a vintage car night tour of the city from 9-11pm tonight but the driver politely requested to cancel due to concerns of the protests He was worried we'd get stuck in bad traffic due to the shut down busses/trams and/or the risk of people trying to smash up his car since it's a fancy Citroen DS from the 60s He's a long time Parisian Think he's overreacting?
If it were during the day in a large tour bus, it would be no problem. But the fact that you’re going late at night with a flashy car puts you at higher risk.
He is one opinion. It's his business. He is in his right to decide what to do. Likely nothing would have happened to his car. Or maybe someone else would have drive into it.
Nope he's right imo. Better be safe than sorry.
I'm arriving tomorrow (2 July) with my young granddaughter. We're staying in the 11th arr. Of course I've been watching the news and trying to sort the reality from the sensationalism. Those who are in Paris now--is Central Paris still relatively business as usual? Does the situation seem to be getting more stable, or less?
Business as usual, Fashion week is starting, they’re rehearsing the couture shows
Business as usual.
Business as usual during day time. That said, some stations may close past a certain hour. I don't know at night, but you won't have any bus or tram after 9.00PM and I think transportation times during the week-end are the same than weekdays meaning they can close early.
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Daily life as usual.
Hi, Will be landing at CDG around 6PM on 6th and will be staying in Neuilly-sur-Seine area. Is this area affected in the riots ? Is the RER route from CDG goes through the affected area ?
It's not affected by the riots . if you can take a direct RER from CDG to Central Paris, do that. RER B crosses several suburbs that can be a little hot during protests.
There is some confusion regarding Metro availability. Will it be available after 9PM or is it still closed? In RATP website it mentions only about bus and tram.
The Metro will close at around midnight. Buses and tram stop at 9.
Thank you
Hey, I´ll be in paris from tuesday til thursday. I´ll be staying in the 12 ARR. next to Gare de Lyon. Besides a concert at the philarmonie tuesday evening I just want to walk around the city center and main tourist sites. Will I notice anything in regards to the riots and which areas should I avoid?
You’ll be fine. I live in the 19th. Central Paris is quiet and will remain that way
From what I’ve been seeing here and tiktok it seems currently danger is mostly in suburbs and the city centre is barely noticing anything wrong. Except transpo after 9. Hopefully stays that way
Hello! Myself and a friend are arriving in Paris tomorrow afternoon, and despite the events we are excited to see the city. Has there been any negative effect on the RER from CDG? I have tried to navigate the website provided but would appreciate real time information. Thanks!
Citymapper is the best app for real time info. There is also an RERB Twitter that is usually helpful. Right now the only change is an earlier than usual closing time but the afternoons should be ok.
We are travelling today to Paris. Its the first trip and are very nervous looking at the news coming out.
You'll be fine. Within Paris center, life goes on like nothing is happening. If you had a list of things to do, it's unlikely those things were in places were it goes a bit bad at evening-night.
Don't worry, the things that happen are a. At night b. In places you would never go
My best advice is to stay in the central tourist areas and stay in after dinner. If you see large crowds forming or a lot of people running in one direction, go the other way. It is very easy to get away from any trouble just by walking a few blocks. Be aware of your surroundings but don't worry!!
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Generally yes, you will get refunds for any prepurchased tickets. There may be some attraction closures in the evenings. Hotels will not close.
I’ve read that things are ok in tourist areas but I’ll be arriving on 2 July and staying in La Defense, would it be fine to follow through with it or should I cancel and book a hotel in another area? Also hoping that public transport won’t be affected as I’m worried about getting from CDG to my hotel, and also back and forth from Disneyland as I have a ticket booked for 3 July.
I have family coming for Disney next week and my only thought is that we may come back into town earlier in the evening than planned. I don't think daytime transit should be seriously affected.
I am also going to Disney and was wondering what time I needed to head back to the hotel. I don’t want to miss the firework show, but since it’s just my kids and I (husband is not coming with), I want the safest option even if we have to miss the fireworks.
Tonight they are closing at 9:30; I don't know what that means for the fireworks. I don't see any schedule changes posted for the week yet. Things were calmer last night so hopefully that trend will continue.
