Impact of the nationwide shutdown/strike in Paris on September 10, 2025 - Trains? Louvre Museum?

The actions planned for 10 September are a social movement not a strike. There is a critical difference because strikes have rules and are generally predictable, assuming they are not called off last minute as they often are. The 10 September actions are following no rules and exactly what will happen, no one will know before then.

I would be very careful about and plan to avoid any travel on 10 September.

According to statements from the various unions:

Trains

One of the largest railway workers' unions, Sud-Rail, called on August 21 for a "massive strike" on September 10.
However, the SNCF unions will meet on September 1 to decide whether or not to strike on September 10.

Taxis

The National Taxi Federation (FNDT) is calling for a "country shutdown" on September 5.
On that day, taxi drivers plan to block airports, train stations, borders, fuel distribution sites, and even the Champs-Élysées.

Taxi drivers do not currently wish to join the September 10 blockade.

Regarding museums and sites: No strike or blockade announcements have been made to date.

Remember that, as Tocard said, a blockade does not necessarily mean a strike.

Well, what would a trip to France be without a strike or blockade? Seriously, we arrive on Sept 5th and had planned on taking a taxi in from the airport. We’ll have plan B (RER) in mind. Sept 10 is train to Caen. No plan B yet. Open to ideas if needed.

Like Carol now retired, we will also be traveling from Paris to Caen on Sept 10. This is the first I am hearing of this. What are our options?

We'll see more clearly next week the extent of the disruption to be expected, as trade unions are still largely in vacation mode (it's still August after all).
I would expect significant levels of disruption...

And today (or late last night), the taxi drivers decided that they will not block roads or mobilize on September 5.

That is, they have called off their planned protest actions.

(Due to the gravity of the situation with the planned vote of confidence in the government on September 8.)

https://www.franceinfo.fr/economie/transports/taxis-la-mobilisation-nationale-du-5-septembre-ajournee-en-raison-du-contexte-politique_7458058.html#xtor=CS2-765-%5Bautres%5D-

So, we have train tickets on the 10th from Rennes to Montparnasse. We were going to return our rental car at the Rennes Train Station. We could keep our rental car another day and drive to return it to Montparnasse Station (we are staying in the 7th Arr.). Has anyone done that drive?? So hesitant about driving near/to Paris because of everything I’ve read about not driving there. Will the road traffic be all congested because of no other forms of transportation?

Thanks.

Indeed, as you might expect, on days of public transport strikes traffic is very heavy in major cities and suburbs, but what will or will not happen —strikes, blockades, shutdowns — is impossible to predict at this time.

It's also possible that your train will not be canceled even if there is a strike.

Is it possible to change your travel Rennes-Paris for the day before or the day after?

Not easily. We are staying on Mont St Michel the night before. It will be one of the few nights each year that there are “King Tides” and the Abbey becomes an island. We don’t want to miss that, and there is no way to alter our reservations in Paris. We will just wait and see what happens, I’m just thankful we have the rental car option.

Carol - I suggest you use Uber. It’s easier and cheaper than the taxis, even if they’re not on strike. As for the trains, some sources here in France are suggesting there is a 90% chance that the train strike will happen on September 10 and could affect train travel for 24-72 hours. I might suggest reserving a rental car.

“Major railway stations across France will be primary sensitive areas. These include Paris (Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, Gare de l’Est, Gare Saint-Lazare), Lyon (Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu), Marseille (Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles), Bordeaux (Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean), and Lille (Gare de Lille Flandres, Gare de Lille Europe). Railway depots and marshalling yards could also see increased police presence due to associated protests. While the primary target is rail, the “bloque tout” call suggests a possibility of localized road blockades, particularly around major train stations and key urban intersections. Past protests have seen closures of major arteries like Avenue des Champs-Élysées.”

I don't think Uber from Paris to Caen is a viable option.

If the rail strikes it will impact all transport in and around the city. If there's a social blockade that will make things even worse, as those tend to move and impact the cordoning off of roads without prior notice.

A rental car could be an option, but if there's a strike they will be in short supply as you'll be competing against the locals who also need transport.

A lot of this is going to depend on the political situation in France, which is going to change come 8 SEP.

An example of how everything can change from one day to the next.

This morning, August 29th, following an inter-union meeting of the eight main unions, some decided not to participate in the September 10th strike.

However, all the unions decided to hold another day of strike action on Thursday, September 18th.

Among the Plan Bs chosen by French travelers are the Flixbus buses. They are (according to the press) currently in high demand for September 10th.

