This Thursday, November 5, 2026, the general strike is affecting more than just the RER and schools. In Paris and the Île-de-France region, several monuments and museums are closed or partially open. The Eiffel Tower is closed because of the national strike (7th arrondissement), the Louvre (1st arrondissement) is open with some galleries closed, and the Palace of Versailles, in Yvelines (78), says there is a significant risk of a complete closure.
The movement is also coming from within the sector. CGT-Culture and CGT-Spectacle issued a call to build a general strike starting November 5 across the cultural sector. As a result, the situation can change by the hour, depending on staff general assemblies.
Bad news for visitors to the Champ-de-Mars: the Eiffel Tower is closed to visitors this Thursday. Anyone with a ticket should check their inbox and the Eiffel Tower’s official website for information on rescheduling or refunds.
For the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon, Sainte-Chapelle or the Conciergerie, which are managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, it is best to check the Centre des monuments nationaux website before setting off. The Paris Museum Pass is also warning pass holders that some sites may be partially or fully closed this Thursday due to a nationwide strike notice.
Good news: the Louvre Museum is open as usual this Thursday. Its official website notes, however, that some galleries are exceptionally closed because of the labor action. A mixed day, just a few days after the agreement signed on October 29 brought an end to 11 months of staff protests.
On the Left Bank, the Musée d'Orsay announces an exceptional opening from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in its schedule for today. Fans of Thursday late-night opening will therefore have to come back another evening.
It’s the big question mark of the day. The Palace of Versailles says that because of the nationwide strike, “the full or partial opening of the Palace and the Estate of Versailles cannot be guaranteed,” with a significant risk of a complete closure. If the Palace opens, tickets booked for this Thursday will remain valid for any time slot that day. If it closes completely, refunds will be issued automatically, with no action required.
The City of Paris museums are currently showing their usual opening hours. On the page listing municipal museum opening hours, the Carnavalet Museum is listed as open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the Catacombs from 9:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. That gives you an indoor outing option for this unsettled Thursday.
A quick reminder: the Centre Pompidou has nothing to do with the strike; it is closed for renovation until 2030. For more ideas, our guide to things to do in Paris this Thursday, November 5, 2026 rounds up the day’s events.
The joint union demonstration will march from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. between Place de la République and Place de la Nation, along Boulevard Voltaire (11th arrondissement), according to the route authorized by the police prefecture. All the details are in our article on the route imposed by the prefecture.
What matters most for your sightseeing is the 25 metro stations closing from 11 a.m., well beyond the march route. Charles de Gaulle - Étoile, at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe; Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau, just steps from the Petit Palais and Grand Palais; and Cluny - La Sorbonne, near the Cluny Museum, are all on the list. Plan on walking a little from a nearby station.
In most cases, tickets bought through the official ticket office of a closed venue are refunded automatically, as Versailles has announced. If you bought your ticket through a resale platform, you generally need to request a refund from the platform. Our guide Museums and monuments closed: how to get a refund for your ticket explains the steps to take.
For the rest of the day (RER, schools, marches), our full update on the November 5 strike and demonstration in Paris is updated as events unfold. One last tip: check the venue’s website just before you set off, as announcements often come through in the morning.