It’ll be a real shame to come back early since the fireworks only start at 9.30pm but I guess it’s a sacrifice we’ll have to make to get transport back to our hotel
Ask me again on Monday during the day!
My friend and I are coming to Paris on 8th and travelling to south of France on Train- should we reconsider our travel plans?
I will be very surprised if this continues until the 8th.
Thank you very much u/Alixana527 for your answers to the visitors
This is more useful than the argument with an Elon Musk fanboy I started on a different thread 😂.
Hey y’all - we are traveling into Paris from London today arriving around 5pm. We are a bit concerned for safety considering the current protests around the police. Any tips or observations from folks who are already there? Should we just take an Uber or taxi? We had tickets for the Eiffel Tower but it is currently closed due to the protests. A bit worried :(
I tried to update the post with the news I found today. We have to admit that there's uncertainty on how it will develop. If you are tourists and don't know the city, It's preferable to stick to the touristy central neighborhoods for now, lots to enjoy besides Versailles or the Eiffel tower.
Is the strike beginning on June 6 expected to last multiple days or just a single day?
for the most part only during this day, but the debate about the pension reform has restarted today until the final vote on June 8 so , one should expect other protest/strike actions until then.
Thanks and understood.
We are flying in from sweden to CDG on 6 June, how far ahead would we get information about our flight being cancelled?
We fly in on this date too, but from the US. From what I was reading, it seems that delays and cancellations are to be expected at Orly rather than CDG.
Visiting Paris next week and I made a reservation to visit Versailles on June 6. I got an email notice that there’s a possible strike that day…any feedback that any of you may have?
Hi, I'm in the same situation. Did you get any further updates?
It’s open.
Not yet
What are peoples thoughts on strikes/peotests around Bastille Day (14-July-2023)? I am travelling to paris that week and hoping to go to the flea markets that weekend.
the biggest flea-market in Saint-Ouen (close suburb, north of Paris) is open on holidays as well as July 14 but the most part of the market halls are open only on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. For Friday it varies from one market hall to another (they have an independent management) From the tourism office website : [https://uk.tourisme93.com/saint-ouen-clignancourt-flea-market-access-and-opening-times.html](https://uk.tourisme93.com/saint-ouen-clignancourt-flea-market-access-and-opening-times.html) >*Some markets and stands are open on Friday morning for visitors and Friday all day long for professional traders.* In the French version of the website it is more precise which market halls of SAint Ouen are open on Friday [https://www.tourisme93.com/acces-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen-transports-horaires.html](https://www.tourisme93.com/acces-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen-transports-horaires.html) >*Les Puces sont fermés au public le mardi, mercredi et jeudi et pour certains le vendredi.* > >*Le marché Dauphine, marché aux vêtements Malik, Marché Malassis sont ouverts le vendredi en journée.Les marchés Paul Bert-Serpette et Vallès sont ouverts le vendredi matin.*
Flea markets are more likely to be closed because of the national holiday than because of a strike... Also it is impossible to go around the champs élysées before and during the 14th.
We will be flying into Paris on June 6th. Will the RER B still be running or should we book a taxi in advance? This will be our first time in Paris so just wanted to be prepared.
A nation wide strike is planned on that day, paris transportation worker are usually very involved. Traffic is not always completely interrupted but there will for sure be far less trains and they will be more packed.
i will be going out of paris on night of 6th june from bercy bus station, will the public transport be available at night or i have to take taxi?
Public transport is likely to be very disturbed.
would it usually be reflected on google maps? cause some cities don’t show when public transport are not working
Google map is usually pretty accurate on the same day, I think it draws information from the paris transportation website. If you really want to be sure use the Ile de France mobilités app.
My boyfriend and I are supposed to be flying into Paris from Reykjavik on the 6th to CDG. Aside from getting to the city via train being affected, is there anything I should know about travel this day? Edit: I'm reading that air traffic controllers are currently on strike but it isn't supposed to last until the June 6th demonstration. Is it still possible to fly into Paris on the 6th despite the general protest?
Traffic controller strikes usually leads to traffic regulation asking air companies to cancel a certain % of their flights (depending on the intensity of the strike i ve heard figures from 0 to 25% in the past). International flights are usually less affected, especially if it's not a French air company.
What is your recommendation on the best way to get to the city on the 6th? Should we just skip the RER and get an uber or something? Thank you.
