France: Paris Bans Protests Near Main Stations; General and Rail Strike Set for Nov. 5

October 22, 2026 — Paris police have banned street gatherings in much of central Paris today, including around the six main railway stations, and several Metro stations are being skipped. Looking ahead, the CGT union has called a general strike from Thursday, November 5, the same day four rail unions plan a national SNCF strike.

What’s new since yesterday

Protest ban today: The Paris Police Prefecture banned gatherings and demonstrations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, in listed central sectors. They include the Élysée Palace, Place Vendôme, the Champs-Élysées, Châtelet–Les Halles, Bastille, the National Assembly, the Senate and the areas around six main railway stations, The Rio Times reported, citing Franceinfo.
Student march banned: A planned student march from the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital to Bastille was also banned. The organizers are challenging the ban in court.
Metro changes: From 10 a.m. today, trains are not stopping at several stations, including Bastille and Place d’Italie, and Line 10 is cut between Gare d’Austerlitz and Jussieu.
Curfews: Wednesday night’s curfew around Place de la République and Les Halles ended at 6 a.m. Thursday. As of Thursday morning no new order had been issued for Thursday night, but police have said curfews will stay “as long as necessary,” Sortiraparis reported.
Talks with mayors: Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is meeting the mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon on Thursday afternoon.

November 5 general strike and rail strike

After a meeting at the prime minister’s office on October 21 that unions said produced nothing on their demands, the CGT called a general strike starting November 5. The CFDT and the teachers’ union Snes-FSU are also urging a big turnout. The unions are protesting the 2027 budget plan, wages and pensions.

At SNCF, CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots have called a national strike for the same day. Their slogan: “rallied on November 3, on strike on the 5th.”

Dates to watch

Date	What	Likely impact
Thu, Oct 22	Protest ban in central Paris, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.	Metro stations skipped; Line 10 partly cut
Sat, Oct 24	“Yellow vest” protest day, “Acte II”	Possible closures and clashes in city centers
Sat, Oct 31	New protest call from the same coalition	TBA
Tue, Nov 3	Rail union rally at SNCF headquarters, Saint-Denis	Limited
Thu, Nov 5	General strike and national SNCF strike	TGV, Intercités and TER disrupted; some RER and Transilien lines possible; schools and public services hit

SNCF had not published a list of cancelled trains as of October 21. Final train information for a strike day usually comes out around 5 p.m. the day before (November 4).
No RATP (Paris Metro and bus) strike notice for November 5 had been published as of October 21, but the CGT’s broader call could still affect the Metro.
The route of the Paris march is not yet set, and Metro station closures like those on October 17 are possible.

What it means for airline travelers

Arriving in Paris today? Expect a heavy police presence near the main stations, and allow extra time if your route uses Line 10 or stations around Bastille.
Weekend of October 24: Leave extra time to reach CDG or Orly, especially if you are flying standby, and have a backup flight in mind.
Planning travel around November 5? Don’t count on TGV or regional trains that day. Book flexible rail tickets, check SNCF Connect on the evening of November 4, and consider moving trips to November 4 or 6.
Getting from the airport during the strike: If RER B is cut back, airport buses and taxis are the alternatives, but expect heavy traffic.
Stay away from demonstrations and curfew zones after dark, and register with STEP (US) or Registration of Canadians Abroad.