‘Stay home!’: Tourists find themselves in a France convulsed by protests
Tourists in France are facing significant disruptions as nationwide protests against inflation turn violent, leading to the closure of major landmarks like the Louvre. Visitors are being advised to stay home as the unrest impacts the country's tourism sector.
Why it matters
The intersection of civil unrest and the tourism industry highlights the broader economic impact of domestic political instability.
Massive looting and multiple blazes gripped France as nationwide marches against soaring inflation degenerated into street violence of "extreme intensity". Photo / Joel Saget, AFP
Upon arriving at a blockaded and closed Louvre after a more than 20-hour plane journey from Australia, Anne Boland had advice for tourists planning to visit Paris.
“Stay home!” the 73-year-old pensioner said outside the world’s most-visited museum, after a weekend of unrest that rocked some of the French capital’s most iconic streets and squares.
She was one of thousands of visitors scrambling to navigate the City of Light as marches, traffic delays and wafting tear gas snarled the capital’s €14 billion ($17.5b) tourism industry.
A small group of protesters was blocking the entrance to the Louvre’s famous glass pyramid, following days of mass protests that also spilled into some of the worst street violence France has seen in recent years.
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