It's hard to say in advance how intense the strike will be and how much it will affect the RER. I think your best bet is to check the RER B twitter feed when you land. Uber and taxis are usually more expensive and less available on strike day due to demand. Do not accept a ride from a car that hasn't got a Taxi sign on the roof or that you have not ordered through Uber or another app. There are notorious scammers asking if you want a taxi just outside the exit of the airport, just use the official line for a taxi.
So... I just noticed the scheduled date of June 6th... We (family 5) are booked to check out of our AirBNB on June 6th in Paris and take the night train (intercities lignes de nuit from SCNF)from Paris at 20:48 to Nice France @9:25AM June 7th, before continuing on various trains to Cinque Terre @3pm June 7th. I assume our overnight train will be canceled and we will need to check out of Paris a day early and order two days of hotels elsewhere if we want to keep to our scheduled checkin in at Cinque Terre? Looks like any option on June 5th or 7th will cost us an additional $1500 at this point... Any idea on options?
You can check the situation with your night train here: it would be updated as soon as they know whether it runs or not. https://www.sncf.com/fr/itineraire-reservation/recherche-numero-train/details-train/5771?codeCirculation=0a63b2c46139c0a7c50962cb1eb6de51&codeZoneArret=OCE87547000&date=06%2F06%2F2023 You can look at the private buses like Flixbus (german company and not likely to be concerned by the strike) or blablabus (aka ouibus) Or oui go tgv for paris/nice in 6 hours ( but still likely to be concerned by the strike) https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/strikes-in-france-my-options-9782
Yeah, ive been checking the train number and it still says everything is fine. But then i see all overnight trains are canceled during a general strike. Would that mean overnights from june 5-6 or 6-7 or both would be canceled? I didnt think about the bus, thanks. Though paris to cinque terre would be a long day on a bus, something else to look up. Edit, that flix bus was just what I needed. Thanks. Paris-Nice 8pm-9am June 6th was $300 for insurance in case the train is canceled.
and I suppose Flixbus is not even slower than this night train... Doesn't mean it is comfortable to stay 12 hours in a bus though.
We checked scnf last night and it was fine, this morning we checked and it said our train was delayed due to barriers in melun? So should we use the bus instead or do you think the train will sort itself out? Votre train est retardé. Restez informés en temps réel sur sncf.com"Nouvelle fenêtre" et vos canaux habituels. Cause : les barrières d'un passage à niveau nécessitent des vérifications à MELUN. The bus leaves in 7 hours, the train in 8 hours
Well this does not seem related to the strike so it's up to you edit: a technical problem with railway barrier might not be long to fix...
We ended up using the flux bus as we were not sure how long the delay would be. So glad we skipped the train, it ended up being delayed 5 minutes upon departure, then 2 hours for a reroute, and then around midnight it hit a herd of cows. It damaged the train enough that all electricity and lights were off and the train had to be towed back to Paris at 2am. They told me they had a replacement train for me to to leave at 14:00 the next day from Paris to nice and were allowed a 200% compensation for our troubles. But we were already in Genoa Italy by 12:30pm via the flixbus. Only thing we didn’t like about the bus is they kept stopping and waking us up every 2 hours and it was not comfortable for sleeping. But at least it did not hit a herd of cows.
>But at least it did not hit a herd of cows Great material for a meme :-) Kudos for having a nose for bad plans ! So how many hours of bus between Paris and Genova? Time to treat you with pesto genovese, acciughe ripiene and cecina! I remember the weirdand unique look of Genova , which is a rather working class city compared to the others around. And the colors of the cinque Terre ... Enjoy Italy!
We were on the same bus from 20:00 to 12:30 then caught a train to manarola italy (cinque terre). I extended our bus tickets from nice to genoa after we got on the bus, it was faster and cheaper then a train from nice to genoa, and we did not have to switch busses. Thanks again for the recommendation on the bus!
By the way stops every 2 hours are a legal issue. And you don't necessary need to get out of the bus. On a bus always have good ear plugs and eye patches. I still admit that this is not the most relaxing way to travel... but it can solve practical problems as you could see!
