Paris November 5 march route set: République to Nation after Bastille–Concorde route banned

The Paris police prefecture published an order on Wednesday, November 4, setting the route for the November 5 Paris march: the Bastille-to-Concorde route sought by the inter-union coalition is banned, and the march is instead authorised from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. from Place de la République to Place de la Nation, along Boulevard Voltaire — a route of just over three kilometres through the 11th arrondissement.

Unions challenge the order; ruling expected by Thursday noon

According to France Inter and franceinfo, the inter-union coalition immediately challenged the "partial ban order" before the administrative court, with the judge's decision expected by noon on Thursday. A November 3 territorial-intelligence memo revealed by RTL classified the Paris march as "high risk" and estimated it could draw between 40,000 and 80,000 people.

Central-area restrictions and a US Embassy alert

Al Jazeera also reported on November 4 that police banned Thursday demonstrations in key central areas — including near the Élysée Palace, both houses of parliament, the main train stations and downtown areas where looting occurred over the weekend — until 8 p.m. The US Embassy in Paris issued a security alert on November 4 warning that the nationwide multi-sector strike on November 5 would disrupt rail service, possibly starting on the evening of November 4, that Paris Metro stations could close, and that curfews in parts of France, including some Paris neighbourhoods, could continue.

The November 5 strike was called by France's five main union confederations (CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU) against the draft 2027 budget, demanding pay rises, better pensions and public services. On rail, SNCF expects slightly disrupted TGV service and disrupted Intercités, regional TER and Île-de-France trains; Paris Metro, tram and bus services are expected to run normally, but RER line B, the rail link to Charles de Gaulle airport, will be disrupted.

(Sources: Paris police prefecture order, November 4, 2026, via Sortiraparis/Franceinfo/France Inter; US Embassy Paris security alert, November 4, 2026; Al Jazeera, November 4, 2026. Cover photo is a file photo of a Paris street.)