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Local France
7 days ago
- Local France
Closures, traffic, and strikes: What to expect for France's Ascension public holiday
This year, Thursday, May 29th, marks Ascension, offering both a day off work and a chance to 'faire le pont' (do the bridge) and use a single day of annual leave to take Friday off work, giving yourself a lovely four-day break. The festival, which Christians believe marks the day that Jesus ascended into heaven, is always 40 days after Easter Sunday, which is why its exact date varies from year to year. READ MORE: Why is Ascension Day a public holiday in France? Here is what to expect over the long weekend. Closures Thursday is a jour férié for French workers, meaning banks, schools, and public offices (préfectures, town halls, etc) will be closed. Smaller shops, like your local butcher or cheesemonger, might also close on Thursday, or remain open at reduced hours, as if it were a Sunday. Usually, ahead of a public holiday, smaller shops will post their schedule for the week in a note in the window. Keep an eye out for this in the days to come. Advertisement Most supermarkets remain open, but they may do so at reduced capacity. Museums and tourist sites may close on Thursday; be sure to check their opening hours beforehand. Big sites like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower will remain open. You can see the list of other Paris museums that will remain open on Ascension on the Paris tourism website . As for Wednesday and Friday, these are normal working days, but many workers opt to leave early on Wednesday or take off the day on Friday to build a long weekend. Some shops may also remain closed on Friday. Travel disruption and strikes As many people use this as an opportunity to take a weekend trip. Expect larger crowds and longer lines at tourist sites during the weekend, as well as on the roads, and at airports and train stations. On top of that, there has been recent protest action by taxi drivers across the country, and on Monday, French farmers began another wave of protests. READ MORE: Latest: French farmer tractor protests restart, while taxi drivers target airports Both of these movements have involved road blockades and 'go-slow' campaigns, though taxi drivers have focused primarily on blocking access to airports (particularly in the Paris region) and train stations. Farmers have so far focused their protest action on motorways ( autoroutes ). The French rail union, Sud-Rail, which represents ticket inspectors, has threatened to potentially call for strike action during the Ascension long weekend. So far, no official strike notices have been filed, but a representative from the union told the French press that the strikes would be called "four days in advance." Keep an eye on The Local's strikes section for more updates on action by taxi drivers, farmers and rail workers. Traffic Aside from possible slowdowns due to protest action by taxi drivers and farmers, French traffic watchdog Bison Futé had also predicted heavy traffic for departures across the country on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as for returns on Sunday (particularly those driving from the north-west). The roads are expected to be clear on Friday and Saturday for both departures and returns. Weather Overall, French forecasters are predicting cloudy weather across much of France at the start of the week, and some showers mid-week, with the sun expected to come back out across much of the country on Friday. As for the weekend, forecasters have warned that cloudy and stormy weather (particularly in the south-east) may return on Saturday, with rain expected across most of France on Sunday. Advertisement Temperatures are expected to remain cool from Monday to Thursday, with warmer weather returning on Friday. In the south-west, temperatures are expected to reach 30C, Le Figaro reported. However, this may be short-lived with temperatures potentially dropping again with the rain and clouds over the weekend, according to reports by Météo France on Monday.
