‘Block everything’: Nationwide protests set to disrupt travel across France on 10 September

Published connected 09/09/2025 - 14:36 GMT+2 •Updated 14:39

France faces a time of gridlock connected Wednesday arsenic a grassroots activity to ‘block everything’ threatens to paralyse nan country’s carrier networks.

The demonstrations, branded Bloquons tout (‘let’s artifact everything’), are portion of a nationwide onslaught against Prime Minister François Bayrou’s projected austerity scheme – action that will proceed moreover aft his vulnerable number authorities collapsed this week.

The activity to "block everything" bubbled up online arsenic acold backmost arsenic July. In caller weeks, it dispersed quickly connected TikTok, Telegram and different platforms pinch viral calls for boycotts, blockades and strikes.

Its celebrated beginnings person drawn it comparisons to nan Yellow Vest protests successful 2018, which grew from anger complete substance prices into nationwide action against governmental elites.

At nan centre of nan anger this clip is Bayrou’s 2026 financial plan, which sought to trim €44 cardinal from nan nationalist fund to trim France’s deficit. Key measures included removing 2 nationalist holidays, freezing pensions and cutting €5 cardinal successful wellness spending.

The protestation now comes amid deepening governmental turmoil. Bayrou’s indebtedness simplification scheme drew wide outrage and led him to denote his resignation connected Monday. 

His authorities lasted conscionable 9 months, making him France’s 3rd premier curate to measurement down successful nan past year.

What travellers tin expect amid strikes successful France

France’s transport assemblage is expected to carnivore nan brunt of nan action.

Sud-Rail has pledged a ‘massive strike’ that could lead to thousands of SNCF obstruction cancellations nationwide. Regional RER and Transilien services astir Paris are besides expected to tally reduced timetables.

Bonjour RATP, nan mobile app tally by nan Paris nationalist carrier operator, forecasts dense disruptions connected respective commuter lines, though presently nan metro work is expected to beryllium ‘almost normal’.

Although nan country’s unions were not down nan original campaign, their caller support has fixed it other weight. The powerful CGT national precocious endorsed nan action, raising nan imaginable of disruption to trains, ferries, substance supplies and different services.

Eurostar, nan high-speed work linking London pinch Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, says its trains will tally arsenic normal during nan strike. But pinch France’s home obstruction services severely disrupted, knock-on effects stay likely. Travellers could look missed connections, constricted onward options and crowded replacement routes.

Air postulation power strikes loom

Even much carrier disruption awaits travellers successful France this month. France’s largest aerial postulation controllers’ national has confirmed a 24-hour walkout from 18 to 19 September. 

Expected to beryllium 1 of nan biggest ATC strikes successful years, nan action will impact not only flights to and from France but besides thousands that transverse its airspace. Routes betwixt nan UK, Spain, Italy and different European destinations are apt to spot delays and cancellations.

The interruptions travel a activity of strikes successful July that grounded hundreds of flights, stranding passengers during nan highest summertime recreation play and drawing nan ire of airlines. With September’s walkout falling extracurricular nan holidays, airlines pass of constricted elasticity to rebook travellers quickly.

Under EU passenger rights legislation, anyone whose formation is cancelled is entitled to re-routing connected nan earliest disposable work – including pinch different airlines – arsenic good arsenic edifice accommodation and meals if stranded overnight. Financial compensation is typically not provided for ATC strikes, however.

With governmental upheaval successful Paris, protests nationwide and airdrome strikes each occurring astatine once, September is shaping up to beryllium a difficult period for anyone travelling successful aliases crossed France.

Passengers are advised to scheme ahead, show updates from operators intimately and brace for last-minute changes.