love_travel11

Hello everyone!

We are set to fly to Paris to celebrate a milestone birthday on March 22 (next Wednesday). With the protests happening in Paris, we are not sure if there are safety issues to consider. Can anyone in Paris help us by letting us know what the situation is looking like please?

Thank you!

jan47ete

I leave tomorrow *Sat March 19) and was just about the post the same question. I also would like suggestions or ideas if situations occur how to get by with no local transportation other than taxis. So arrive at airport and no means to get to city center? Yikes!

AJPeabody

The news on CNN showing garbage and fires said massive strikes are planned for next Thursday, but there may be a vote of no confidence or retraction of the bill before then.

love_travel11

Thanks both! Does anyone else have observations/ thoughts/ suggestions please?

@jan47ete, hope all goes well for you tomorrow - please keep us posted here if possible!

Underhill

The big question is whether our flight from Heathrow to Nice will actually take place.

love_travel11

Underhill and jan47ete were you able to travel? Hope all of you are safe!!

Underhill

Not time yet.

joduhl

For what it's worth - I had shared back in January that our train from Barcelona to Montpellier was canceled because of the strike in France. It ended up being canceled for a second day, apparently because equipment and/or people weren't in place even after the one day strike ended. As a result, we spent an unexpected night in a hotel in Barcelona and then took a bus from Barcelona to Montpellier. I filed a claim with my travel insurance company for the cost of the hotel room, which was pretty pricey because of some huge convention that was going on in Barcelona that week. My insurance covered trip disruption because of labor activity, and I was reimbursed for the full cost of the hotel. The process of filing a claim online was very easy and the check arrived just weeks after I filed. The insurance company is Allianz.

love_travel11

Bumping this thread up. We are a couple of days away from our flight and are wondering if we should cancel our trip. Our plan was to spend 5 days in Paris and then take the train to Amsterdam for 3 days. Are trains running? Another option, if the flights and trains are operational, is to fly into Paris and take the train to Amsterdam (without spending any time in Paris). Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

lavandula

You could break up the trip in Belgium. The Thalys to Brussels is only an hour from Gare du Nord. If trains won't be running, French strikes are pre-planned and they advise in advance if trains won't be running.

Lavandula

lavandula

https://www.sncf-connect.com/aide/in...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Here is a page from the SNCF that talks about disruptions to services. I think the last is for 20 March. If you can't read it use Google Chrome (translation tool in the bar where you type in the address) or use Google Lens / Google Translate on your phone and hover it over the screen.


And here a site that talks about upcoming strikes:

https://www.cestlagreve.fr/greve-generale-23-mars-2023/

Lavandula

Underhill

Beware also of the projected strike by security services at Heathrow, scheduled around Easter.

When and why did Easter become such a target for strikes? Maximum disruption?

flygirl

I am on a blogger's email address and she said the below:

In the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th, and 20th, public servants work with Syctom to collect refuse; in the other arrondissements, including mine, four private companies are responsible for garbage collection.

I take that to mean if your hotel is in the 1-3-4-7-10-11-13-15-18-19 you might not have as much garbage to deal with nearby. I have to wonder when Paris will deal with the backlog in the affected arrondissements.

love_travel11

Thanks everyone for all the information and the suggestions. Seems like protests are still ongoing and likely to continue? Is it safe to walk around the city as a tourist?

VANAARLE

It does not look good in Paris.
Only time will tell if this is a longer term protest.

LarryJ

I am an American living in Paris' 15 arr not far from the Eiffel Tower. The strikes are still going on affecting long distance trains, regional trains and the metro and buses to a lesser extent. Many main line trains are being cancelled and you don't know until the day before if your train will run. I was on the Riviera a week ago and had problems getting back to Paris. One train cancelled, one blocked from leaving Marseille and then I finally made it home. You can get around Paris by bus, metro and tramway but it can be crowded. Avoid the protests areas and you will be perfectly safe in Paris. Safety of tourists is not an issue.

The demonstrations occur each day and usually in a different location each day. The news media covers it all very well so you will know what areas to avoid. From the airport CDG you can get a train into the city although there are not as many as normally and it can get crowded. Despite the fact that the pension reforms have been passed by the Senate and the President the implementation must go through a procedure at the Constitutional Court and that could take weeks. There is no end in sight for the disruptions.

One last thing is that there is garbage and trash everywhere as the trash people are also on strike. A bit of a problem for eating on sidewalk cafes.

Good luck

bilboburgler

you have to remember France is a revolutionary society and as such see the strike as serious political tool (as told to me by a Frenchwoman)

Don't wander into a march or riot, but otherwise you will be safe on the streets

Underhill

Able to travel? Not today, which was our original date. The flight from LHR to Nice was cancelled because of strike activity. We were able to have our outbound flight changed to tomorrow, first having to wait and wait for American Airlines (our original booking site) and now for 1-1/2 hours on British Airways. We paid the bribe for seats on our original B/A flight; wonder whether they'll reimburse us for that or credit for seat selection on our return flight. I am really disgusted with airline customer service right now. We're flying on B/A via miles from A/A, which means we have to talk to B/A--and they appear to be seriously understaffed. An hour's wait seems to be the minimum for calls. I love the music from Lakmé, but over and over and over is a bit much.

VANAARLE

Worrying news
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...-b2310724.html

P_M

We are scheduled to fly to Paris on May 1 and the plan is to travel around France by train. My husband is having a medical issue so there's a chance we will cancel. If we don't cancel for medical reasons, should we change our plans because of the strikes?