AJPeabody

The BBC on TV today is showing burned out cars, tear gas, "security forces" in shoulder to shoulder phalanxes, smashed windows, and graffiti on the Arc de Triomphe after another weekend demonstration by the yellow jackets. They are reporting 100 injured and 400 arrests. Not a very tourism-friendly set of images.

How accurate is this in real life?

thibaut

- deleted.

MissPrism

My daughter was there last weekend. She spent her time visiting art galleries and eating in good restaurants. She says that no water cannons were involved.

bilboburgler

What do you think, in vast majority of the country nothing happens, would it stop me going there, no. But I would avoid going to say Russia for their general illegal behaviour.

kerouac

Here is my photo report on the subject: Battening down the hatches on the Champs Elysées | Any Port in a Storm

We may have reach the paroxysm yesterday and things will now decelerate. But in France, you can never be sure about anything.

WeisserTee

More photos: https://www.theguardian.com/world/ga...is-in-pictures

AJPeabody

Kerouac: Your photos always tell a story. This one is hard to bear. The TV did not tell how the demonstration has spread its anarchy toward the Grand Magasins. I fear this will not end well or soon.

kerouac

The department stores were evacuated and closed early during the afternoon when the riots started getting close. They were probably saved from tragedy by the fact that a lot of the demonstrators wanted to go to Gare Saint Lazare instead and wreak havoc there. This probably weakened both groups at place Saint Augustin and allowed the police to retake control of the streets.

outwest

Thanks for your photos kerouac. I hate seeing such senseless destruction. We’ll be in Paris one night next week and again over Christmas. Do you know of any more planned protests?

Macross

We saw a protest in Lille yesterday but very peaceful. Cops were everywhere and yellow vest hanging from cars and windows. We came back tonight from a day in Belguim and train station had a very large presence of armed soldiers and police. Dogs, big groups of security, checking people off to the sides. We will be in Paris on Wed till Tuesday. We are over by the Eiffel. My sister in law felt the tear gas last weekend. I just hate the destruction that they did to innocent people's shops and the damage to people's cars and hurting national monuments, I can't get the bbox tv working in our apartment and all I have is one news channel. It is ALL they are showing over and over.

Macross

wow, boarded up like a hurricane is about to arrive. They shut down several metro stations.

kerouac

Most of the places on the Champs Elysées board up for NYE too, just as a precaution, although the wildness of 10 years ago is just a distant memory.

AJPeabody

With closures of Metro stations, blocked streets and their bus routes, and shuttered businesses in the protest zone, what effects did the events have on tourist sites and access?

kerouac

Shop owners are complaining loudly, since December is the busiest season for most of them.

Nlingenfel

Thank you, I knew you would have an informative post. Meet with the two ladies who are coming with me to Paris next Sunday. They have never bee on a big plane and never out of the US. Should be an interesting trip. This is my 10th trip to Paris, and I am sorry they will not get to how beautiful it is, and I hope they won't be afraid. I meet with them on Monday evening and I guess I will show them these pictures. Thanks again.

Rocket79

Wow, Kerouac - Thanks for the link to your posts and photos. It just makes me very sad. What a world.

suec1

Well not that anyone asked my opinion, but hey, it's Fodors BUT Nlingenfel, I'm not sure I'd show the ladies the pictures. You could mention there has been some unrest, let them follow up if they want. But there is so much to do in Paris it is quite likely if you stay out of the affected area there will still be lots to interest and charm them! Wishing the 3 of you a delightful trip.

Macross

I would not show them. You will just worry them. You can get around it. I would visit other areas till you know it is ok. The tv showed most everything back to normal Sunday evening.
We were delayed going to Brussels today by protesters on the tracks. About a 30-minute delay. We still saw a huge police and military presence at the train station. We had them board our train after approaching a guy asking to see his ticket. They went to the first car and escorted off five younger males. The police are doing a good job. A guy tried to get into my husband's back coat vents. Funny as they are vents and not pockets. The police yanked him away. This was in line at the ticket machine. I told my husband those zippers would be inviting. BTW, we had first class tickets and no one checked our boarding pass. Anyone could have got on that train and sat anywhere Regional trains had a ticket checker.

kerouac

I had never seen a single gilet jaune in person until I went to the Champs Elysées Saturday morning, about 45 minutes before the trouble started. In 98% of the city, you would not even know that they exist. However, I will not deny that metro lines and bus routes are disrupted when civil disobedience is in progress. This said, bus routes go around the problems when necessary. Unfortunately, the bus driver can only make announcements in French, so if you don't understand, you are out of luck. But if you see half of the bus passengers suddenly disembarking, you can be pretty sure that the next 5 or 6 stops will be skipped.

Nlingenfel

Thanks, will take your advice.