Alice

I saw reference on other site re: workers strike March 23, with additional days possibly to follow. Anyone else heard anything? Also, just learned there has been so much rain lately that the Seine has overflowed the lower embankments and the cruise boats (ie.bateaux mouche)have been suspended. Do you know of good webs to get this kind of news? Thanks . . . .

anon

http://europe.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/eur...ods/index.html <BR>

s.fowler

We were in Paris March 16-20. The Seine was very high. The boats were not running and the "bistro barges" were inaccessible. The water at that point was pretty much covering the walkways and roadways alongside the Seine. As for the strike -- no information -- but it *is* strike season over there, alas.

Joel

Alice, regarding the flooding, as long as the quais are flooded (the quais are the platforms that run along the river about 20 feet below street-level that watercraft tie up to), you won't be able to use any of the boat trips. Missing a ride on the Bateaux Mouche is not a big deal, although it's a fun trip. Missing a dinner cruise is a good thing, imo, as the dinners on the river are about the only bad food in France. <BR>Regarding strikes, this isn't much of a problem either. Strikes are a whole different animal in France than in the U.S. Everyone that has a job, providing your employer has more than about 20 employees, is unionized automatically by law. I lived there as a professional in a large company for a number of years and was therefore unionized myself. Usually, the strikes are almost invisible. They'll be for a day or even for a few hours. The train conductors on the Metro will shut down one line for rush hour for a couple of days. Just a perturbation. <BR>As you drive from the airport to your hotel ask your cabbie where the strikes are going to be during your stay. The question will impress him and the cabbies always know. If you have no French language ability, ask the concierge at your hotel. Same thing. <BR>Don't lose sleep over any of this stuff.

s.fowler

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the previous poster. If you have planned a trip to Paris for a long time and it's not likely that you will be able to visit again for a while, the things you "pooh-pooh" ARE a big deal if they matter to that person. It's easy to be blase when you have visited and can revisit a city easily -- and the flexible traveler finds other pleasures when "foiled." However, for many people a ride on a bateau mouche IS important. Or they may have set their hearts on walking on the quais etc.. You may not agree with their reasoning, but it's also their trip, not yours. <BR> <BR>The nasty things about these little "greves" is that, if you are not reading the French news, you can get caught. I remmeber a trip where we planned to go to L'Orangerie on a certain afternoon and it closed at noon -- a sudden little "greve." Now I've been to Paris many times and we visited l'Orangerie the next time. But what if it had been a "once in a lifetime" trip?

StCirq

There's a great website for current information on strikes. If you can read some French, try www.lesgreves.com <BR> <BR>Only France would need a "grève du jour" website.

Rex

I am nearly sickened thinking of those travelers experiencing their first-ever trips to France - - and now even western Germany - - with the flooding that is affecting Paris, Brittany, Lyon and all the Rhone valley, and today reports from Cologne and Koblenz as well. <BR> <BR>If anyone is there, checking in with us by cybercafe (or other internet access), I hope you're making the best of it. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

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Alice

Thanks for the input... I am mostly curious rather than worried about the rising Seine, should make interesting photos to compare from previous visits. The strikes are more inconvenient, but I can improvise (it's Paris, anything will be an experience!) I do feel badly for someone I had recently been emailing with, as his visit is March 22-29, looks like rain and museum closings the entire time... sigh.

Rex

The good news: there are no now stories posted today under "Yahho France's "folder &lt;&lt;Inondations en France&gt;&gt; - - http://fr.fc.yahoo.com/i/intemperies.html <BR> <BR>The bad news: strike at the Louvre. Closed today for the third of 6 consecutive (scheduled) days. <BR> <BR>

Deena

I was in Paris 2 years ago during a museum workers strike. You need to check each morning with the museum you want to go with because we found different museums stayed open on different days during the strike, but you didn't know in advance. We were able to go to the Louvre, but not the D'Orsay (which did open one day) or the Conciergerie and Ste. Chapelle (an omission rectified this year. Not all museums are affected, however the ones on the musseum pass are. We were busy every minute of our week long stay, so if we had been in the museums we missed we would have missed other things that we did.

Mara

I just got back from Paris last night. Since I hadn't planned to visit the Louvre this trip, I actually didn't realize there was a strike on (except for the one-day strike affecting the Thalys which caused me to change my one-day trip to Brussels). I visited 4 Paris museums with no problem. If you can be somewhat flexible, hopefully you can work around the strikes.

StCirq

The city transit workers' strikes are expected to continue into tomorrow, except in Montpellier, Strasbourg, and one other city I can't recall. Don't know about the museums in Paris.

Ishoo

Returned from Paris 26/03. louve was closed three days, Versailles closed two days. other museums closed off and on. Even St Chappel was closed because of the strikes. I was UNDERWHELMED with Paris.

aj

Alice, <BR> <BR>On my first trip to Paris two years ago I was not yet familiar with the French love of Striking! I waited until our last full day in Paris to shop and the Metro went on strike. Many stores were closed due to workers unable to get to work. It really ruined my shopping for things to bring home. We are going again this spring and I will purchase what I want when I see it!!! Also the Musees were on strike! I still fell in love with Paris and hope to return many times.

Joel

I will eat my (earlier) words!!! This series of strikes that many are mentioning here is FAR worse than anything I have ever personally experienced in France. I wonder if anyone can comment on whether this is a new trend of the French syndicates or a one-of-a-kind unfortunate situation?