Best News sources for Paris updates?

Since the strike involves about 10 million people going in and out of the Paris metro area few of whom are English speaking/reading tourists, most of the informative websites are in French. Those below are good and can work through Google translate. However, some like leparisien.fr have pay walls. I assume you're paying attention to those already listed by Ashley and Andrew.

http://www.leparisien.fr/
https://www.lefigaro.fr/
https://www.20minutes.fr/
https://www.cnews.fr/france/2019-12-12/reforme-des-retraites-la-greve-partie-pour-durer-908132
https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/

I'd also add L'Internaute in French, which seems to be doing a decent job of updates. In English I don't think you're going to find anything better than the Local (which is geared specifically toward English speakers in France so pretty much the target market there).

I think it's fair to say that the news has become repetitive because there simply hasn't been much change -- without getting into the politics, we can see in the news that the strike will continue this weekend and through till at least next Tuesday 17 December

Certainly, updating the daily transportation post for me has become quite fast because the limited service hasn't seen much change (anecdotally I'd say that the trams have seen the best "improvement" in terms of available service through the strike).

Thank you very much! This group is amazing! I appreciate your responses!

With all due respect to Mr. Steves and crew, the Trip Advisor Paris Forum is populated by many locals who do an excellent job with stuff like this. There are many existing threads with all sorts of good advice.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g187147-i14-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

I check both this forum and the TA forum that Dave links to. There is at least one very negative local who generally posts on the TA threads so just ignore him and take the general drift from others.

Now, I don't get ALL of my news from FB, lol, but I have been checking the FB pages for French Girl in Seattle Takes Paris (Vero is a RS guide and lives in Paris) as well as the individual FB sites for the Louvre, d'Orsay and Eiffel Tower. If there are certain museums or sights you plan to visit check to see what they are posting on their FB pages as well.

Pam/Dave - thank you too for the input! This is my first time to Paris and it had to drop in the middle of this nonsense. If I weren’t coming from Copenhagen where my daughter has just finished a semester of study abroad I’d take my money elsewhere!

Appreciate the assistance and will drop a few posts to hopefully help others while on the ground in Paris

Cheers!

Oh yes, do let us know how you manage!

I would at all costs try to avoid trying to get thru the Chatelet Metro station at rush hour. I saw a FB post yesterday showing EVERY tunnel at an intersection being crammed to the gills. Now...I know that is one point in time but I try to avoid that station anyway because it is "corn-fusing" to this Idaho gal.

Have fun with your daughter!

Greetings all, late night and just settled down in my Airbnb in Paris from the day.

Quick update, I was going to spend the cash on an Uber or taxi but tried to save a buck and took LeBus from CDG to Eiffel Tower, rookie mistake! The LeBus was service fine, but traffic was jammed. Two and a half hours to get to Eiffel Tower stop and then we couldn't get a taxi or Uber to get us the last bit to our Airbnb. We stopped several taxis and none wanted a two mile fare, Uber was about 50 minutes. So we walked the last "mile" down Ave de Suffren to Rue de Sèvres near the Vaneau metro.

Streets are absolutely packed near the monuments both with cars and tourists. LeBus stopped at the Arc de Triomphe and it was a mass of tour buses and tourists. People everywhere.

Same at the Eiffel Tower stop where we got off the bus. Cars everywhere, traffic clogged and mass congestion. As we walked farther from Eiffel Tower streets were still packed with cars.

Looks like we will be in Paris with many other holiday tourists, but the city appears to be hopping.

I'll post more as we get out and about this week.

Thanks for letting us know! I hope you'll post a Trip Report when you get home.

Be aware of the march planned for Tuesday afternoon. Look at Ashley's post here:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/fyi-dec-5-monuments-cultural-sites-strike

"*12/17 -- Big street protest in Paris. Protest route: starts at 1:30pm from Place de la République > Bastille > Rue de Lyon > Av. Daumesnil > Nation (Note: M1 station St-Paul in le MARAIS neighborhood is a protester meet-up point starting at noon. M1 stations St-Paul and Bastille as well as surrounding roads will be closed. )

See Andrew's daily Paris region transport update for next day transport availability --
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/paris-december-2019-strike-daily-transport-updates*"

I'd not head for the Marais this day. The crowds at a march are generally not dangerous but just will add to the general clog of traffic.

Troy, thanks for the reminder. I've been following AshleyMIA and Andrew's updates. They are wonderful.

Update from today...I'm grateful to be a "fit" 50! Today was a walking day, figuring crowds would be large. My daughter and I walked a huge loop today from Montparnasse to the Seine at the Louvre. The Louvre entrance was very full but did not seem crazy as it was Sunday.

Walked the Jardin de Tulleries and down Champs Èlyssés to the Arc. No line at all for the Arc at 14:00h. Walked down to Eiffel Tower where we got our first crowds. Lots of people around the perimeter, but lines to get in off Alleé Paul Deschanel were 5 minutes at best.

Finished our daytime with a walk back to our Airbnb thru Museé de l'Armée (not crowded at all) and back down to Rue de Sèvres.

All the buses passing us during the day were packed like sardine cans. We saw some stop and people in the street had to slam themselves into the bus to get on. I feel for the Parisians who rely on the Metro and bus system. Their lives have got to stink as it must be hell to get around.

If you're patient, willing to walk or use taxi/Uber/alternative means...the city is open and welcoming. Everywhere we went today, locals were friendly and helpful. The next two days will be tough with the blockade tomorrow and protest Tuesday...but bring it on.

p.s. - Walked the Latin Quarter and out to Notre Dame and back tonight. Busy streets full of people. A fantastic night out.