The route for the November 5 demonstration in Paris has now been set, but not the one the unions wanted. In an order published on Wednesday, November 4, the police prefecture banned the Bastille–Concorde route and authorized the march to proceed from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. between Place de la République (the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements) and Place de la Nation (the 11th and 12th), along Boulevard Voltaire. The inter-union coalition immediately announced that it was challenging the decision before the administrative court.
For everything else (demands, schools, trains, the metro), see our article on the general strike on November 5, 2026. Here, we’re focusing on the march route.
The order, seen by France Inter and reported by franceinfo, is clear: the route declared by the Île-de-France regional CGT union on behalf of the inter-union coalition is banned. The demonstration may, however, go ahead from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. between République and Nation, along Boulevard Voltaire.
The procession will therefore cross the 11th arrondissement from northwest to southeast, covering just over three kilometers. A classic route for Paris demonstrations, far from the institutional districts.
The unions wanted to pass near several institutions, including the National Assembly, the Élysée Palace and Matignon. That is precisely what the police prefecture sought to avoid. Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT, nevertheless described the route as “straightforward and conventional.”
The prefecture’s caution is explained by the climate of recent weeks. After the looting on October 17, only routes on the outskirts of the capital were authorized on Saturdays, October 24 and 31. The October 31 route even ended up before the Council of State, as we reported in this article.
The day has also been classified as “high risk” by territorial intelligence services. According to a memo dated November 3 and revealed by RTL, the Paris march could draw between 40,000 and 80,000 people.
Yes, in theory. The inter-union had already gone to court on Tuesday to secure the publication of the order, franceinfo reports. It is now challenging this “partial ban order” and the imposed route before the administrative court.
Tuesday’s precedent does not bode well for the unions: the prefecture had banned students from marching from the Panthéon to the Medef headquarters, and the administrative court, hearing the case on an emergency basis, upheld the order. The judge’s decision is expected by noon on Thursday. We will update this article as soon as it is known.
The order sets the time slot from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The march is therefore expected to start from Place de la République in the early afternoon and end at Place de la Nation in the late afternoon. The exact gathering times vary by organization, so the safest option is to check with your union on Wednesday evening.
Some meeting points have been set in advance. FO Education (FNEC FP-FO) is calling on people to gather from noon at Place Jacques-Bainville (7th arrondissement), near Solférino metro station, before joining the march. In the outer suburbs, a march will set off at 10 a.m. from Versailles-Chantiers station (78).
The area around Place de la République will be busiest in the early afternoon, before the march heads down Boulevard Voltaire toward Place de la Nation. Metro line 9 runs directly beneath the boulevard: the République, Oberkampf, Saint-Ambroise, Voltaire, Charonne, Rue des Boulets and Nation stations are the most likely to close.
At this stage, no official list has been published. The RATP warns that stations may close at the request of the police prefecture, without disrupting train services. On October 17, 25 stations were closed. We will report any closures in our update on transport disruptions for the week of November 2–8, 2026.
As for buses, routes that run along Boulevard Voltaire and cross Place de la République and Place de la Nation will be diverted during the parade. If you live or work in the 11th arrondissement, it’s best to plan to travel on foot or by bike on Thursday afternoon.
