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Paris Congestion Sunday and esp Monday for Chirac funeral

Please note that visitors to Paris are likely to encounter localized congestion due to events surrounding the funeral of late French President Jacques Chirac.

Sunday his body will lie in state at the Invalides and there will be a national homage in his honor; Monday morning early his family will hold a funeral mass; then at noon there will be the big funeral mass at St Sulpice in the 6th, after which there will be a private family ceremony for the interment at Montparnasse cemetery.

In addition with some world leaders expected to attend, there are likely to be various jam-ups as their motorcades make their way around town; depending on the level of foreign visitor, sometimes you will encounter metro stations closed temporarily or some such.

I don’t think much of this will ruin any tourist’s visit except for people who had hoped/planned on visiting Invalides or St Sulpice over the next couple of days.

But just to be aware of as you are moving about town on Sunday and Monday.

Posted by
9644 posts

Here’s the info from the Musee de l’Armee website advising visitors of the plans and noting that those wishing to visit the museum will need to enter on the Vauban side only. They say this is in place from Sunday at 2 pm through Monday at 2pm — although i would honestly expect it to go into effect earlier on Sunday.

https://www.musee-armee.fr/votre-visite/horaires-et-tarifs.html

Informations cérémonies d'hommage à monsieur Jacques Chirac

Du dimanche 29, 14h au lundi 30 septembre, 14h

En raison des cérémonies d'hommage à monsieur Jacques Chirac, les accès au Musée sont modifiés.

Les visiteurs sont invités à entrer par le côté place Vauban (entrée sud de l'Hôtel des Invalides).

Déroulé des cérémonies

dimanche après-midi : cérémonie d'hommage populaire réservée au public avec recueillement en cour d’honneur ;
lundi matin : cérémonie honneurs militaires funèbres (cérémonie non publique).

Posted by
9422 posts

Thanks Kim, super helpful. I noticed yesterday evening, outside at Hotel de Ville, a continuous slide show of Chirac.
Haven’t paid attention to the news for weeks, didn’t realize he died, so thank you.

Posted by
14015 posts

Thank you Kim!! I hadn’t seen about the lying in state or the service at Saint-Sulpice. I’ll avoid both!

Susan! We noticed the activity at Hotel de Ville yesterday too!

Posted by
9422 posts

Hi Pam! Yes, lots going on at Hotel de Ville yesterday. Including a Techno Parade which my son went to - and me for a minute 😂
So nice having lunch with you today.

Posted by
14015 posts

Susan - fun meeting you both! By the time we got back home the line of people to pay their respects to Mr Chirac stretched back up Avenue Motte-Piquet past Rue Cler. Dozens of police vans in the area with officers every few yards.

Posted by
9644 posts

Ugh, the TechnoParade!! The September I got married in Paris, I made the mistake of reserving an apartment for my parents, brother sister-in-law and niece right along the parade route!!!! They were tortured for quite a while that day!!

Posted by
9422 posts

Oh Kim, i can imagine how unpleasant that must have been. I love some genres of techno music but wouldn’t want it outside my window and not being able to turn it off if i wanted to.