We are scheduled to arrive at CDG from IAD Saturday morning October 16 on frequent flyer miles (business class). We then planned to stay in Paris until Tuesday October 19, when we planned to proceed to Israel and Jordan for 10 days (the main focus of our trip). The main purpose of the stopover in Paris was to see our daughter who lives in Belgium, but of course we were also looking forward to returning to Paris.

Although nothing has been announced for the week of October 18 yet, what concerns me the most is that it seems like it would make "sense" for the unions to intensify the strikes while the government is approaching anticipated vote on the pension change, and the open ended nature of the Tuesday strikes might be a precursor to that.

It would be a very substantial loss (financially and otherwise) if we couldn’t get to Israel/Jordan because we couldn’t get out of Paris.

We are therefore very seriously considering dropping the Paris stopover and going directly to and from Israel, unless the pension issue gets settled in the next few days or specific strike days are announced in the next few days for the week of October 18.

Of course, our daughter thinks we being alarmist and that this would be overreacting—after all, strikes are par for the course in France. And we would probably feel that way if the vacation were all about France.

Any thoughts as to whether we are being crazy to consider this change, though I realize this is an unfair question? In 2 weeks, whatever we end up doing will have been clearly brilliant of stupid, but there is no way to really know now.

Thanks very much,
Len

You are being alarmist.

So even if theres a long wait for a metro train, thats still the quickest & easiest & cheapest way? Thanks for all the info.

 

Here are the main details so far. This article was last updated at 9.00 on Monday, October 11. 

Public transport - SNCF 

The four main rail unions are all calling for a rolling strike. Services will be affected from 20.00 on Monday night. 

The SNCF is expecting to run one third of TGVs into and out of Paris and 20 per cent of province-province services (bypassing Paris). 

About 40 per cent of regional TER services are operating as planned and a third of Corail trains. There are no sleeper trains, except Paris-Rome. 

In the Ile-de-France, 40 per cent of Transilien trains will run during peak hours. 

Public transport - Paris metro/buses/trams 

A strike by workers at Paris public transport authority RATP will also run for an indefnite period, starting at 22.30 on Monday. 

RER B will run only a fifth of services, and RER A about 50 per cent. There are no through trains on the RER B or RER D at the Gare du Nord. 

Three-quarters of buses will run. Trams and metro lines 1, 11 and 14 should operate normally. 

Between half and two-thirds of trains are operating on other metro lines. 

Call the RATP for more info on 0800 15 11 11. 

Public transport - elsewhere 

Unlimited strikes are also planned on public transport networks in 85 towns and cities around France. The CGT says the walkout could last until October 30. 

Flights 

Five unions representing Air France staff have called a 24-hour strike for Tuesday. 

Just a bit of a heads up. Nothing worse then walking off a flight, and just not knowing. 
Patience is virtue.  

Happily I've just confirmed that my train to Paris will be running tomorrow. Hope others are as lucky! Bon Voyage!

We left Paris this morning (back to the US) - so glad to get out before things get ugly. My DH, however, stayed on for business in Orleans. Hopefully his travel back to the US on Friday will not be affected!

Well, apparently participation in the protest marches is higher today than on the previous strike days. The SNCF strike is stronger than the previous ones, while the metro strike is a little weaker. On the down side for visitors, the SNCF and the RATP have voted to continue striking tomorrow.

Meanwhile, other strikes are spotty, but the ones to watch are the school strikes and the oil refineries, which are also on strike (but for different reasons). Parts of Corsica are already running short of petrol; no problem in the rest of France "yet."

lostintranslation and kerouc - thanks much for the updates. I saw a piece on CNN on-line that suggested the strike may be longer than 24 hours. What are you hearing? Expectations???

Transportation strikes will continue tomorrow. No idea how severe. The ports are also on strike, as are the oil refineries. There are already a few problems with petrol stations.

kerouac - when does the new retirement law take effect - when will final passage be? thinking that after it is law the strikes may diminish?

I've heard Oct 23 or 25 was the date for the law to finally become law?

thanks

Would love to know too, as we arrive in Paris from Belgium on the 29th. Hoping things mellow out by then, but realize there are no guarantees. Part of the fun of traveling, I suppose!

The main parts of the law have already been voted quickly to try to demotivate the strikers. ("Too late. It's not worth striking anymore.") But that did not work. Totally voted laws have been cancelled in the past, so everybody knows that it is possible.

thanks kerouac - that is what I thought - governments in the past seem to lose their spines sooner or later in face of strikes or at least it seems to this onlooker from a distance.

and indeed today's strike could be 'open-ended' it seems - going over to tomorrow and day after tomorrow, etc.