Local France
25-04-2025
- Business
- Local France
Planes, trains and roads: What to know about travel in France this May
May 2025 is a good month in France if you like time off work - there are three public holidays and this year every one of them falls on a Thursday, offering three chances for extended ' pont ' weekends. It's expected that millions of Frenchies will take the opportunity for a trip, which may mean travel problems. Trains A trio of French rail unions have strike notices in place for the month of May – and they are all targeting one or more of the month's three holiday weekends, usually a peak time for train travel. Advertisement At the time of writing, strike notices cover the following days: Mechanics and technicians have filed a 48-hour strike notice starting on Tuesday, May 6th. Drivers' union CGT-Cheminots has filed an open-ended strike notice starting on Wednesday, May 7th. Sud-Rail, representing conductors, plans action between Thursday, May 8th, and Saturday, May 10th. Sud-Rail's préavis de grève covered weekends from April 17th to June 2nd – which means they members can walk out anytime after 7pm each Thursday to 8am the following Monday during the strike notice period. Negotiations are ongoing so it's still possible that union and bosses will reach a deal and the strikes are called off. Find the latest on the strikes HERE . Important news for Eurostar travellers – Germany's Cologne Central Station will be completely closed to Eurostar traffic between May 3rd and May 18th. Planes No news of strikes in the offing so far – and several new flight routes coming into service to and from airports across France as the summer season takes off. READ ALSO France sets new rates for Paris, Nice and Toulouse airport taxis From May to September, United offers four 10-hour flights per week, between Dulles Airport in Washington DC and Nice. The flights run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. American airlines offers one flight per day from Philadelphia to the Côte d'Azur between May and October. From May to September, Delta operates daily flights of 10 hours and 15 minutes between Nice and Atlanta, Georgia. READ ALSO 'A really efficient city': Why more and more Americans are moving to Nice Air France starts a new direct route connecting Paris Charles de Gaulle to Saudi Arabia beginning May 19th; and will operate four direct flights per week between Charles de Gaulle and Orlando, USA, from May 21st. Advertisement The carrier has also unveiled direct flights between Los Angeles and Nice in May 2025 for the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Ryanair will offer flights three times a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays – between La Rochelle and Dublin, from May 1st. EasyJet will operate three flights a week between Lyon and Bari, Italy, from May 23rd. Spanish budget airline Volotea will offer flights from Paris-Orly to the Italian cities of Genoa, Olbia and Turin from May 26th; and to Ancona from May 27th. These will replace existing flights from Charles de Gaulle. This one actually starts on April 30th, but it's worth mentioning here that newcomer low-cost carrier French Bee will operate four flights per week between Paris-Orly and Montreal – rising to five times a week in the high-summer. Odyssey Airlines, meanwhile, will offer flights between Nîmes and Ajaccio, from May 31st, and between Nîmes and Barcelona, from May 29th, from Nîmes to Verona, Nîmes to Milan, and Nîmes to Nice from May 30th. Meanwhile several operators have dropped their prices for flights from France to the US , reflecting the falling demand. Advertisement Roads The plethora of public holidays in May mean it's the unofficial start of the summer holiday season in France. And that, in turn, means there's more traffic on the roads. France's roads watchdog Bison Futé issued its first nationwide red travel alert for 2025 – indicating 'very difficult' conditions on the country's main routes – over the Easter weekend in April. READ ALSO Aires: Everything you need to know about motorway services in France It predicts two more nationwide 'red' travel days in May – the 28th and 29th – with a partial 'black' alert, warning of 'extremely difficult conditions', in northwest France on June 1st. Advertisement More detailed information is not available so far ahead. But, heavier than usual traffic forecast is also forecast for Sunday, May 4th, Wednesday, May 7th, Thursday, May 8th, and Sunday, May 11th. A yellow alert – 'difficult' conditions on the roads – is in place for Sunday, May 4th, with Bison Futé urging road users heading back to major cities from holiday destinations to: reach or cross the Île-de-France region before 11am; avoid the A13 between Caen and Paris from 1pm to 10pm; avoid the A11 between Nantes and Angers from 3pm to 7pm; avoid the A10 between Bordeaux and Tours from 1pm to 6pm; avoid the A9 between Narbonne and Orange from 2pm to 7pm; avoid the A8 between Italy and Aix-en-Provence from 12noon to 7pm; avoid the A7 between Orange and Lyon from 2pm to 9pm; avoid the A61 between Narbonne and Toulouse from 2pm to 7pm. A second yellow alert, rising to red in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, is in place for Wednesday, May 7th. Motorists heading on holidays or breaks are advised to: leave or cross the Île-de-France region before 2pm; avoid the A25 between Lille and Socx from 5pm to 8pm; avoid the A13 between Rouen and Caen from 4pm to 7pm; avoid the A11 between Angers and Nantes from 2pm to 8pm; avoid the A10 between Tours and Poitiers from 12noon to 7pm; avoid the A7 between Lyon and Orange from 3pm to 10pm; avoid the A8 between Le Luc and Italy from 3pm to 6pm; avoid the A46 and the N346 road for the eastern Lyon bypass from 5pm to 7pm. A partial yellow alert, taking in the northwestern quarter and a band heading south-east to Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, is forecast for Thursday, May 8th. Motorists are advised: avoid the A13 between Rouen and Caen from 10am to 1pm; avoid the A11 between Chartres and Nantes from 10am to 12noon; avoid the A7 between Lyon and Orange from 9am to 2pm; avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) heading into Italy, from 9am to 12noon. READ ALSO Is it worth taking a detour to avoid France's steep autoroute tolls? And, on Sunday, May 11th, a national yellow alert – rising to red in the south-east quarter and along the Mediterranean arc – is in place for the country's roads. Bison Fute's advice to motorists is: reach or cross the Île-de-France before 11am; avoid the A13 between Caen and Paris from 4pm to 10pm; avoid the N165 between Quimper and Nantes from 4pm to 9pm; avoid the A10 between Tours and Orléans from 4pm to 8pm; avoid the A9 between Spain and Narbonne from 4pm to 7pm, between Narbonne and Montpellier from 5pm to 7pm, and between Montpellier and Orange from 3pm to 7pm; avoid the A8 between Le Luc and Aix-en-Provence from 11am to 1pm; avoid the A7 between Marseille and Orange from 11am to 3pm, and between Orange and Lyon from 12noon to 10pm; avoid the A61 between Narbonne and Toulouse from 6pm to 9pm.
