October 25, 2026 — France’s second straight Saturday of cost-of-living protests was largely peaceful but still ended with clashes in several cities and more than 1,300 arrests. New since our last update: the turnout and arrest figures from October 24, and fresh calls for rallies on October 31 ahead of a nationwide strike day — including a joint rail-union call — on November 5.
What happened on Saturday, October 24
- Turnout: the Interior Ministry counted about 410,000 marchers nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris, down from 550,000 the weekend before. The CGT union put the total near 800,000, with 250,000 in Paris (AP).
- Arrests: 1,314 people were arrested, about half the 2,628 of October 17, and 53 security personnel were injured, compared with 1,144 a week earlier (TRT World).
- Clashes: police used tear gas, sound grenades and water cannon near the end of the Paris march in the east of the city. Street fires burned in Marseille and Lyon, and tear gas was also used in Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg and Bordeaux, with water cannon in Nice and Nantes (AP). Looting fell sharply, to 24 businesses from 1,522 the week before (TRT World).
- Bans and closures: rallies were banned in Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, and the Paris march was kept to the city’s southeastern edge. The Louvre and other major Paris museums closed for the day, and many shops boarded up (AP).
- Security: about 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed, backed by helicopters and armored vehicles.
Dates ahead
| Date | What is planned | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Through Oct. 26 | Partial overnight curfew around Place de la République and Les Halles, Paris | In force (Sortiraparis) |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Yellow Vest rallies, sit-ins outside town halls and the National Assembly; SUD Education joining | Called; CGT deciding this week |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | Nationwide union strike and demonstrations; joint call by rail unions CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots | Called; SNCF train plans due the day before |
Trains on November 5
According to Sortiraparis (updated October 23), TGV, Intercités, TER, RER and Transilien services could all be affected. No list of cancelled trains exists yet; SNCF normally publishes its final plan from 5 p.m. the day before (November 4). RATP had no specific strike notice for the Paris Metro as of October 23. Union leaders meet SNCF management on November 3 and could reconsider if pay offers are made. Return trips from the All Saints’ holiday weekend (October 31–November 1) are not affected. Sortiraparis does not report any air traffic control or airport strike for that day.
What it means for airline travelers
- Saturdays are the risk days. Expect road closures, boarded-up shops and possible museum closures in Paris and big cities on October 31. Plan sightseeing for weekdays and check museum websites the morning you go.
- Stay away from march routes and their end points, where most of the clashes have happened. Follow local authorities’ instructions and keep your passport or ID on you.
- Getting to and from CDG and Orly on November 5: RER B (CDG) and Transilien services may be cut. Allow extra time, and consider a taxi, ride-share or airport bus — but expect heavier traffic. If you are flying standby that day, the safest plan is to stay near the airport the night before.
- Rail connections: if your trip relies on a TGV or Intercités train on November 5, check SNCF Connect from 5 p.m. on November 4 and look at moving the journey to November 4 or 6. Check SNCF Connect for exchange or refund options if your train is cancelled.
- Don’t stack a tight onward connection on a protest or strike day; a missed train can mean missing the only flight with open seats.
- Enroll in STEP (US citizens) or Registration of Canadians Abroad to receive embassy alerts while in France, and check whether your travel insurance covers civil unrest and strike delays.
Sources
- The Associated Press via CP24 — Police and protesters clash in Paris as an estimated 410,000 demonstrate across France
- TRT World — French unions call for fresh protests after more than 1,300 arrests during rallies over living costs
- Sortiraparis — SNCF strike on November 5, 2026 — latest updates
- WION — France: Yellow Vests call new protests for October 24 and 31
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