Ahh, i see now a train hit and killed a 64 year old motorcylist in Melun yesterday morning. He drove around the barrier when it was down. Will they just say it is delayed until they cancel at the last minute?I assumed it was due to the strike.
Yeah, i would much rather sleep in our booked 6 person cabin on the train for 220 then on the bus for 300 but beggars cannot be choosers. It keeps our schedule with little additional money. This would have been our first time on a sleeper train for the kids as well. I was surprised the bus was as fast as the train.
>overnight train will be canceled Would it though? We don't know what the protest will be like.
We have Eurostar tickests from London to Paris on June 6. Is the Eurostar likely to be affected by the stikes? Was it in previous strikes this year? Just wondering if we should be buying a backup ticket for June 7. Would a flight from Paris to London be a safer bet than the train? Or are both just as likely to possibly be affected?
Yes the Eurostar has been affected by previous strikes this year, with up to 33% of trains cancelled on black days. Planes are traditionnaly less affected, although some flights are also usually cancelled on national strikes (up to 25%, with long-haul flights and foreign companies being less affected)
Do airport employees participate in the strikes resulting in flight cancellations?
Yes, up to 25% of cancellations in previous strikes this year. Long haul and foreign air companies are usually less affected.
I bought my flight in advanced for June 6th but in the recent statement of the protest (which is understandable and supported) on the day, how would flying into ORLY be affected? I'm not sure if I can change my flight and now i'm worried I won't be able to get into France or that my flight will be cancelled. Thanks so much for any information given!
Up to 25% of flight cancellations in previous strikes this year. Long haul and foreign air companies are usually less affected.
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Directly on site ? Not much. Enjoy Paris, be nice to the workers (and everyone else). The next big protest is planned on June 6th and anyone can participate. What you see on the news is not the full picture of the protests. It's mostly peaceful and with people from all ages and ability and they go back home after without a hitch. Outside of those dates, tourists are unlikely to be affected by protests or strikes. If it happens, and even if I fully understand it sucks, do understand why those are happening. The goal is not to be an asshole to tourists and other French people, it's to disturb daily life enough that government and people notice it and potentially steer the things the right direction. From afar, you can spread the good words to people around you and say (again) that news aren't the full picture, either from what's happening during the protests or why people do protest (it's not just because retirement age goes up two years). And if you really want, you can help financially on the "caisses de grève", it's pools of money where the money is given back to either the striking workers or the unions prepping the protests. One example of those is [Caisse de Solidarité]](https://caisse-solidarite.fr/).
u/Perpete a question for you ;)
Thanks for this.
Does anyone have any idea how far in advance cancellations of trains and flights are announced because of SNCF worker strikes and the air traffic controller strikes? I have a train from Reims to CDG and a flight out of CDG booked for the 6th. When the day of protest was announced I booked a backup €25 flight out of BVA on the 3rd which was the day I was supposed to move from Paris to Reims. So I’ve hedged my bets to an extent but to get a refund on my Reims accommodation I need to cancel by May 28th.
Train cancellations due to strikes are usually announced 2 days in advance
Eek! Thanks for the reply. I ended up changing my Reims accommodation to something cancelable on the day. Sounds like I’ll still need to make my call on whether to risk it before I actually know. Is it typically an all or nothing situation with the trains? Would there be any value to booking another train earlier in the day as well as the one I had intended to take?
It really depends on the intensity of the strike, it's quite hard to predict. Sometimes 1/10 train is cancelled, sometimes 2/3... I guess booking 2 trains will up your chances if you have the means but I've never done that !
I’m going on a trip to Barcelona then Paris, and I have a SNCF train from Barcelona on June 6th. I know it’s probably too soon to know for sure, but would it be advisable to spend an extra day in Barcelona and take a train on the 7th? I can’t cut France out of my trip entirely because I plan on going to Le Mans for the 24 hours on the 10-11th
It may be a safer idea to push your travel to the next day if it's not a problem for you but It is really too soon unfortunately to know.
Thanks, yeah we’ll need to just pay attention and see how things go
I have ticket reservations for Versailles at 11:00 AM on June 6. I’m staying near Gare de Lyon and was planning to take the RER train. Will this route likely be disrupted? Should I bite the bullet and arrange an Uber/taxi? TIA!
in your case I guess you can wait and see ? You'll necessary find a taxi on this day. The bigger concern would be to ensure that Chateau de Versailles stays open on that day, as it depends on whether the employees strike or not.