Local France
15-04-2025
- Business
- Local France
EXPLAINED: The Spring rail strikes that could hit train services in France
On Friday, April 11th, a second French rail union threatened strike action in the month of May, as rail unions continue negotiations with management at France's national rail operator SNCF. This came after a rail union already filed a strike notice to begin industrial action from April 17th. So what exactly are French rail unions threatening over the coming the weeks and what kind of disruption to train services could there be? Here are the latest details. When could there be strikes? The gist is that two French rail unions so far - Sud-Rail and CGT Chéminots - have threatened strike action in the coming weeks. From April 17th - The Sud-Rail union's original strike notice ( préavis de grève ) covered weekends over the period of April 17th to June 2nd, according to France Bleu. The union specified that they could call strike action anytime after 7pm each Thursday to 8am the following Monday during the strike notice period, meaning the earliest hypothetical strike action could be over Easter weekend. However, Sud-Rail has thus far focused its efforts on the month of May, and it has not made any mentions (at the time of writing) about strike action over the Easter holiday weekend. Nevertheless, it remains possible. Advertisement From May 5th - A second French union representing rail workers, CGT Chéminots, has also called for rail workers - including both ticket inspectors and train drivers - to begin walkouts starting on Monday, May 5th. They have not specified an end-date. As for Sud-Rail, the union has filed some additional strike notices during this period. The first is from Tuesday, May 6th at 7pm to Thursday, May 8th at 8am. The union is calling for equipment workers ( les agents du Matériel ) to take part in a massive 'black' strike across the country. For Wednesday, May 7th , a day that is expected to see heavy rail traffic as people make their getaway for the Thursday public holiday and the long weekend, Sud-Rail is currently calling for train drivers (ADCs, agents de conduite ) to walk out. For May 9th, 10th and 11th , Sud-Rail is separately calling for ticket inspectors and other rail personnel ( controleurs ) to strike. When are the French public holidays? As well as Easter weekend when Monday April 21st is a day off in France, there are three bank holidays during the month of May - Thursday, May 1st (May Day); Thursday, May 8th (VE Day); Thursday, May 29th (Ascension). Many people use these as an opportunity to 'faire le pont' and take a long weekend trip including the Friday, so it is a busy travel period. Advertisement How likely are strikes? As things stand, the French press has reported that unions are still negotiating with SNCF management, which means an agreement could be reached and the strikes could be called off. SNCF Voyageurs CEO Christophe Fanichet told France Inter last week that "We have made some very concrete progress (...) and I am very confident that this social dialogue will enable all French people to travel with peace of mind in the coming weeks." That said, if an agreement is not reached, the week of VE Day (May 8th) could involve significant travel disruption, with both unions planning strike action simultaneously. How disruptive could the strikes be? As with all French rail strikes, the exact level of disruption is unclear at this stage. A detailed strike timetable is usually released 48 hours in advance of each strike day on the SNCF-Connect website. Any disruption would affect French national rail services, but not Eurostar routes. City public transport, as things stand, would not be unaffected. As of 2024, according to BFMTV , CGT Chéminots is the largest union representing train drivers, followed by UNSA in second place and Sud-Rail in third place. As such, if both unions call workers to walk out at the same time, strikes could be quite disruptive. What are unions protesting? Broadly, the dispute is linked to pay negotiations, working conditions, and unstable schedules. Sud-Rail is calling for an end to last-minute schedule changes, as well as salary and bonus increases. As for CGT Chéminots, the union is calling for an increase and overhaul of the 'traction' bonus for train drivers, as well as a work bonus for ticket inspectors. The union has also pushed back against the new tools required of ticket inspectors.
