20 Apr 2019
According to announcements by the authorities, demonstrations and protests are expected in the following places in Paris:
• The Champs Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe and areas surrounding the Elysée Palace;
• The immediate vicinity of Notre Dame and Île de la cité.
Demonstrators are expected to follow these routes:
• Bercy > quai de la Rapée > Bastille > Ménilmontant > Belleville > République;
• Basilique de Saint-Denis > Carrefour Pleyel > Porte de Clignancourt > Gare de l'Est > Jussieu Faculty;
• Porte Maillot > Bd Peireire > Guy Moquet > Championnet > La Villette.
Demonstrations on Saturday are expected to be particularly violent due to calls from the Gilets Jaunes for an ultimatum at the end of the Grand Débat. To follow the developments of Saturday’s movements please refer to https://paris.demosphere.net/rv/69148
Disruption to the Métro and other transport services are likely, including the closures of the following stations https://www.ratp.fr/travaux-manifestations/manifestations :
• Line 2 : Victor Hugo, Etoile, Ternes
• Line 7 : Palais Royal
• Line 14 : Madeleine
• Lines 3 et 7 : Opéra
• Lines 7 et 14 : Pyramide
• RER A : Charles de Gaulle Etoile
• RER C : Invalides
And the interruption of traffic in the following segments:
• Line 1 : Traffic is interrupted between La Défense et Châtelet
• Line 6 : Traffic is interrupted between Charles de Gaulle-Etoile et Trocadéro
• Line 8 : Traffic is interrupted between La Motte-Picquet Grenelle et Richelieu-Drouot
• Line 9 : Traffic is interrupted between Trocadéro et Saint-Augustin
• Line 12 : Traffic is interrupted between Sèvres-Babylone et Saint-Lazare
• Line 13 : Traffic is interrupted between Duroc et Saint-Lazare
Furthermore, several bus lines are likely to be deviated in these areas. The RATP has also specified that the reopening of the stations will be carried out upon approval of the Préfecture de Police.
Outside of Paris, demonstrations and protests are also expected in other cities, particularly in Lyon, Toulouse, Montpellier and Bordeaux.
In Lyon, the local authorities have advised to avoid certain areas of the city centre around squares Bellecour and Terreaux.
In Toulouse, the local authorities have banned demonstrations in the Place du Capitole and advised that public transport for certain lines will be diverted https://www.tisseo.fr/se-deplacer/info-reseau/id/info_8585.
In Bordeaux, all public transports will be suspended in the city centre. https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/…/gilets-jaunes-dis…
As advised in the Travel Notice of 16 March 2019, do exercise a high degree of caution during the demonstrations and protests, which can be violent, especially when protesters clash with law enforcement officers. Please monitor local media for the latest developments on the protests, as the situation may evolve. Also, avoid areas targeted by protesters and heed all public safety instructions issued by local authorities.
Please also take into account disruptions to traffic circulation and public transport services and allow for more time to get from one place to another.
More generally, whether you are resident or travelling in France, we would encourage you to eRegister with MFA at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg/…/common/preLoginEregisterView… if you haven’t already done so. This would help us contact you should it become necessary. For those of you travelling in France, you may be well advised to purchase comprehensive travel and medical insurance.
We hope that notwithstanding the demonstrations and protests, and the necessary safety precautions that you need to take, you and your family would still be able to enjoy the weekend wherever you are in France. As always, should the need arise, we are here for you at +33 6 75 03 25 55.