5 November strike: Paris march route banned, one train in two on several lines

Update Thursday at 1.10pm: the unions' appeal has been rejected. Follow the day of mobilisation here.

Update at 5.20pm. On the eve of the cross-sector strike, the tug of war has shifted to the route. The Paris police prefecture on Wednesday banned the Bastille-Concorde route declared by the CGT Île-de-France on behalf of the union alliance, according to an order seen by France Inter and reported by franceinfo. The Paris march is authorised from 2pm to 7pm, between République and Nation, via boulevard Voltaire.

The union alliance (CFDT, CGT, FO, Unsa, FSU) is calling on public and private sector workers to stop work on Thursday 5 November. It is demanding higher wages and pensions, more resources for public services and a change of course on the 2027 budget.

The courts called in

The unions are challenging the order before the administrative court in order to march along the original route, which passed close to the Assemblée nationale, the Élysée and Matignon. The Paris administrative court rejected the appeal on Wednesday evening. CFDT general secretary Marylise Léon said it was unacceptable to ban marches from city centres, franceinfo reports.

Paris is not the only city affected. In Lyon, the Rhône prefect has banned demonstrations in the city centre from 9am to 8pm, and the union alliance has filed an urgent application to protect fundamental freedoms (référé-liberté). In Toulouse, the unions are sticking to their route despite a prefectoral order.

Trains in Île-de-France

Here are Transilien SNCF's forecasts for Thursday, updated on Wednesday at 3.50pm:

• RER A, lines K and V: normal service.
• RER B: 1 train in 2 in the north, 2 in 3 in the south, no change at Gare du Nord.
• RER C, lines H, N and U: 1 train in 2.
• RER D: 1 train in 3, notably between Creil and Corbeil-Essonnes, and between Goussainville and Melun.
• RER E, lines J and L: 2 trains in 3.
• Line P: 2 trains in 3 between Meaux and La Ferté-Milon, normal service elsewhere.
• Line R: 1 train in 2 between Paris Gare de Lyon and Montargis, and at certain times towards Montereau.

Since 5pm, journey planners and timetables have taken the cancellations into account, Transilien says, recommending that passengers check the next departures before heading to the station. The RATP expects normal service on the metro, trams and buses, according to franceinfo.

In the rest of France

SNCF Voyageurs expects slight disruption on TGV high-speed trains, and disruption on Intercités and TER regional trains. At this stage we have not found a national proportion of trains running. Passengers whose TGV or Intercités train is cancelled are due to be contacted so they can exchange or get a refund on their ticket free of charge.

Schools and services

The Education Ministry estimates the strike rate in state primary schools at 17.54%, according to franceinfo. The impact will vary from one town to another. In Vincennes, for example, two nursery schools and a childcare centre will be closed, Économie Matin reports. Parents are advised to check messages from their school or town hall.

A day seen as sensitive

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has asked prefects for robust security arrangements, according to a telegram seen by AFP and quoted by franceinfo. He is due to present the security plan at 6.30pm. Also according to franceinfo, the territorial intelligence service expects 500,000 to 700,000 demonstrators outside the Paris area, and considers the risk of unrest to be high. On Tuesday the CGT counted 244 demonstrations planned across France.

In Versailles, a march is due to set off at 10am from Versailles-Chantiers station, according to the Yvelines CGT.

What next?

The Paris march will follow the République-Nation route. The first turnout figures are expected on Thursday. As with every day of action, the authorities' and the unions' figures are likely to differ.