Local France
11-04-2025
- Local France
Travel, shops and tourism – what to expect in France over Easter weekend
Easter itself is very late this year, having been very early last year. In fact, there's a near three-week difference. In 2024, Easter Monday fell on April 1st. This year, it's April 21st. France is, famously, a secular state but for historic reasons, it also has plenty of days off work for Christian holidays. At Easter, however, most of the country gets an extra day off – Easter Monday – while Good Friday is a normal working day for everyone – unless you live in the historic Alsace region . Here is what to expect over the holiday weekend: Shops Opening hours across the country are as a normal, non-holiday weekend Saturday. Advertisement Supermarkets may operate shorter hours on Easter Monday (and on Friday in Alsace). Independent shops in towns and cities may well remain closed for the day, but franchise stores are likely to open, as will restaurants and cafes. Boulangeries, pâtisseries and florists Boulangeries or pâtisseries will be open pretty much as normal across the Easter weekend – but do watch out for notices advertising some opening hour changes. But, on the whole, you will be able to buy your necessary breakfast pastries and fresh baguettes, as well as a suitable gateau for an Easter celebration with loved ones. Schools Unlike last year, the staggered Spring school holidays take in the Easter weekend. But pupils at school in Zone B – Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Normandie, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Strasbourg – get a one-day extension to their time off because of Easter Monday. READ ALSO Why 2025 is a good year for holidays in France – and how to make the most of them Public transport City public transport runs all throughout the holiday period, albeit often with a slightly reduced timetable as there are usually fewer people travelling. Sunday-level services may operate on Easter Monday, for example. But mainline train services also run across the period, with many routes running a near-normal timetable. However, the Sud-Rail union has filed a strike notice covering a period from April 17th to June 2nd. Although no stoppages are yet planned, the notice raises the possibility of walkouts during key public holidays across Easter and in May - latest details here . Advertisement Roads Good Friday – despite not being a public holiday across most of France – is set to be a very difficult day on the roads across the whole of the country. Roads watchdog Bison Futé has issued a general 'red' travel warning – its second-highest alert level, indicating 'very difficult' conditions – covering the whole of the country on Friday, April 18th, for the first time in 2025. It further expects traffic jams and slowdowns across the Easter weekend, warning that the north-eastern quarter of the country would see the most intense traffic slowdowns on Easter Monday. Doctors and pharmacies Doctors' surgeries are usually closed on public holidays, such as Easter Monday, but you can still get a non-emergency medical appointment via on-call medical centres known as maisons médicales de garde that provide care at weekends, nights or on public holidays when surgeries and doctors' practices are closed. Advertisement Call 116 or 117 to contact your nearest on-call centre or log on to the website. Be aware, consultations from on-call services like this are more expensive. SOS Médecins will also operate as usual, and hospital emergency departments and ambulances will be available if you need them (dial 15 for an ambulance, or call the European number on 112). READ ALSO Who you should call in an emergency in France and what you should say Similarly, pharmacies operate a rota system to ensure that at least one is open in each area. To find your nearest, search online for pharmacie de garde plus the name of your commune. READ ALSO 9 surprising things about French pharmacies Tourist attractions Many tourist attractions will be open as normal throughout the Easter period, including Good Friday and Easter Monday (the Louvre, for example, is open as usual on both days) but some may operate altered opening hours. Check individual attraction's website before visiting. Watch out, too, for local Easter festivities in your local area. READ ALSO The best Easter activities in France for families Weather France has been experiencing some beautiful early spring weather with almost summer temperatures over the last few days. Unfortunately, this isn't predicted to continue into the Easter holidays with forecasters expecting a sharp down-turn in temperatures and more unsettled weather and rain.
Local France
24-03-2025
- Business
- Local France
French rail union files strike notice for April and May holidays
The Sud-Rail union was reported on Monday evening to have filed a strike notice covering weekends over the period of April 17th to June 2nd. The weekend actions are understood to cover from 7pm each Thursday to 8am Monday - the period of the strike notice includes the Easter school holidays and the three long 'pont' weekends in May around the public holidays of May Day, VE Day and Ascension - peak travel times on the French railways. The Sud Rail union represents train conductors, without whom the high-speed TGV and Intercité trains cannot run. The dispute is understood to be linked to pay negotiations, and the union is still in talks with bosses over the latest pay deal - leaving some hope that the strike could be called off if an agreement is reached. As with all French rail strikes, the exact level of disruption is unclear at this stage - a detailed strike timetable is usually released 48 hours in advance of each strike day. Any disruption would affect French national rail services, but not Eurostar routes. City public transport would also be unaffected.