There are direct buses from Paris to Caen or Rennes to Paris, and many others.

https://www.flixbus.com/bus/france

Blablacar is another bus operator in France that provides routes between major cities.

https://www.blablacar.fr/bus

Canceled trains are usually announced by SNCF 48 hours before the scheduled departure. Travelers who have already purchased a ticket will be notified by email or text message. See the SNCF-connect website or app.

https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/trafficInfo

Is the bus really an option if there are also blockades? Also, I just read that the ATC have filed to strike September 18 - 19. The day we are scheduled to fly home. enter link description here

We are scheduled to fly into CDG the morning of Sept. 19. I've been looking forward to this for months. Fingers crossed and thanks for this thread.

I am finding this thread very helpful and just want to take a moment to thank our dear contributors from France for all of your help.

I just read that the ATC have filed a strike on September 18-19.

Yes, the SNCTA, the majority union of air traffic controllers in France (60%), has announced the filing of a national strike notice.
The strike will begin at the start of the morning shift on September 18th and will end at the end of the night shift (i.e., the morning of the 19th).

The second union has not issued a statement to date.

Generally, domestic traffic is the most affected.

Thanks for the update on the possibility of an ATC strike on the 18th and early on the 19th.

I saw this link posted over on Trip Advisor. I was aware of the C'est la Greve website but I find it a little cumbersome to navigate (https://www.cestlagreve.fr) so this alternate link looks good.

https://worldinparis.com/transport-in-france-strike-news-tips-for-traveling-to-paris#air-strikes

Hi All,

Thanks for all your comments and great discussion in this tread.
I'd like to give special thanks to Tocard, JoLui, and Kim for answering my questions and providing great information. It's still uncertainty about the nationwide shutdown on Sep 10. We all can just pray that the situation will be better.
I have told my family to prepare a long walk in Paris if all public transportation are stopped.

Thanks again! Hope you're all healthy and happy.

I really don't think Sept 10 is going to be that big a problem.

I would be more concerned about what develops on Sept 18.

Someone asked if the bus would indeed be an option if there are blockades?

I was looking into Flix Bus schedules from Paris to Caen and the station is Bercy Seine. Can someone confirm where this bus station would be? I see Quai de Bercy on the map so I assume it's in that area somewhere.

The Bercy bus station is underground. Pedestrian access to the station is from Bercy Park (next to the large Accor Arena Concert Hall building). I've been to the Accor Arena before, but not to this station. Apparently, it's hard to find.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LS2Qrv2QAd9iYoB49

I tend to agree with Kim about not worrying too much about September 10th.

Also, don't overinterpret the terms "blockade" and "shutdown." I don't have a crystal ball, but these are basically unorganized actions emanating from social media and aimed more at supposedly shutting down the economy by blocking access to supermarkets, gas stations, perhaps roads, and things like that. Public transportation isn't specifically targeted as a priority.

Even during the most significant SNCF strikes, not having a single train between Paris and Caen for an entire day never happens.

I am hopeful for you, gregdwidjaya, and others that September 10th will be nothing to worry about.
I, for one, am worried about September 18th (as Kim has stated) and 19th since the air traffic controllers strike is supposed to begin the 18th and end 24 hours later at the end of the 19th, which actually is 36+ hours later. We are scheduled to fly into Paris September 19th in the morning. I'll be following the news daily in the hopes that this issue will be settled and soon. Any suggestions on good news outlets? TIA

Even the best local news outlets only provide cancellation percentage forecasts for flights or trains.

It's best to check with the airline, airport websites, or the SNCF website 48 hours before the scheduled departure to get the precise status of a specific flight/train.

Thank you, JoLui. I guess those of us traveling to France then will just have to gut it until 48 hours before our flights.

We have a prepaid ticket from Bordeaux to Limoges on the 10th, and even before the social action news, we were concerned about the travaux on the line, seeming to effect the Ter lines 31 and 32 between the two. We can exchange the ticket, but it looks like that work would affect most of the lines in that area. Updated information will be available in the station, but that is a little late for planning purposes. There is also some indication that buses may replace the trains on the work sections, but again information available in the station. We are arriving at CDG on the 8th. Is it likely that employees at the station there would be able to provide up-to-date information about any work arounds for the track work?

Thanks for any reassurance that especially the France based commenters can provide.

randonneuse,

Regarding the work on the Bordeaux-Limoges line, SNCF recommends checking the TER Nouvelle Aquitaine website.
Unfortunately, the link provided does not work.

You have to go directly to the website and you will see the information about this work: (French only)

https://www.ter.sncf.com/nouvelle-aquitaine/se-deplacer/info-trafic

Here's what I read for Line 31 Bordeaux - Limoges:

Traffic interruptions between Bordeaux and Coutras will occur from Saturday 6th to Sunday 7th in the late afternoon, and from Saturday 13th to Sunday 14th in the late afternoon. A coach replacement service is planned for travelers who cannot postpone their trip.