AP reports today: "The open-ended strike is renewable by a daily vote of workers, but it was unclear how many were likely to do so, with employees in some sectors, such as teachers and truckers, planning only a one-day action.

All unions at the state railway company SNCF, some of whose workers would still be allowed to retire in their fifties under the reform, have called for renewable strikes, as has the main one in the major gas and power utilities.>

and there is the kicker - SOME RAILWAY WORKERS WOULD STILL BE ALLOWED TO RETIRE IN THEIR 50s - Incroyable why the Hades other unions or anyone really would support that exemption (though there may be factors not mentioned)

Reminds me of the kids joke - what does you papa do and when does he get off work and when does he get back home? - 1st kid says 'a waiter' and he gets off work at 7pm and is home by 8pm - 2nd kid - 'teacher - gets off work at 4pm and is home by 5pm - 3rd - my papa works for the SNCF and he gets off work at 6pm and is home by 3pm!

Why are SNCF workers so mollicoddled?

They are not. Most of them have terrible salaries and work their asses off. If you drive the Eurostar or another prestige train, you have very early retirement, just like an airline pilot, but this does not concern many people in the profession.

Please note that not only is my French family an SNCF family, but my American family was also a railroad family, so I know a few things about the profession and the working conditions. My grandmother was luckily able to go to a very nice SNCF retirement home where the cost was based on the remaining pension from my grandfather. It took 85% of her revenue of.... 250€ a month.

Most French i talk to think of SNCF as a terribly bloated operation - at least in the past - to wit the kids' joke i mentioned - a common joke with perhaps some validity behind it?

In Aubrais you still have a SNCF stade opposite the station - how nice a train system able to fund a soccer stadium for workers use - I really would wish all workers had such liberal benefits but in today's world?

You must have seen different cheminots than I often observe on the Paris-Orleans mainline that runs right behind the house i often stay in - ten guys often standing in a circle around one guy doing the work

SNCF was - perhaps not is - also corrupt at the top - to wit one recent President ending up behind bars.

Unfortunately IMO state employees in France especially tend to work less hard than in the private sector - I know several social workers who are constantly complaining about their cushy jobs where they actually do very little.

And SNCF conductors and personnel on trains - overload - groups of several walking around with their digits where the sun don't shine.

Now i do not wish to tar all SNCF employees with the stark examples I have personally witnessed for years and years but this is what it looks like to me. I understand perhaps that coming from an SNCF family would give you a different perspective and what I think may only be from jumping to wrong conclusions - those 10 cheminots standing whilst one bloke hammers in a rail may be needed for some reason - so I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

And you will be correct to say I don't know s... from Shinola really... and probably are correct to so say.

My ex-wife was a bibliotequaire (sp?) - librarian and though she put in a lot of time it was often in a branch library to which only a few folks popped by from time to time and she was constantly complaining of fatigue. In her defense however she was paid relatively a pittance but was promised great benefits in job and retirement.

A recent discussion of the situation - young workers having to pay more and more of their salaries to pay for youngish retirees - she agreed was impossible to continue - but ended by saying they were promised these liberal retirement ages and she would not budge.

This is why strikes will acerbate IMO in France and not decline - reality has yet to sink in.

And remember one national strike say a decade or so ago when the 35 hour work week was being agitated for - SNCF workers it was found out did not even work 35 hours a week so their support was lukewarm?

Please try to refrain from making ignorant comments. I know it is difficult.

And don't forget that in spite of the various retirement laws, the average retirement age of the Germans is lower than that of the French, and nobody is complaining about them in spite of their miserable birth rate and declining population.

Due to fly Air France, Atlanta to Berlin via Paris on 10/20. Air France website doesn't even mention the strike. Any suggestions? Should I cancel? Take a chance on being "trapped" at CDG for who knows how long? This is my first trip over and I could use some input.

We're also due to arrive Paris 10/20 Delta from Ohio....if there is still a strike that day, does it mean the airport will be paralyzed? So, i guess our choice will be to taxi or private shuttle to the apartment? Are our TGV trips going to be affected? If so, are we supposed to get a refund (our ticket is non-refundable; non-changeable)? We also have prepaid exhibit tickets (Monet show); will the Grand Palais be closed also? Are we going to get a refund on this also? Thanks so much for any info, this is getting to be a very frustrating and disappointing situation.

Read on another site that taxis are charging $100-$120 for the trip from CDG to the city! Can anyone confirm this?