October 21, 2026 — French authorities say targeted night curfews in Paris and other cities will remain “for as long as necessary” after days of rioting, and Paris police are closing several central Metro and RER stations from 10 p.m. tonight. The US State Department reissued its France advisory today at Level 2, and new protests are called for Saturday.
What’s new since yesterday
- Curfews continue: Paris police said the curfews in two zones, around Place de la République and in the Les Halles shopping district, will stay in place “for as long as necessary,” AP reported. Lyon renewed its city-center curfew (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.), and Marseille has a curfew for unaccompanied minors from Tuesday night.
- US advisory reissued: The State Department reissued its France advisory on October 21. It stays at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) with terrorism and unrest indicators. The level did not change, but the summary was updated to say violence and rioting have recently happened and may continue.
- More protests coming: Student unions and “yellow vest” groups have called another day of protests for Saturday, October 24. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the police deployment will be large.
- Arrests: At least 2,400 people have been arrested since Saturday, according to AP. Sentinelle anti-terror soldiers are guarding sensitive sites so police can handle crowds.
Paris restrictions
| Measure | Details |
|---|---|
| Movement ban (11 p.m.–6 a.m., as set for Oct 20–21) | Central median of Place de la République; sector around Les Halles (Rue Berger, Boulevard Sébastopol, Rue Rambuteau). Exemptions for residents, merchants, workers and emergency services. |
| Ban on undeclared gatherings (8 p.m.–6 a.m., as set for Oct 20–21) | Champs-Élysées, Place Vendôme, Île de la Cité, Bastille, République, Les Halles and around Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare de Lyon, Austerlitz, Montparnasse and Saint-Lazare stations, among others. |
| Station closures (from 10 p.m., Oct 21) | Châtelet (Metro 1, 4, 7, 11, 14), Les Halles (Metro 4), République (Metro 3, 5, 9, 11) and Châtelet–Les Halles (RER A, B, D). Trains pass through without stopping. |
| RER B (10 p.m. Oct 21 – 6 a.m. Oct 22) | No service between Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame and Châtelet–Les Halles; change at Denfert-Rochereau. |
Hours for tonight and later nights may change. Check the Paris Police Prefecture and RATP before you travel.
What it means for airline travelers
- Late arrivals at CDG: plan your route into town. RER B, the main train from Charles de Gaulle, will not run through Châtelet–Les Halles tonight. If your hotel is in central Paris, think about a taxi or an airport bus instead of the train.
- Stay out of the curfew zones after dark, and keep away from protests. Police may use tear gas and water cannons.
- Saturday, October 24 could be difficult. If you are flying standby that day, leave extra time to get to the airport and have a backup flight in mind.
- The advisory warns pickpocketing and phone theft are common at airports, Metro and train stations.
- Register with STEP (US) or Registration of Canadians Abroad for alerts.
Sources
- US State Department — France Travel Advisory (issued October 21, 2026): travel.state.gov
- AP via Maine Public/NPR — “France announces nightly curfews ‘for as long as necessary’ in Paris and other cities” (October 21, 2026): mainepublic.org
- Sortiraparis — “New curfew in Paris? Metro and RER stations closed on October 21, 2026”: sortiraparis.com
- Sortiraparis — “Curfew in Paris: heading toward a third night of restrictions on Wednesday, October 21?”: sortiraparis.com
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