PS: Coutras is located 50 km from Bordeaux on the Bordeaux-Limoges line.

randonneuse,
Typically when there is work happening on the lines, the TER has busses that run between the affected stations (minus some small, less trafficed stops) at approximately the same times as the affected trains' schedule. If a train time is canceled due to strike or any other issue, it is noted on the SNCF app after 5pm the night before. Hopefully, you purchased your ticket through SNCF. If you did, you will be alerted via the app or email about any changes or cancellations to your trip. You shouldn't have to go in to the station to find out any of this information as it will all be in the app.

It's best to check with the airline, airport websites, or the SNCF website 48 hours before the scheduled departure to get the precise status of a specific flight/train.

And even then things still happen. Last week my 9 am TGV train was canceled the night before at 7 pm. Meanwhile two days later another regular RS poster was standing in line to board her Air France flight when it was cancelled. Neither one of us knows the exact reason but it wasn’t a strike action. But it does say that you have to be prepared and act fast. I hopped on my SNCFConnect app and got us 6 am tickets for the next morning. The other person walked quickly to the help desk and was one of the first in line to be rebooked. We both got to our destinations, exhausted, but we got there.

Thank you both. I did book with SNCF connect and have the app on my phone, so will keep an eye out for updates.

What Elizabeth said is so true, travels disruptions can happen anytime, anywhere. I now expect that my plans won’t always go smoothly and try to be prepared to be flexible and patient.

I am hearing the big strike is on Sept 18th and Sept 10th should be fine. Is that what others are hearing as well?

Just to clarify, 48 hours (before the strike) is the minimum legal deadline for a worker to declare themselves on strike. This is why the SNCF cannot prepare a precise train schedule before these 48 hours.

It goes without saying that even without a strike, there may be last-minute cancellations of flights, trains, buses, boats, pedal boats, cable cars, or whatever.

We are also going to Louve on the 10th. Hoping for the best.

We also have a Eurostar trip to London on the 11th. Does anyone know if Eurostar has unions that could possibly be on strike during this? Hoping whatever happens on the 10th wont effect our trip.

Does anyone have an update on what’s going on?

The only update is the one from the French intelligence services published by AFP.

I quote.

"This movement still has neither a leader nor a structural organization, and brings together very diverse profiles whose common thread is "anti-government and anti-president" and even "anti-elite" militancy. Since there is no leader, everyone does what they want."

Apparently, the trend is more toward blockades than strikes. No one can predict these blockades; if there are officially declared strikes, you will be informed by the SNCF or the airline.

Thanks a lot for the update, JoLui.
I'm looking forward to visit beautiful Paris next week.

To avoid blockades, come to the countryside, there's nothing to block.

And no pickpockets, no angry Parisians, no pollution, no stress, no noise except the bells of the village church. :)

Darn! We have train reservations from Paris to Bayonne.

We are staying by Versailles on the 9th and have tickets to the Palace on the 10th for 9:00am then driving to Caen in the afternoon.
Received a email from the Palace that as of now they won't open till 10:30 and to check then if they will be open at all. I checked their web site and they are not selling tickets at all for the 10th. Not sure if we should just reschedule and drive to Caen on the 9th to avoid any blockades. Do these types of protests and blockades occur near Versailles and away from Paris?

As for the blockades, these are unpredictable actions and no one knows where or when they will occur. Don't expect any announcements providing details before the morning of September 10th.

Didn't see any taxi blockades on the 5th. From what I've read, the 10th seems to be fizzling out a bit but the 18th might be more... well, interesting. I saw that a bar and a bowling alley in Saint-Lô will close on the 10th in solidarity with the social movement planned that day, but beyond that it seems to be looking like a swing and a miss. We'll see. I've read some of the unions were suspicious that this was being infiltrated by the far right and might be used by them for their own purposes rather than benefitting the average person.

My husband and I had booked flights in February for September 18th into Paris, CDG. However, it had two strikes against it (pardon. . .) One was that we were flying out of EWR to Boston with a 2.5 hour layover. Two, it was landing (maybe) on September 18. I had been monitoring our flight out of EWR for at least 6 weeks and seeing many long delays which would have gotten us into Boston too late to catch our flight and some outright cancelations. Don't know why but I suspect it has to do with the air traffic kerfuffle with the air traffic controllers situation at EWR. Not wanting to wait just 48 hours before our flight to find out what might be a cancelation or long delay into CDG from BOS, we changed our flights to September 16th out of JFK direct into CDG. I gained more time in Paris! Of course that meant having to find two more nights in a hotel with hotels already booked to the hilt. There was a bit of angsting going on that day. I'm hoping we are "safer" now. Good luck to all who have planned so long and eagerly for what might be canceled/delayed or with what turns out to be unnecessary worrying.

Lindy - good move to travel on the 16th. Nothing will fly on the 18th and non-french aircraft will have to bypass, or will be delayed in, French airspace (by ALL airlines).

