France: national day of strikes and protests, disruption on regional trains

A national day of strikes and protests is taking place in France on Thursday 5 November 2026. According to the BBC News description, five French trade union confederations have joined the wave of action. Student organisations have also backed it.

Scale of the demonstrations

Reuters, cited by Rzeczpospolita, reports that several hundred thousand people may take part. French domestic intelligence services estimate that between 500,000 and 700,000 people could take to the streets outside Paris.

CGT leader Sophie Binet urged people to join. Speaking to LCI television, she said as many people as possible needed to be gathered on the streets today. According to Polish media, protesters are opposing rising living costs and the deteriorating state of public services.

Police and earlier protests

About 70,000 officers have been deployed to keep order. The authorities want to avoid a repeat of the unrest seen in October. The government defends the police's actions so far, while saying that any alleged abuses will be investigated.

Earlier demonstrations took place on 24 October 2026, among other dates. Polsat News reported at the time that police had detained 135 people. The UNEF student union also announced further blockades of sixth-form colleges and universities.

Travel disruption

According to Rzeczpospolita, state railway SNCF reported disruption on most regional services. Disruption to TGV trains is minor. Transport in Paris is running normally. The Eiffel Tower is closed.

What this means for you

People planning to travel to France should check current timetables before setting off, especially for regional rail journeys. It is also worth checking opening hours of tourist attractions, as the Eiffel Tower, for example, is closed. Strikes and demonstrations may be repeated in the coming days, as organisers have announced further action. SNCF publishes up-to-date information.