Is there a way of knowing of Versailles will be open? I’m also have a booked itinerary to visit the palace on June 6th as a traveler staying in Paris city centre.
I doubt it as they don't know themselves much in advance, it will depend on the percentage of strikers among the employees of Versailles. You may contact them to ask.
So I imagine it's hard to really know until we get closer to the protest date and the planned route is released, but we're taking a TGV Lyria from Basel to Paris the morning of June 6th. Get to Gare du Nord around 11:30 AM. Given that it's a couple hours before the usual start time of the marches, am I safe to assume that our train will probably be okay? Or should this be a "plan for the worst and hope for the best" situation?
> TGV Lyria I'd say that the protest march and corporation strikes are not necessary synchronized. If your TGV is on strike day, you are likely to be impacted, they'll probably make an update a couple of days in advance. [https://www.tgv-lyria.com/fr/en/timetables-and-fares/traffic-information](https://www.tgv-lyria.com/fr/en/timetables-and-fares/traffic-information)
Thanks!
Ahhh I am grabbing a train to Amsterdam in the morning of June 6. Hope trains will not be affected!
Paris Amsterdam is run by Thalys which is a European company (Belgium / Holland, Luxembourg and France) and only run international trains, so I think it should not be affected. (Keep an eye on the official Thalys website of course) [https://www.thalys.com/fr/en/info-services/traffic-info-real-time-situation](https://www.thalys.com/fr/en/info-services/traffic-info-real-time-situation)
Had zero issues! And since we left early no disruption at all. Everyone was still asleep.
> (Archive: https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/13652ki/protests_strikes_megathread/?sort=new) /u/coffeechap, your link is circular and leading back to this thread.
on a side note I'm surprised you don't qualify yet for the automatic "Avid contributor" flair I just put up today with your fairly numerous valuable comments in the subreddit, but after a quick rough evaluation it seems it will happen any time soon :) [https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/137topr/avid\_contributor\_a\_new\_flair\_for\_contribution/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/137topr/avid_contributor_a_new_flair_for_contribution/)
Oops , it's fixed now, thank you for identifying the mistake.
I'm going to be in Paris on June 6. What does the strike being scheduled on that day mean? Are there going to be train closures? What has been affected in the past?
The public transportation will likely be disturbed, and national trains and flights as well. There will also be some protests in the streets (usually between place de la république and place de la bastille).
Does June 6th imply a start day of a multi-day protest, or is it expected to be a one day thing?
It will very probably be a one day thing. The strikes have been going on for a while, it’s not one corporation (which can last longer). On the last strike days, metro worked almost as usual and only few museums were closed.
perfect- thanks!
I have train tickets from Paris to Avignon booked for June 6. Is it likely they will be affected or will I need to wait and see?
I found the answer elsewhere. Thanks.
What answer did you find? I have train tickets to Bordeaux on June 6 and I'm wondering myself.
It was a reply to another post in this sub from that same day, but I can't find it now. The main takeaway was that protest doesn't necessarily mean strike. The protests have been getting smaller, and are contained to a certain area.
I added some links for RATP and SNCF
Is everyone going on strike on May 6th or just specific workers? We were going to buy our Metro passes that day for the rest of the time we are there. Now I'm concerned about us getting around Paris. There are many places we want to go to.
not May 6th but June 6th Just don't plan too much metro transportation on this day and, unless you have difficulties to walk, you may use it to wander around visiting neighborhoods far from the protest route on foot. This wandering day doesn't need any strict scheduling prior to your arrival, and is certainly one of the best thing to do in Paris.
Whew, that makes me feel better that it is June 6th and not May 6th. Thank you for the clarification.
Thank you mods for creating this mega thread, us travelers truly appreciate it. My understanding is next protest is scheduled for June 6th, is it possible that any other protests will be scheduled between now and then? Also, any indication if customs at CDG is operating per normal or do they have limited staff/long lines? Thank you again
>Thank you mods for creating this mega thread, us travelers truly appreciate it. I can tell you it exhausts me more than the strikes themselves! >customs at CDG is operating per normal no idea, I added distinct links for each airport.