A good summary of what will, and might , be happening is here, as of the 9th September.

https://worldinparis.com/transport-in-france-strike-news-tips-for-traveling-to-paris#air-strikes

Oops. As of 7th September (above)

Mark, the link you provided is worthwhile for other reasons, too. There are links within it for information about hotels near all the trains stations in Paris. It is an often-asked question on the forum.

We have a train scheduled on the 19th from Nimes to Barcelona. Any feel for what that may be like?

You won’t have any problems the 19th, the day after the strike.

Here is an update on my situation on the 10th for travel between Paris and Caen. Thanks to this thread I knew to check train status today and it was, not surprisingly, cancelled. There were still a few trains operating although quite a few had been cancelled. I talked to front desk at my hotel as I was waffling between FlixBus (which we had back up tickets on) and the train. She suggested I go to nearest train station ticket office.

My adult children who are my travel companions this trip felt the rescheduled train was the best choice, so we ended up changing to a later train that is running. Time will tell if this was the right choice or not……. I will let you know how travel on a strike day goes.

Interestingly enough I received no notification about the cancelled train from the train company itself until after all of this. . Only the helpful people on this thread had alerted me to be on the lookout.

We are scheduled to fly home to Seattle on Sept 10. We are down to two options. First is check out of our hotel in Paris a day early (we will lose our payment for one night) to stay at a hotel close to CDG and hope the fight on the 10th goes. Or we are considering moving our flight to tomorrow Sept 9 but we would lose our business class seats and be in premium. Delta hasn’t issued a waiver yet so you can’t change your flight for free and stay in the same class. They said if a waiver is issued, we would get reimbursed for the difference in fare between business and premium. Thoughts? Very hard to get any helpful info. Any locals we have talked to say get out.

I don’t know why you can’t keep your flight on the 10th. Airlines should be operating, no strike notices for those dates that I am aware of.

Regarding air traffic on September 10 (and only on that day), here is a press release from the DGAC:

The Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) is predicting disruptions and delays at all French airports on Wednesday. In order to limit disruptions, the DGAC has asked airlines to reduce their flight schedules by 50% between 6 p.m. and midnight at the airports of Nice and Corsica (Bastia, Ajaccio, Figari, Calvi), which represents just over fifty flights out of the more than 10,000 scheduled in French skies on Wednesday.

Despite these preventive measures, disruptions and delays are expected at all French airports.

Download the Bonjour RAPT transportation app. It will provide current transportation options. As of 9/9, the app indicates it expects few metro interruptions so getting to the Louvre should be fine. It is forecasting significant issues with RER and Translien lines so if you are using those train lines, you will need alternative transportation plans. Also, our French guide advised us to stay away from major boulevards such as the Champs Elysees on 9/10. She said the protesters are not a problem but there tends to be some people who use the protests as a reason to be destructive.

Given the possibility of unsupervised and unauthorised demonstrations on 10 September, please avoid these demonstrations which could turn into clashes with the police.

Regarding the RER in Paris on September 10

• RER D: SNCF is not planning any service on the RER D between Juvisy and Corbeil-Essonnes via Ris-Orangis, or between Corbeil-Essonnes and Melun. Traffic will also be disrupted on the same line between Corbeil-Essonnes and Creil (1 train out of 3), between Melun and Goussainville (1 train out of 2), and between Corbeil-Essonnes and Malesherbes (1 train out of 5 only during rush hour).

• RER C: One train out of two

• RER E: Two trains out of three

• RER B, operated by SNCF and RATP, one train out of two will run north of the line and two trains out of three will run south of the line. The interchange will be maintained at Gare du Nord.

• RER A, also operated by SNCF and RATP, will operate normally.

Update from Paris on Sept 10th. While our original train to Caen was cancelled, our rebooked train shows as ready to depart in a little over an hour. We saw an Uber from hotel to train station was €15. Metro would have been €7.50. Since we had our luggage it was a quick choice for Uber. I can’t really report if any noticeable differences on Metro.

There were a large number of police vehicles driving in a convoy along the Seine with lights flashing, but we didn’t see any actual disturbances.

Best of luck to all with your travel today.

Thank you gregdwidyaya, for taking the time to provide an update.

Sorry, thanks Carol :)

I was in Paris on Sept 10, staying in the Gare du Nord area at a 2 star small hotel. There was a street battle with the police at Nord, which I only saw later on the news, as the 3 news channels plastered the day's events all over the country.

I missed that action at Nord...bad timing as it was in the morning and I was taking the train from Nord to St Quentin.

I was impacted on the 10th, my train from St. Quentin to Cambrai, the 2nd leg, for which I had already bought the ticket was cancelled when I got there from Paris Nord. Oh, well.

This is the first real time I was in Paris when demonstrations and violence that place. If you want to see a place in Paris where the "action" is , ie police battling it out with demonstrators, street violence, they most likely take place in the Place de Republique and Bastille. Trains were normal on 11 Sept, the day after.