Paris on May 1 or is that a bad idea?
 

We're considering a trip to Paris that would fall over that long holiday weekend (Friday, May 1 - Sunday, May 3). We're concerned there won't be anything open or to do except leisurely walk around, which sounds wonderful unless there are a lot of protests going on. ? We could take the train for a day trip, but with the train schedules being different on May 1 as well, would that be feasible? And where would we go that would be open?

Also, noticing the Louvre has free admission on the first Saturday of the month. Will this make it incredibly busy, especially considering it's a 3-day weekend? Can you still get tickets in advance?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

May 1st is fine but not a day to go to museums. The Eiffel Tower is open, the cruises on the Seine are running, you can visit churches and famous cemeteries, and more shops will be open that you expect.

No tickets for the Louvre on the free days. It is the evening that is free. You just queue up if there is a queue.

May 1st is one of the most observed holidays in France in terms of closures of museums, etc, so it depends what you personally need to feel entertained. No, I do not think it is a good idea to go to any of the big tourist-draw museums on that day, even if it is open, if it is free and a holiday on top. Trust me, I've done it at the Louvre and had to leave it was so crowded and unpleasant (that was 14 july, but still, same idea). Of course it would be feasible to take the train somewhere (the schedule is different on Sundays, as well as holidays, but I've done lots of day trips on Sundays by train), but again, you have to have a plan as to where you are going and why you want to go there to make sure it works. Given it is Workers Day, I would presume there could be protests given the current climate. There are always some workers marches on that day (I think they usually start around pl Republique).

Most museums are closed anyway, but if some minor one were open tourists didn't usually go to, that could work. I doubt if they are though (like the postal museum, etc). Private enterprises are running like the Eiffel Tower. I imagine that light show thing is running (atelier des lumieres). Last year, I believe the Musee Maillol was open (which I quite like, it's not as obscure as some, but not like the Louvre in tourism). So was the Jacquemart-Andre which is probably better known to tourists. Some really well-known destination attractions are open (like Versailles and some chateaux, like Chantilly and Vaux-le-Vicomte and Malmaison, but Fontainebleau is closed). I imagine church sites are open, so you could do Chartres.

In short, plenty to do.

I hope it’s not a bad idea. We’ll be there May 1st :)