Another day, another demo ...

When is a strike not a strike?

Apparently, when it's an "arrêt de travail" or even, our old favourite, "un mouvement social".
That's what we had today.

The metro service was reduced on most lines and non-existent on line 6, which covers the southern hemisphere of Paris from Charles de Gaulle- Etoile in the west to Nation in the east. I think it was to protest against longer evening work hours aimed at providing a transport service later into the night. This , of course , against the background of the 35 hour week.

As a bonus, we had a demo in the Place des Vosges, where my Art group was drawing. A group of about 70 demonstrators occupied a section of lawn, raised banners and chanted while vanloads of gendarmes rolled up, blocked further access to the Square, and congregated round the other side of the monument from the protesters. I think this was a protest against poor or inadequate housing.

And prior to all this we had been serenaded by a military brass band on horseback, playing what, to my ear, sounded like jolly, oompah tunes.

Life in Paris is never dull.