Paris has seen two nights of unrest following the killing of a 17-year-old by police officers on 27 June.
The death of the teenager, known only as Nahel, was captured on video and has shocked France, stirring long-simmering tensions between young people and the police in disadvantaged neighbourhoods around the country.
But as the French capital is gearing up for its annual influx of summer holidaymakers, is it safe to travel to Paris?
Where are the clashes?
Clashes first erupted on Tuesday night in Nanterre, a town in the western suburbs of Paris, and nearby, and continued their overnight on Wednesday. A fire damaged the town hall of the Paris suburb of L’Ile-Saint-Denis, not far from France‘s national stadium and the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Is it safe to visit Paris?
Around 17 million Brits visit France every year, and most of the visits are free of trouble, but the ugly scenes over the past couple of days could understandably cause some concern.
Most of the city is unaffected by the unrest and the vast majority of it is confined to non-tourist areas; the Interior Ministry has announced that an extra 2,000 police officers would be brought into the worst affected parts of the city. If you find yourself close to any protests, the advice is to leave the impacted area. Transport and businesses could be disrupted as a result; before travelling, check if your plans will be affected.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not issued a travel warning for France.
However, it has said: “Since 27 June, protests have taken place in Paris and other locations across France. Some have turned violent. The protests may lead to disruptions to road travel or targeting of parked cars in areas where protests take place. You should monitor the media, avoid protests, check the latest advice with operators when travelling and follow the advice of the authorities.”
Am I covered by travel insurance?
The FCDO says “it is more important than ever to get travel insurance”. If you are caught in the unrest, or if you decide you don’t want to travel, it’s important to check the fine print: many travel insurance only offer limited cover for claims related to or caused by civil unrest.
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