how safe is it to travel to france with all the strikes happening??
Mar 28th, 2006, 01:33 PM
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how safe is it to travel to france with all the strikes happening??
I was looking at the following msnbc article
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12045529/
we will be in paris ( after our 15 day ITALY/SWISS alps vacation) for 5 days towards end of may and first week of june.
how safe do you think it is for tourists to use public transports and visit tourist places in france.
I am hoping that this youth job contract strikes end soon. with just 40 days to leave for our vacation I am wondering if I should have a backup plan for my paris vacation.
Looking at the way people have stopped public transport/trains and normal life getting disrupted and effiel tower getting closed for tourists, I am thinking of looking at other options like visiting Greece or near by schengen country ( yes we have applied for Schengen VISA for ITalian embassy now) just in case the stire continues in france.
Any suggestion/thoughts from people who have been following these strikes/ have visited france recently??
Thanks
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12045529/
we will be in paris ( after our 15 day ITALY/SWISS alps vacation) for 5 days towards end of may and first week of june.
how safe do you think it is for tourists to use public transports and visit tourist places in france.
I am hoping that this youth job contract strikes end soon. with just 40 days to leave for our vacation I am wondering if I should have a backup plan for my paris vacation.
Looking at the way people have stopped public transport/trains and normal life getting disrupted and effiel tower getting closed for tourists, I am thinking of looking at other options like visiting Greece or near by schengen country ( yes we have applied for Schengen VISA for ITalian embassy now) just in case the stire continues in france.
Any suggestion/thoughts from people who have been following these strikes/ have visited france recently??
Thanks
Mar 28th, 2006, 01:41 PM
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wanderlust - I leave for Paris in 10 days and have no plan to back out. I will use common sense and keep my eyes and ears open. If you are not comfortable,have a back-up plan. You need a certain level of comfort in order to enjoy yourself. I think these are personal choices and what's right for one may not be right for another.
Mar 28th, 2006, 02:50 PM
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What do you mean by safe? Do you really fear some physical danger from this? I don't see any reason for that. I suppose strikes can cause transport disruptions, that is true, but I think today was the only day, it's not like it has been every day -- they always have strikes in the Spring in Paris, and they often have them around Labor Day also (May 1st). I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of this kind of activity was going on that day. Is that exactly when you planned to go to Paris? seems pretty close, I wouldn't usually plan to go there on Labor Day.
I have been reading about it, not just in the US (and my paper, the Wash Post, has had fairly good coverage), but in the French press. Personally, I would go if I were you (well, if it were me) as even serious problems in Paris don't usually last that long that it should affect you (even last Fall, the riots didn't last for two months, I don't think, and those were more serious).
I thought there were lots of strikes in Italy, a lot of the time, also. Aren't there?
I have been reading about it, not just in the US (and my paper, the Wash Post, has had fairly good coverage), but in the French press. Personally, I would go if I were you (well, if it were me) as even serious problems in Paris don't usually last that long that it should affect you (even last Fall, the riots didn't last for two months, I don't think, and those were more serious).
I thought there were lots of strikes in Italy, a lot of the time, also. Aren't there?
Mar 28th, 2006, 03:04 PM
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>>how safe do you think it is for tourists to use public transports and visit tourist places in france.<<
It's at least as safe as for residents. The only injuries I'm aware of are among demonstrators and police. I imagine most people are going about their business and not huddled in their homes, particularly as spring has sprung.
I'll be there all of May.
It's at least as safe as for residents. The only injuries I'm aware of are among demonstrators and police. I imagine most people are going about their business and not huddled in their homes, particularly as spring has sprung.
I'll be there all of May.
Mar 28th, 2006, 04:23 PM
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I wouldn't worry about it for a minute. If the protests are still going on which is extremely unlikely it will not affect you in any way except for possible disruptions with the Metro, RER and bus service. If that's the case Paris is a very walkable city and you will still have a great time. Guaranteed.
Larry J
Larry J
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Mar 28th, 2006, 04:55 PM
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We returned from Paris on 3/27/06--one day before the national strike.
While in Paris, there was a large demonstration at the National Assembly for a full day (3/23/06).
If there are any concerns about possible disturbances, affected metro or RER stations will be closed. The trains will not stop at any stations close to any demonstrations.( The police do not want demonstrators having ease of access to protest sites, nor possibly endangering any citizens/tourists.)
We actually ending up innocently mixed in with a group of 100 (or so) students, who were waiting outside the entrance to the Conciergerie to witness the arraignment of a protestor( who had been injured in the prior week's demonstration.) We thought the group appeared to be other than a usual crowd of tourists, but there was no rowdy or untoward behavior on their part.
We also were in Paris during the midst of the November '05 car burnings. If you were not in the middle of the suburbs and had not read the newspapers, you would not have realized that any distrubances were going on.
I would not rescheduled my plans---just pay attention to the news reports, and keep clear of any areas of scheduled demonstrations.
All day on 3/23, the Assemble National and Solferino stations on the #12 line were closed, and subway trains running through those stations did not stop. Announcements were made in the RER and metro, so commuters were aware of the closures.
We saw many police vehicles passing to and fro in the 6th and 7th arrondisements, but average Parisians paid little attention to the activity.
Don't become paranoid---you have no reason for concern.
The labor law issues should be settled by mid-May.
While in Paris, there was a large demonstration at the National Assembly for a full day (3/23/06).
If there are any concerns about possible disturbances, affected metro or RER stations will be closed. The trains will not stop at any stations close to any demonstrations.( The police do not want demonstrators having ease of access to protest sites, nor possibly endangering any citizens/tourists.)
We actually ending up innocently mixed in with a group of 100 (or so) students, who were waiting outside the entrance to the Conciergerie to witness the arraignment of a protestor( who had been injured in the prior week's demonstration.) We thought the group appeared to be other than a usual crowd of tourists, but there was no rowdy or untoward behavior on their part.
We also were in Paris during the midst of the November '05 car burnings. If you were not in the middle of the suburbs and had not read the newspapers, you would not have realized that any distrubances were going on.
I would not rescheduled my plans---just pay attention to the news reports, and keep clear of any areas of scheduled demonstrations.
All day on 3/23, the Assemble National and Solferino stations on the #12 line were closed, and subway trains running through those stations did not stop. Announcements were made in the RER and metro, so commuters were aware of the closures.
We saw many police vehicles passing to and fro in the 6th and 7th arrondisements, but average Parisians paid little attention to the activity.
Don't become paranoid---you have no reason for concern.
The labor law issues should be settled by mid-May.
