<p>I flew back from Paris last Tuesday after spending a week with my daughter who is at the Sorbonne (or WAS at the Sorbonne, I should say). That was the day the national strike and the largest manifestations were called for in France. In Paris the little neighborhoods looked normal…the shops were open and people were sitting in cafes and chatting. Our neighborhood in the sixth was totally unaffected. Cabs were available. Some people must have stayed home from work that day because traffic was light and the airport was quiet because many domestic flights had been cancelled. But Paris was functioning just fine and the intercontinental flights went out. We arrived home in Philadelphia right on time. Perhaps more things closed at 2:00 pm when the strike was called for but I was already at the airport so I can’t comment.</p>
<p>My weeklong visit was not interrupted by the protests in any way except for having to take a different route to my hotel on the day that I arrived. We walked around the city, went to museums, visited with friends and ate at bistros…all of our normal things. There were smaller protests almost every day that I was there. There were some subway lines that weren’t running but alternative lines were running or we walked where we wanted to go.</p>
<p>The large protests are organized and publicized so people who are not interested in being part of the action know where to stay away from. My daughter’s french friends dislike the proposed law as much for how it was presented to the population as for its content but they want the Sorbonne to reopen and to return to school. I have heard that Sciences Po had some interrupted classes but I don’t know that for certain.</p>
<p>Unless things have dramatically changed since last week, I would not cancel a trip to Paris …just my opinion. Hopefully the Sorbonne will reopen soon enough that my D can continue her classes there. In the meantime, Columbia’s program (Reid Hall) is bringing in private instructors to cover class material for their students who had tested into schools within the french university system. The students taking classes exclusively at Reid Hall are fine - as an american administered program the classes have continued without interruption.</p>
<p>I agree with Elleneast. I am in Paris today and everything is normal so far except the Eiffel is closed until 6:30, the D’Orsay is closed and the Metro is running at 2/3 capacity. We’re on our way to Notre Dame and are hoping to see the demonstrations. All we have seen so far is a truck full of soldiers riding down our street. Don’t let it deter your vacation plans. It feels safe.</p>
<p>Lizschup, be careful…at the tail end of the large demonstrations there can be young non-student types looking for more than a peaceful protest. The police have been putting plain clothesmen/women in the crowd to try and diffuse any violence before it begins. There are also some protests starting to pop up that are organized by students who want the Sorbonne to re-open. </p>
<p>When I was there the student approach to police confrontation was almost Monty Pythonesque. The police would hold up their riot gear, the students would run and throw themselves against it - they would bounce off, fall down and throw themselves at it again.</p>
<p>As of last week the city was functioning surprising well and these events were pretty easy to avoid. The state department recommends staying away from them and I agree.</p>
<p>Looking at CNBC right now. They say it’s all peaceful, (what was that guy throwing??) but I don’t think local protest marches make good tourist attractions.</p>
<p>ummm… I guess not “all” peaceful. Some demonstrator vs police battles going on.</p>
<p>I have no opinion on the subject (except that I, being paranoid, would not go), but elleneast I just love your description of the protestors and the police! I can just picture it!</p>
<p>momrath, best of luck for a happy and refreshing trip, wherever you end up going.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your advice and well wishes.</p>
<p>Lizschup, do you have any idea when the next big event is planned to take place? I heard that the students were going on Spring break and that things would quiet down through Easter.</p>
<p>I so often have visitors who ask me whether or not they should come to Indonesia and I always tell them yes, as long as you are personally comfortable with the decision. So now I’m having a hard time following my own advice. I’m an intrepid traveler, but all the same, I’d be sorely disappointed if I were shut out of the Louvre!</p>
<p>Go ahead with Paris. The media here reports what is sensational; any protests are unlikely to affect your vacation at all. I lived in a Middle Eastern country during the entire Iran hostage crisis, and my friends and family in the US were concerned, but there was absolutely nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>Now I do have a friend whose vacation was altered–just last week-- due to an international incident. George Bush, as well as the presidents of Canada and Mexico decided to visit Chichen Itza (in Mexico) on the same day she had planned to be there. “I can’t believe that George Bush ruined my vacation!” was her comment when she got back home.</p>
<p>Don’t take cheers’ invitation too lightly. She <em>is</em> right on the way to Antarctica (and various other places). She knows Paradise well and if she and her husband take you out to dinner, you’ll enjoy the food. I still owe her a dinner, but I’ve been banned from her residence-country (long story) until I get a new passport.</p>
<p>Momrath,
My son wanted to find the protestors so we kept working our sightseeing and walking routes around potential places but still managed to miss it. We spent the whole day walking around the streets of the 5th, 6th and 7th and never saw a protest. The streets of the Sorbonne were blocked off with temporary walls and heavy police presence and we saw caravans of police weaving their way through the streets from time to time. Seriously, I would not hesitate to plan a trip to Paris. It felt very safe. You just have to plan around the disruptions. </p>
<p>And while I’m at it I’ll put in a plug for the apartment company we rented through if you need suggestions - Parisperfect.com.(Also has apartments in London and Italy) She gave us a whole list of places to shop for the best bread, pastries,meats etc/ cafes and bistros to eat at - it was like having an insiders view of a neighborhood. We took the Eurostar to London today so I can’t tell you much more at this point.</p>
<p>I don’t know if it is technically break time but the beauty of the French is that protesting aside, if it is holiday time they are out of there! Paris will never totally shut down because its citizens must be able to buy a baguette. Vacations are a God-given right. I could not love a people more.</p>