paris and the gilets jaunes

[DonkeyHohtay]

We're going to paris in the summer break, will be there in the run-up to the Bastille day celebrations (although we are actually flying home on the 12th). We will be staying near the Javel metro station which I understand is a mainly quiet, residential area.

We'd really thoguht the gilet jaunes protests would be over and done with by now, but they show no sign of slowing down. Can any recent visitors to the city advise on what areas are affected? Is it just the Champs Elysees and just on a Saturday? Would really rather avoid getting caught up in it all, although teenage DS would probably think it was a holiday highlight...

As far as I know it's only on Saturdays. I was there the last Saturday in March and the protests that day were apparently almost entirely peaceful (I watched the French TV news that evening).

However last Saturday was more violent in one area, so I guess it depends...

When I was there I googled the route of the march and basically just avoided those streets, which was very easy to do. The only clue that anything was happening was a huge police convoy passing the Luxembourg gardens and then saw the same convoy elsewhere going past in the evening. Apart from that, everywhere I went was just a normal day in Paris, people sitting and eating/ drinking at pavement cafes, shopping, kids on pony rides and people sunbathing in Luxembourg gardens etc...

So I would just Google to see the planned route on the day and avoid those streets, the other 95% of central Paris should be totally fine, millions of people live there and go about their daily business just fine after all.

Will do. We do want to visit the Champs Elysees and other areas they march through but will plan accordingly. And we both speak some French so should be fine.

We have a few days in Paris so will just plan to avoid the marching area on Saturday. Eating macarons, maybe.