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Metro and Road Closings in Paris This Weekend - Bastille Day and World Cup

Get out your Google translate if you don't read French.

There will be several Metro closings and road closings in Paris over the next two days as the French
1) host a military parade from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde on Saturday morning;
2) have a concert under the Eiffel Tower (9:15 pm) and then shoot off fireworks from the Eiffel Tower (11 pm) Saturday night;
and
3) Watch LES BLEUS in the World Cup final Sunday evening (5 pm local - huge television screens at the Hotel de Ville and the Champs de Mars - honestly I would avoid either of these zoos; anywhere in any neighborhood will be festive enough with everyone out watching the match together).

Here's a link to the RATP (Paris transit authority) website, with its notifications of tomorrow morning's closures along the parade route (for example several stations won't even open until early afternoon)-

https://www.ratp.fr/travaux-manifestations/manifestations

and here's the link to the Prefecture of Police's page about the roads that will be closed at various times over the two days (three maps, one after the other - a.m. parade, p.m. fireworks, then Sunday World Cup). Scroll down the page a little bit to see the maps.

https://www.prefecturedepolice.interieur.gouv.fr/Nous-connaitre/Actualites/Evenements/Dispositif-de-securisation-des-evenements-des-13-14-et-15-juillet-2018

Basically -- if you're anywhere in the heart of town, stay flexible and aware, and know that it could take you a bit (or a lot) longer to get where you're going. Taxis/Ubers are likely to be even worse.

Check the RATP link above, France24 English news feed, and the Twitter handles of various Metro lines (e.g. @Ligne1_RATP for line 1), as well as the Twitter feed of the Prefecture de Police (@prefpolice) for updates as the weekend progresses. And enjoy all the excitement!!

Posted by
235 posts

Thanks Kim. I received an email that our reservations to go up the Eiffel Tower were cancelled for Sunday (refund will come in two MONTHS). I'm okay with that, as watching the finals around here (10th) will be a total blast!

Posted by
372 posts

we were in Paris for Les Bleus opening match in the 2016 Euros and watched the game with about 75,000 of our closest "amis" at the Champs de Mars. I can honestly say it was one of the most rewarding and memorable events I've ever experienced. It may not feel like it, but you are incredibly lucky to be in Paris (or anywhere in France or Croatia) for the World Cup final. Abandon your carefully scripted plans for that one magical day and just be "French". Join the throngs in the squares and at the bars, dress in bleu, blanc et rouge, hum along to La Marseillaise, chant "allez les bleus" and soak it up, as you will not be able to avoid it. This will be an experience you will never forget. In Canada and the US we forget that almost everywhere else in the world people of all ages, races, and religious beliefs come together every four years and are consumed by the wonderful sport we call soccer. Every TV in every bar, restaurant, shop and hotel will be showing the game. Make some new French (or Croatian) friends and cheer along side. It will be a great game there is no doubt!

Posted by
10224 posts

It's true, Kathleen, we were talking about that the other day -- trying to think of something similar in the U.S. that really brings EVERYONE together (sports or otherwise). We couldn't come up with anything. Maybe someone else has an idea!

Posted by
10224 posts

And check out today's Google Doodle! (at least in France, maybe it's not the same one in the States?)

Posted by
4103 posts

And we brought a first time visitor to Paris this week. She’s getting a real workout. I don’t think we packed enough red, white and bleu things so we’re doing laundry tonight before the fireworks in preparation for tomorrow’s match.