We purchased tickets for Versailles for last Friday, October 13. After purchasing train tickets and arriving at the palace gate we were told the palace was closed due to a strike.
Today, Monday, after purchasing tickets for the Arc de Triomphe and waiting in line in the cold with many other ticket holders, the sign at the security post at first said the monument wouldn’t be open until 11:00, then it changed to closed Monday. No explanation.
I’m trying now to receive refunds for all my tickets.
Be aware, we were given no notice of any of these closures.
Posted by
Upstate NY, USA
832 posts
That's how strikes work.
If you bought them directly then you will get a refund.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3179 posts
I remember arriving at Versailles early, to avoid the crowds, and being confronted by the red sign advising:
“En mouvement social empêche momentané l’ouverture du château au public.
Owing to industrial action the opening of the Palace is delayed.”
Yeah, on a rainy, blustery, chilly mid November day, it wasn’t welcome. I felt more sorry for the many young school children who were visiting than for me. It took about 2 hours until the Palace was opened. Just another uncontrollable occurrence that becomes a memory from a fantastic trip.
On December 31, 2005, long before we had handy dandy smart phones to translate unintelligible signs and bail us out trouble, I was to take the Air France bus from Gare de Lyon to CDG for an 11am flight back home. Arriving at a deserted bus stop, someone was kind enough to tell me the signs indicated the bus bus drivers were on strike. I jumped on the Metro and realized I was going in the wrong direction. MERDE! Reversed direction to Châtelet and bought my ticket for the RER B. I arrived at CDG with a little time to spare. Uh oh! I can’t find my RER ticket to insert into the exit turnstile. An attendant was very amused watching me checking every pocket and patting myself down. She smiled and waved at me to jump the turnstile! I finally checked in at Air France and was told there was an hour delay. Which then became a two hour delay and eventually a 5 hour delay. It had snowed the day day before and now there was freezing rain. We finally boarded the plane at 4pm. Then we had to wait almost 2 hours more in a queue waiting to get de-iced for takeoff. Landed in Miami a few minutes after midnight to celebrate the New Year by seeing no other traffic on the Florida Turnpike on my way home. I kept my unused bus ticket 🎫 in my passport and used it on 2010 trip! Never did find my RER ticket…
Posted by
Fredericksburg, VA
237 posts
Perhaps it was stolen by one of those crafty pickpockets everyone warns about.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3179 posts
Darrell, my thoughts exactly. 😂
Posted by
Chicago
8097 posts
The Oct 13 general strike was announced well in advance.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10237 posts
I am so sorry you had two time wasting, disappointing experiences. To let you know, even though I live in France and speak French fluently, I wasn't aware of the strike until just a couple of days before. With everything happening elsewhere, it really didn't make much of a stir. Furthermore, not many people struck; it's too bad, it fell on you.