Bonjour, we are in Paris today, Saturday, December 8, and Paris is on lockdown.

Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, and Bon Marche are all closed.

All the museums are closed. Luckily, the Musee de la Vie Romantique is open.

Keith and I will head to this museum today then explore Montmartre.

Wish us luck.

The Chinese are here in droves, by the way. They are the new Americans. 🐩

Thin

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I think Musee Maillol and Musee Bourdelle are also open (according to a newsletter I received)

Keep your heads down and take care.

Everyone I know is staying home today. Fortunately I live in Montmartre. I’m getting my Christmas tree today and meeting friends for dinner tonight in my neighborhood. I’ll keep an eye out for Thin.

Thin if you are on rue Caulaincourt wave.

Bisous

We are watching the news. I am thinking about getting my hair cut. A salon down the street. My sister in law stayed right on Champs Elysees two weeks ago with a burning car outside her window so at least we are able to leave the apartment. She lost out on her Opera tickets as well. We will walk over by the Effiel later since we are so close but thinking of staying off the metro lines that are open. Belinda, I am like you and don't want to be stuck underground.

Oh my, tear gas has been shot into crowds, getting ugly now.

Paris is a big city with a lot of small villages. Some areas are particularly susceptible to manifestations and problems. Many small villages are completely safe now.

If you're interested in seeing what one part of the City, the 11eme looked like at 10:30 this morning, check out Oliver Gee's Earful Tower "walk show" this morning.

https://www.facebook.com/TheEarfulTo...ZNbIq2ygBKnfNE

Sorry for the long linke but it should take you to a 5 or 10 minute segment of his walk with the propietor of Cafe Mericourt.

All calm in the 18th and 19th arrondissements. I went to the movies this morning, then I went shopping at the Leroy Merlin hardware store, visited the post office and took the tram home. Right now the biggest trouble appears to be on the Grands Boulevards around the Bonne Nouvelle metro station. But the riot police have now arrived and are driving away the black bloc protesters.

We are scheduled to arrive in Paris on Wed. (the 12th.)
Any disruption on St. Germain, Ile St. Louis, Ile de Cite, or the Latin Quarter?

Montmartre was fine. Walked down Boulevard Batignolles, then headed toward St Lazare. All shops and cafes were open until we got to Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, Opera House. Everything closed here. Metro closed. We found a cafe open on Rue St Honore/Avenue Opera. Very few people out dining.

We saw cracked windows on shops along Avenue Opera.

Thankfully, Franprix and the cafes along Rue de la Fayette are open so we can get food.

The Countess De Billy has stated that everything is fine along the Rue de Varenne in the 7th as the Gilet Jaunes would never dare to enter that neighborhood. It would never be tolerated by the French aristocracy.

Au Revoir, les enfants


Thin
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Didn't see anyone buying Christmas trees here today. 🤩 Thin

Yes Parisians are revolting.

Pretty quiet here on Ave de la Bourdonnais. BUT almost everything has closed or is closing. We got the last free table for two at about the only open cafe/bistro.

If you walked about four blocks up the street you would have. Business as usual in my neighborhood.

I'm due to arrive in Paris on Dec. 21st. I've been many times as it is one of my favorite places, however, I'm bringing along my partner. This will be his first visit. We have to make a quick decision now..................go or turn our plans around at this last minute.
We have already purchased train tickets from London to Paris and from Paris to Milan so it's likely those will be a loss (travel insurance does not cover civil unrest).
Would love to get the opinion of someone already there.
Thanks in advance.

I would not cancel.

We have been here since Monday and today was the only bad day.

If I had to do this all over again, I would stay in the Marais and not in the "bourgeois" neighborhoods.

Thin

This better not interfere with the Women’s World Cup of Football in France in June 2019. Canada just got a very favourable draw.

Pepper_von_snoot...............thank you for the reply and encouragement to continue on with our plans. We are staying in the 6th; maybe that is all that needs to change.

I think the 6th arrondissement would be fine.

I would not stay anywhere near the Champs Elysees, Opera House, Louvre, Avenue Montaigne, Avenue Marceau.

Thin

PVS.........Many thanks for the recommendations.

We had a good day. I had my hair cut, we did some baby shopping, went to this pharmacy and omg, what is with the toothpaste and tourist. I saw one lady with about 30 tubes. If it is a miracle whitener I am buying a tube. We walked over to the Eiffel to see all the yellow vest and police milling about. I bought food and we had dinner in. I just want to get to Les Halles tomorrow so hoping things have settled down.