France's protests: night curfews in central Paris, Saturday marches and a national strike on 5 November

France's cost-of-living protests turned violent on Saturday 17 October, the first day of the autumn school holidays. Authorities counted about 550,000 marchers nationwide. In Paris, groups looted shops around Place de la République and tried to break into Galeries Lafayette, and city halls in Limoges and Marseille were attacked. About 2,500 people had been arrested by Tuesday, AP reported, citing the justice ministry, and Paris was calm on the first curfew nights.

For visitors the effect is narrow but real.

The curfews

In Paris the police prefecture has imposed a curfew from 11pm to 6am every night since Monday 19 October, renewing it day by day "for as long as necessary". It covers two central sectors, Place de la République and the area around Les Halles. Separately, undeclared gatherings are banned from 8pm to 6am around the Élysée, the National Assembly, the Senate, the Champs-Élysées and the main railway stations. Other cities set their own rules. Lyon has a curfew from 11pm to 6am in the central Presqu'île, including Place Bellecour, where bars, restaurants and public transport keep running, and Toulouse one from midnight to 5am around the Capitole on the nights from 22 to 25 October. Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Lille have curfews for unaccompanied minors only.

The Paris curfew changes the metro at night. On curfew nights the RATP closes Châtelet, Les Halles, the Châtelet–Les Halles RER station and République from 10pm until about 6am, at the prefecture's request; trains run through without stopping, so you cannot change lines there. If you land late at Charles de Gaulle, the RER B already stops short of Châtelet after 10:45pm on weekdays for engineering work, so plan on Gare du Nord and a taxi or a night bus.

What is coming

A student march planned in Paris for Thursday 22 October, from the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital to Bastille, has been banned, and its organisers say they will challenge the ban in court; check the RATP app before crossing that side of the city. On Saturday 24 October organisers have declared a gilets jaunes march from Bastille to Opéra, which the authorities had not approved by Wednesday evening. The interior ministry plans heavy policing, including soldiers on static guard, and another Saturday march is called for 31 October.

The biggest date is Thursday 5 November, a national day of strikes and demonstrations called by the CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU unions; the CGT wants a general strike from that day. All four representative rail unions have called a strike on 5 November too, which could hit TGV, Intercités, regional trains and some Eurostar services. SNCF publishes strike timetables by 5pm the day before. A strike by airline crews planned for 17 to 21 October was called off.

Museums and sights

The Louvre was shut all day on Monday 19 October when students blocked every entrance. It reopened on Wednesday 21 October, and reservations are compulsory for all visitors until 1 November. ARTnews reported that the Tuileries gardens were closed as a precaution during the weekend of the riots. We found no closures of the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d'Orsay or Versailles linked to the unrest.

Official advice

The US State Department reissued its France advisory at Level 2, exercise increased caution, on 21 October, adding that "violence and rioting have recently occurred in France and may continue". The UK and Canada do not advise against travel, but both now tell visitors that local curfews can be imposed at short notice and to follow local authorities.

Avoid demonstrations, keep away from heavy police deployments, and check the RATP and SNCF apps the evening before you travel.