Russians in Paris told how the pogroms affected the rest

The Russians, who are in Paris amid mass protests and riots, told RBC about the destroyed shops, problems with transport and fears for their safety. According to them, the central districts of the city were especially badly affected, and tourists have to change plans.

The Russian tourist told RBC that the strikes did not directly affect her vacation, but it became less comfortable to be in the city, especially in the evenings and in the center of Paris. “No one understands how long this will last, as the strike itself was only supposed to take place on October 17, but the vandalism and pogroms that began under the hype are now on the third day,” she said.

According to the traveler, the most affected right bank of the Seine, where there are many shops, including luxury boutiques. On the streets you can see burned bicycles and dumpsters, smashed shops and graffiti on buildings.

“It is all quickly removed, given the scale, but they say that next Saturday, October 25, everything will happen again,” she said.

Director of development of the Paris concierge service Four Seasons Voyage Anastasia Riqueza also told RBC about the large-scale destruction and difficulties faced by residents and guests of the French capital.

“The situation in Paris is actually depressing, because the scale of the destruction is very large. Of course, the commercial sector suffers, but most of all I feel sorry for small business owners, she said.

According to Riqueza, the city has problems with movement: the subway does not work, it is almost impossible to use a taxi, and leaving a personal car on the street is unsafe. "You don't know where you're going to park or what's going to happen to the car while you're away," she explained.

Riqueza also said that, according to her information, visitors were not allowed to the Louvre, even if they had previously purchased tickets. In addition, she cited the example of her business partners, who after dinner in the restaurant broke the windows of the car on three sides. According to her, the damage amounted to about €4.5 thousand.

“Personally, it is difficult for me to feel safe right now. I have the impression that the protection system does not always cope with what is happening, she admitted to RBC.

At the same time, Riqueza noted that local residents are helping to eliminate the consequences of the unrest: volunteers take to the streets, collect garbage and try to return the city to normal life.

According to her, customers of the concierge service are already expressing concern about the situation. Many have pre-purchased tickets, booked hotels and scheduled events. In this regard, it is necessary to adjust routes, avoid dangerous areas and, if necessary, offer additional protection.

“I would not urge you to actively go to Paris right now, especially if you can postpone the trip. But I wouldn't dissuade everyone. Paris is a beautiful city that is definitely worth seeing. Just today, you need to approach travel more consciously, take risks into account and be ready for changes, she concluded.

At the same time, Russian tourists did not apply to the Russian Express tour operator with requests to cancel upcoming trips to France amid mass protests, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) told RBC, citing the company’s data. At the same time, the number of applications for accommodation and tours to France from the operator decreased by about 7.5% compared to the same period in 2025.

Last weekend, on October 17-18, nationwide protests were held in France, which became a continuation of the protests of schoolchildren that began in September. Students, unions and supporters of the “yellow vests” joined the movement. Participants opposed the rising cost of living, demanded higher wages and pensions, and improved public services.

According to the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), on October 17, the number of protesters in France reached 800,000. There were 1,750 meetings and demonstrations throughout the country. At the same time, the head of the French Interior Ministry, Laurent Nunes, gave another estimate - according to the department, about 550,000 people took part in the rally, of which 110,000 participated in the protests in Paris.

President Emmanuel Macron said in his address to the nation that the voices of the protesters must be heard and the government is already working on this. He did not accept the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunes. Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu has asked the authorities of several prefectures to impose a partial curfew.

The Kremlin, commenting on the situation in European countries, said that the riots “actually already border on chaos.” “It’s hard to say whether [this] crisis is systemic or not, but the fact that this is a big crisis is obvious,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.