Paris cost-of-living march today from République to Nation; 14 metro stations closed

France's cost-of-living protests reach a fourth round in Paris today (Saturday, November 7). An inter-union coalition march sets off at 2 p.m. from Place de la République and heads to Place de la Nation along Boulevard Voltaire, passing through the 3rd, 10th, 11th and 12th arrondissements, on a route approved by the Paris police prefecture on Friday.

Fourteen metro stations closed

At the request of the Paris police prefecture, the RATP is closing 14 metro stations today. From the start of service, eight stations around Concorde and the Champs-Élysées are closed, including Concorde, Tuileries and Charles de Gaulle-Étoile; from 10 a.m., six more stations along Boulevard Voltaire close — Oberkampf, Richard-Lenoir, Saint-Ambroise, Voltaire, Charonne and Rue des Boulets — with trains passing through without stopping. République and Nation stations remain open.

Suburban lines affected; Line 6 fully closed on Sunday

Engineering works add to the disruption: today the RER B is closed between Aulnay-sous-Bois and Mitry-Claye, the RER D between Stade de France-Saint-Denis and Creil, and line J between Conflans-Sainte-Honorine and Gisors. Metro Line 6 will be closed along its entire length on Sunday (November 8) for engineering work.

(Sources: Sortiraparis, RATP, Paris Police Prefecture.)

Update, November 8: 146,000 march nationwide, 46,000 in Paris; at least 360 arrested

France's Interior Ministry said about 146,000 people took part in Saturday's cost-of-living demonstrations nationwide, including 46,000 in Paris; unions and student organisations put the figures at 250,000 nationally and 75,000 in the capital. At least 360 people were arrested across the country, AFP reported, citing a ministry tally. In Paris, the main march from Place de la République to Place de la Nation ended in clashes, with police using tear gas against people throwing projectiles. Authorities deployed about 70,000 security personnel nationwide. It was the fourth consecutive weekend of mass demonstrations, with turnout lower than the previous three weekends (between 320,000 and half a million participants), following a union-organised demonstration on Thursday, November 5, that authorities said drew 575,000 people. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is hosting a social conference on wages and purchasing power at Matignon on Monday, November 9, and education unions have called another day of strikes and protests for Tuesday, November 10.