I will be solo in Paris for my first trip to France from April 30 to May 7. Have hotel booked at Citadines Place d Italie, but someone here said that on a previous trip the metro there was closed on May 1. I could easily switch to Citadines Bastille Gare de Lyon which is by the Reuilly-Diderot metro station. Is there an easy way to tell where the May 1 protest route(s?) will be and what stations may be closed?
Posted by
Chicago
8553 posts
We were there three years ago on May 1 and yes the metro stations at Place d'Italie and Tolbiac were closed -- we discovered it on our way to take a walk on the Seine as we stay in an apartment in that area when visiting Paris. -- We were going to take the 6 to the river and walk down to Notre Dame. Instead we started walking down the empty street towards the May day parade/demonstration route and met it about half way. the street was closed and there were all sorts of booths with labor union information and playing music including a lot of great old US labor songs. (Joe Hill, anyone?). It was interesting and fun although we did run into the Black Block just before they started their usual vandalism -- the cops adroitly re-routed the main body of the parade made up of unions with banners, families pushing strollers etc, down river one bridge and by passed the disturbance. The Black Block is easy to avoid as they are all in black with balaclavas in contrast to the rest of the marchers. It is a great day to be in Paris.
Posted by
Paris
7303 posts
Even if a metro stop is closed, they are closely spaced, so walking to the next-open one is no huge deal.