Traveling to France after the riots: what to know about curfews
Airports and long-distance trains in France are running and most hotels are open after the weekend's riots, Travel Market Report reported. Paris and Lyon have renewed curfews in parts of their city centers, the BBC reported. The US keeps France at Level 2, "exercise increased caution."
Travelers heading to France after the weekend's riots will find airports and long-distance trains running and most hotels open, but local curfews and street closures in some cities, according to Travel Market Report, La Revue des Hôtels and USA Today.
As of Monday afternoon, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports were mostly unaffected, as was long-distance rail, Travel Market Report reported. Local trams, buses and subways have been affected, and some major Paris streets, including the Champs-Élysées, have been closed.
Most Paris hotels are still welcoming guests, Travel Market Report reported, but the Ritz Paris, Le Meurice and Hôtel de Crillon have shut their storefront entrances and ask guests to show room keys or reservation details at side entrances. Only one luxury hotel, the Sofitel Lyon Bellecour, was reported targeted during the looting, La Revue des Hôtels reported. Top-end Paris hotels are seeing the first cancellations, according to the hotel union UMIH Prestige, La Revue des Hôtels reported.
Paris police extended an overnight curfew around Place de la République and Les Halles and said it would continue "for as long as it proves necessary," the BBC reported Tuesday. A curfew for parts of central Lyon has also been renewed, and Marseille will put minors under curfew for most of this week, the BBC reported. Bordeaux and Nice have curfews for minors until the morning of October 26, and parts of Lille and the Nord have them through Wednesday morning, La Revue des Hôtels reported.
A hotel-only booking carries no cooling-off right under French consumer law, so travelers should call the hotel, as many will agree to a postponement, La Revue des Hôtels reported. A package holiday with flight and hotel sold together can be canceled free if "unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances" significantly affect the trip.
Standard "trip cancellation benefits require a specifically covered reason," InsureMyTrip CEO Suzanne Morrow said, according to USA Today. Cancel For Any Reason coverage can repay part of prepaid, nonrefundable costs, she said.
The Louvre can be visited by advance booking only until November 1, La Revue des Hôtels reported. More demonstrations are planned for October 24 and October 31, followed by a national strike day on November 5, Travel Market Report reported.
Student-led protests that began in late September grew into broader anti-government and cost-of-living unrest, Travel Market Report reported. The national day of protest on October 17 drew 550,000 demonstrators, according to France's Interior Ministry, La Revue des Hôtels reported.
What we know: Major airports, long-distance trains and most hotels are operating, and Paris and Lyon have renewed limited curfews.
What we don't: How long the curfews will last, and whether the next planned protests will bring new disruption.
Where outlets agree Travel Market Report, La Revue des Hôtels and USA Today report that the US State Department keeps France at Level 2, "exercise increased caution."
Where they differ La Revue des Hôtels reported Tuesday morning that the Paris and Lyon curfews had been lifted after one night, while the BBC later reported that both had been renewed.