What to expect from France's 2025 May Day protests
May Day is an important date in the French calendar not only because workers enjoy time off, but also thanks to its history as a day to protest in favour of better labour conditions.
Despite the fact that the
fête du travail
actually has its origins on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, May Day is
steeped in tradition in France
.
Every year, there are demonstrations in most of France's cities - from small to large - while shops and other services close their doors.
READ MORE:
What's open and what's closed on May 1st in France
This year the
intersyndicale,
the coalition of France's eight main union federations, has plans for 'united' demonstrations across the country.
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Unions are calling on workers and the public to join in marches to fight for 'international peace and social justice', as well as to stand up against the growing presence of the far right.
In their
press release
dated to April 11th, the
intersyndicale
said: "Since the election of Donald Trump in the United States, the far right has been gaining power . . . The far right is directly attacking the rule of law, attacking the right to abortion, education, and the rights of immigrants and LGBTQIA+ people.
"Racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, discrimination: everywhere, the poison of division is growing, exploited, even organised, by the far right and billionaire media."
Unions are also calling for the repeal of France's 2023 pension reforms, as well as an increase in wages, pensions and social benefits.
The May Day demos are usually largely peaceful, although some scuffles can take place on the fringes of the march routes, often as the demonstration comes to a close.
Where will demonstrations take place?
Most cities and large towns will have at least some type of demonstration. Last year, more than 100,000 people across France took to the streets on May Day, with 18,000 of them in Paris, according to the interior ministry.
Paris
- The detailed itinerary is still not clear, but the demonstration will begin at 2pm at Place d'Italie. Expect nearby roads to be closed off.
The
Paris Police préfecture
should soon release a map with how traffic will be re-routed. It is likely that some Metro stations in the immediate vicinity of the demo route will close, although the lines will continue to run as normal.
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Brittany
- In Rennes, the protest will begin at 10.30am at the Place de Bretagne. In Saint Malo, it will also start at 10.30am at the esplanade Saint-Vincent. More info on the
FSU website.
Lyon
- The protest will start at 10.30am at the Metro Garibaldi, according to the local
CGT chapter
.
Marseille
- The protest will start at 10.30am at the Vieux-Port, according to
Action Populaire
.
Nice
- The protest will begin at 10am in front of the Verdure Theatre.
Bordeaux
- The protest will begin at the Place de la République at 10am.
To see demonstrations planned in other towns, the French media Basta has put together an
interactive map
.
What about disruption to travel?
Expect roads to be blocked off along the route for demonstrations. As such, there may be some traffic or delays on the nearby roads, as people are re-routed around the marches.
As far as public transportation goes - whether or not buses, Metros and trams will run depends on the city. Many cities will not offer public transportation on May Day, so plan accordingly.
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In the Paris region, public transportation will generally be operational, though it will run according to Sunday and public holiday hours (meaning at a reduced frequency compared to a normal weekday).
Meanwhile, cities like Annecy, Chamonix, Nancy, and Metz are expected to have public transportation run at a minimal level.
Other cities, like
Lyon
,
Lille
,
Marseille
,
Bordeaux
,
Toulouse
,
Nantes
,
Strasbourg
,
Montpellier
,
Nice
and
Rennes
are expected to completely suspend public transportation services on May 1st.
In most cities, there are city bicycles you can rent to get around for a short period of time - these should continue to be operational. Otherwise, you will have to plan an alternative travel option.
As for high-speed rail travel, TGV and Intercités lines should run normally on Thursday, according to
Ça M'interesse.
This year there are no plans for strikes on rail networks, but beware that next week (starting May 5th), unions have
called for strike action
, as France gears up for its second May public holiday (VE Day).
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