Strikes and protests intensify in France: flights, trains and roads impacted this week

A week of strikes is set to hit France hard in the coming days, in what some are calling a ‘black week’ for the country.

Pilots, rail workers, and farmers will all go on strike or demonstrate between November 14 and 21, causing disruption to travellers and drivers, as well as the transportation of goods.

Unions and members backing these groups have also hinted at – or confirmed – further action in December, including over the Christmas period, if their demands are not met during this first wave of strike action. 

Read more: Strikes in France in November 2024 and how you may be impacted

Travellers impacted

Pilots will start the week of disruption with a one-day strike on Thursday (November 14), affecting flights to and from French airports. 

They are striking over the government’s plan to hike airline solidarity taxes, raising an extra €1 billion a year, and have warned further action is on the way. 

The strike was started by leading union in the sector syndicat national des pilotes de ligne (SNPL), however other unions representing workers in the sector – UNSA transport, UNSA PNC, CFE-CGC FNEMA, UNAC, SNPNC-FO and FEETS-FO – have all called on workers to join the action.

This includes pilots and other airline and airport employees.

Further information on disruption to flights should be known either today (November 12) or tomorrow (November 13), and those set to travel on Thursday should check the status of their journey with their flight operator.

Read more: French pilots set to strike over plans to raise flight ticket taxes

Farmers – who have already been protesting locally in the south of France – will intensify their demonstrations, bringing them to a national level, on Friday (November 15). 

Anger over the precarious situation of farmers, a lack of development on promises made after strikes earlier this year, EU regulations and the EU-South America free trade agreement negotiations are all behind the demonstrations, set to be held across the country, but particularly in the south. 

Unlike pilots and rail operators, currently set to strike for a single day in November, action by farmers will be continuous, as they are not bound by a strike motion. 

Disruption similar to the beginning of the year, which saw roads blocked by tractors, is likely. 

Full and specific details of where the protests will be held are not yet known, however freight transport blockages are expected and a large demonstration will be held in Agen on November 19. 

Read more: Farmers threaten to ‘block country’ in further mass disruption

Train strikes over Christmas 

Finally, four major unions representing SNCF rail workers will strike next Thursday (November 21), with passenger traffic likely to be heavily disrupted. 

The main focus of the action is over the SNCF’s decision to open up regional train lines to privatisation, and the dismantling of the national freight service, making it easier to be privatised in the future.

Information on journey’s disrupted will be made available on the evening of Tuesday November 19, with TGV and regional services likely to be hit. 

The unions have also filed a recurring strike motion from December 11 onwards, which will include the Christmas season. 

Read more: French rail strike call: wide-scale disruption expected later this month