The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on Thursday as nationwide strikes and demonstrations swept across France, with hundreds of thousands of workers, students and union members expected to protest over wages, purchasing power and education conditions.
The closure was announced on the monument’s official website, which informed visitors that the attraction would remain inaccessible because of the nationwide industrial action.
“Due to the national strike movement, the Eiffel Tower is closed today,” the notice stated, advising visitors who had purchased electronic tickets to check their email for further information.
The disruption comes as trade unions and student organisations stage demonstrations across the country, demanding better wages, improved purchasing power and changes to education conditions.
According to estimates, between 500,000 and 700,000 people were expected to participate in demonstrations outside Paris, while between 40,000 and 80,000 protesters were expected in the French capital.
The scale of the mobilisation prompted French authorities to deploy approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide to maintain public order and manage demonstrations.
The industrial action is part of a broader protest movement that began with student demonstrations in mid-September before expanding to include labour unions and other organisations.
The protesters are raising concerns about declining purchasing power, wage conditions and the state of education, reflecting wider dissatisfaction with the economic pressures facing French households and workers.
Meta description: The Eiffel Tower has closed to visitors as nationwide strikes over wages, purchasing power and education disrupt France, with up to 700,000 protesters expected.
