“10 Septembre 2025 – c'est férie.” It’s a holiday. So says Indignons Nous, one of the loose coalition of French protest groups coordinating a day of action from Calais to Corsica in protest against government cuts.
Under the banner bloquons tout – “let’s block everything” – the aim is to paralyse France on 10 September with nationwide action characterised as a general strike.
The anger of the bloquons tout movement is directed at austerity measures proposed by France’s fragile government, as well as plans to cancel two public holidays.
Sud-Rail, one of the top three rail unions, has joined the movement and is calling for a “massive strike” on 10 September. The rail union says: “The time for procrastination is over; it's time for undivided mobilisation! We can destroy this unprecedented austerity plan.”
Despite the name, which means “South-Rail”, Sud-Rail is active across the whole of the French mainland. A walkout is likely lead to thousands of train cancellations on the SNCF network.
In addition, past protests against austerity have involved road and ferry port blockages, plus disruption to fuel supplies.
Eurostar does not at present expect any disruption to its services between Paris, Lille and London St Pancras International.
The target day for mass mobilisation is two days after the government of Francois Bayrou faces a crucial vote of confidence, which it is widely expected to lose.
For airline passengers flying to, from within or over France, 18 and 19 September are the key dates. French air-traffic controllers belonging to the SNCTA union will walk out from the start of the morning shift on 18 September to the end of the night shift on 19 September.
The union is calling for “a profound change in the management of the operations department”.
The strike is likely to ground thousands of flights across Europe, including many that would simply cross France en route between the UK and Spain, Italy and beyond. A strike involving two smaller unions in early July wrecked the travel plans for hundreds of thousands of travellers.
Under air passengers’ rights rules, travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible, on any airline. The carrier that cancels the flight is obliged to provide a hotel and meals for overnight stays.
Read more: Disruption warning as CrossCountry train drivers announce October strikes
