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Travel tips from our week in Paris during the strike

We just spent our winter vacation in Paris from January 3-11 (we return home to California on Saturday the 11th). Here are a few thoughts on visiting Paris during the strike:

We are very, very glad we came. The trip was wonderful. What made it work for us was a happy, enthusiastic party of four eager to experience as much as possible, while simultaneously willing to adapt to circumstances.

I had no fears about safety at all. General law of strikes: if you see tear gas, go the other way. Never came up, so no problem.

The best thing about our trip was the sharp drop in tourism due to both the strike and the time of year. We walked right into the museums, sat in centrally-located cafes and bistros watching locals and hearing only French, strolled major sights at our leisure, and spent an exceptional day at Versailles with only a few hundred other visitors instead of jamming together with thousands. The minimal crowding was truly invaluable; we felt that we were visiting Paris instead of Parisland (™).

The worst thing was the lack of public transport. The Metro and bus lines were essentially unusable, as they were only working on a 1/3 schedule and only during rush hours, when they were jammed. As a result, we got around by taxi, boat, and foot. That said, we had no problem using taxis once we figured out the system, and it was pretty economical for our group - 15 euros for a taxi vs. 8 euros for all of us to take the Metro. The Batobus turned out to be a great deal at 13 euros for a student or 19 for an adult for a two-day pass that covers central Paris.

If you plan to visit during the strike, please consider the following:

  • A relaxed attitude is your primary asset. Traffic times will take longer than average and venue hours will be shorter than usual. See inconvenience as an adventure. Be flexible, be flexible, be flexible.
  • Remember that the French are not striking to inconvenience you personally. The government has proposed raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. You'd be unhappy, too.
  • Mobility is essential. This is a bad time to bring grandma in her wheelchair.
  • Strongly suggest at least one member of your group be reasonably competent in French, so you can read daily strike updates and transit schedules, and communicate with transit staff.
  • When the authorities say the strike will paralyze X neighborhood that day, they’re not kidding. Go somewhere else.
  • If you’re on a budget, put a little more money into transit. We ate cheap and used the savings to get around faster. That extra ten bucks put into boat or taxi fare will save you a five mile hike.
  • Don’t plan on doing a lot of late night clubbing and sightseeing; the venues will probably be closed, assuming you can get there. It is, however, a good time to try the nearest wine bar and maybe brush up on your French murder mystery films.

Frankly, the locals were delighted to see us and gave us none of the impatient, tourist-weary attitude you’ll get during the high season. Waiters and shopping clerks were friendly, taxi drivers gave us history lessons, and even the police were polite.

I hope this helps you in your decision about whether to visit the City of Lights. We had an unforgettable trip and can’t wait to return.

Posted by
14778 posts

What a lovely Trip Report! Thank you so much and I'm so very happy you had a wonderful time.

Posted by
3961 posts

I enjoyed your concise helpful report! I commend you for your positive attitude despite some minor challenges. Nice to hear what it's like "off season." We have fond memories of taking the Batobus and seeing magical Paris from the Seine. Your report will be very helpful for future traveler's! Merci.

Posted by
330 posts

Very helpful, and I'm delighted you had such a wonderful trip!

We were in Paris in May and took the Batobus several times just as a cheap way to enjoy the sights. We love boats & rivers, anyway. Glad it all worked out for you.

Posted by
25 posts

Thanks so much for this helpful and entertaining report. We begin our journey to Paris today and will put all your timely advice to practice!

Posted by
5 posts

Thank you for this. We are due to head to Paris in 9 days to celebrate my 50th. We started talking about going somewhere else instead, but I really want to be in Paris. Glad we can still do the things we want and we certainly do not mind being patient or slowing down (it will make it more of a vacation than a trip, know what I mean?). Planning on ramping up my daily Duolingo practice to continue to polish up my high school and college French!

Posted by
227 posts

Thank you! This is a great report and you have a great attitude! We are going for a week at the beginning of February. Fortunately, we have been several times and are concentrating on the Louvre (DaVinci exhibit), D’Orsay, and a few other sites. We booked our hotel on automated Line 1 because we like the convenience of the stops on the line - turned out to be a great decision with the strike! We have mapped our routes out and see no issues. Actually, we are more worried about rain than the strike - looking forward to few crowds and lines. My husband left all planning to me and concentrated on searching out neighborhood bars plus a few restaurants serving good mussels. We plan to enjoy and chill (no pun intended).

Posted by
223 posts

Really appreciate this report and your tips!! We leave in two weeks and the strike was causing a little bit of angst. Thanks for allaying my fears!

Posted by
1 posts

Thank your for this great information! We hav even in Paros and Versailles for my 50th and it’s been great. Very few lines and as long as you are patient and plan ahead all is well!

Posted by
2 posts

So glad you had such a wonderful trip. Ours was a mix of ups and downs - even though we tried to be flexible. We were in Paris the week before you (December 27 thru January 1). While we tried to make the best of it all, and did enjoy ourselves, there were definitely transportation issues.

The metro buses are busy - some are packed like sardines and others are normal to almost empty, probably due to the panic that one cannot always get on the bus and their timing is a bit haphazard. While waiting for a metro bus in the cold one evening we noticed the various tourist hop-on buses that seemed to be nearly empty and decided it might be worth trying those for a couple of days. Our concierge agreed that it might be worth it (some of the taxis are charging outrageous prices). We chose Open Tours, recommended in a Rick Steves book and also by the concierge. I would highly recommend trying a different service instead, such as Big Bus. Open Tours was so random that we would see 4 or 5 Big Buses pass by for our one bus that would eventually show up. The bus stop in front of Notre Dame, which we were encouraged to use to switch to the other line, is no longer available. Unfortunately, it is not marked as such and so many of us (at least 15-20 people) waited for well over an hour not knowing that. We finally walked to the stop in front of the Louvre, where a driver with an empty bus said that all the buses were full. Then, a bus pulled up and we were able to board it with no problem? The bus never came to the Champs-Elysee stop where we waited for over an hour (starting at 5:30pm). The concierge called to complain the next day, but Open Tours said that they stopped the buses at 4:00 pm that day (it was supposed to run until 6:30pm). On top of this, their clever website that was supposed to give current data regarding the location of their buses was not in working order. So, beware!

I do highly recommend calling ahead and checking websites to make sure specific museums and restaurants are open and allow extra time to get there. Our concierges were very helpful with this and it saved both worry and time. Get to know your neighborhood in which you're staying! They will be very welcoming!

The people of Paris are amazing - their support of their citizens for the strike is unwavering. They were most helpful, and very delightful despite the challenges they themselves are going through - many are adjusting greatly just to get to work each day.

Posted by
10243 posts

Coachlbridges, thanks for this report, and I am glad you had a wonderful time. I am sure your positive attitude helped you make the most of it. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences to help other travelers.

Posted by
60 posts

Wow. So happy to read everyone's replies! I am delighted that you got a lot out of my post. As Hemingway wrote, or was it someone else, "Paris is always a good idea." Even during a strike. Don't let the negative news fool you; it's always breathtaking. Use your skills and bon voyage!