Does anyone know what the situation is with the museums in Paris. I know there was a strike but I am unsure if it is still going on. We leave on the 10th for a week in Paris.

www.lesgreves.com

There's been a post almost every day on this topic, it seems. If you aren't leaving for 10 days, it really doesn't matter right now as things could be different then, anyway, so you'll have to see what the situation is when you get there as things change a lot. I don't think it has been settled completely although I couldn't find any news on the results of their meeting early this week, but I know some places were closed just yesterday (10/31), although really only a couple obscure ones, the major museums were all open. Daily status and what's open, closed, free, etc are on www.culture.fr (French Ministry of Culture); in Paris, you can call 08-25-88-26-50 to get daily updates of openings, although that might only be in French, I suppose (get your hotel to call or use Minitel, it's a pay number, though). They haven't updated the above page for today but I'd guess that's because it's a national holiday today and the Culture Ministry webmaster is not at work.

It doesn't matter at all what's doing now. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett said, and for Paris it means anything can happen strike-wise (and weather-wise). Their strikes start and stop and any time. Just go with the flow and don't worry about it. There's nothing you can do anyhow. For more Paris information e-mail me – [email protected]

hi maxmarch, <BR> <BR>just got back from paris and the strike was on the whole time, however, the arch and several other major places were open (versailles etc). the louve was not open the whole time to my disappointment, however we just planned other things. <BR> <BR>everyone is right, you can't worry about it, just have a flexible plan and don't purchase your carte musee until you get there. <BR> <BR>we did several day trips outside of paris to make up for it. <BR> <BR>one note, la opera was not closed because of the museum strike. we found out from the tourist office that it had been closed indefinitely because of security reasons since the attack in september. <BR> <BR>i also had heard a rumor that the metro went on strike a couple of days after we left paris. now, that would be a problem. we used the metro extensively while we were there and paris viste metro pass was a godsend. <BR> <BR>as far a the museum strike goes, we simply checked with the office of tourism every morning and planned our day accordingly. one of the days we were planning to museum hop, we did an alternate day trip to chartres. took a train out of the montparnesse station direct to chartres and return for 154 francs or about $22 and the cathedral was well worth it. we actually paid less than that because we were traveling in a group of 5 or more. i would recommend this trip on anyday except monday (the day we went). the town is beautiful, but many of the shops in the surrounding town close down on monday's. malcolm miller, the englishman who conducts the tour of the cathedral was off on that day also. we still had a wonderful time and the cathedral is beautiful. <BR> <BR>just plan to be flexible and have some day trips planned to fill in. <BR> <BR>sandy c

Last week Quai d'Orsay was open (extra-long lineup, though), but who can tell. And even if the Louvre is closed, it gives you a reason to return. There's lots to see without setting foot in a museum.

Quai d'Orsay never closes. The musee, often.

Carpe diem!<BR>Just returned a week ago and found intermittent strike activity. Wed, d'Orsay was striking meaning that there was no entrance fee, but the Impressionists galleries were closed. The following day, Thurs, most monuments and museums were on strike.<BR>But alas, as most the other messages suggest, just gotta go for it when you're in Paris. We planned a bit ahead and hit our favorites early in the week. If there was a strike, we visited other attractions to return later in the week to the struck venues.

We were there in May 1999 and they were on strike! Isn't it over yet?<BR><BR>For that strike, the Cluny was open erratically (And the day we wanted to go to it, it closed due to flooding in the basement from heavy rains.)<BR>Arc was closed but Versaille was open, Napolean's tomb was open. So, I'm guessing it varies from day to day. Each day, we went down to the Louvre (which never opened) and the guards there handed out a list of which museums were open.<BR><BR>Good luck!

I recommend you hit the museums in the order you most want to attend and keep going until you get them all in. Besides if you go to the museums while you can still walk - before your feet start killing you- you'll have more fun.<BR><BR>Save the sedate, sitting down stuff for when your feet start getting sore.