British travellers in France were facing travel chaos today as a general strike brought the country to a standstill.
As thousands prepared to take to the streets in a protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to raise the retirement age, many transport services shut down.
The 24-hour strike also affected banks, postal services and colleges and schools.
Among those worst affected were England football fans making their way to the national side’s European championship game with Switzerland in Basel, just over the French border.
Many were travelling on planes and trains through Paris, but found services cancelled.
‘We were told it was just three-and-a-half hours to Basel from Paris but it may be that all the services are cancelled,’ said Ian Monroe, 28, from south east London.
‘I got to France late on Monday night but the strike had already started. Lots of other fans are in a similar position.’
Neil Prentice, 44, another fan due to be travelling from London, said: ‘Three of us were meant to be setting off this morning but we’ve now given up.
'It’s going to be absolute chaos, and isn’t worth the hassle.’ Less than half of inter-city and local train services were expected to run, said a spokesman for SNCF, France’s national railway.
Eurostar services from London to Paris were unaffected, however.
Air France, meanwhile, said it would cut almost all short and medium haul flights into and out of Paris – another move which would be disastrous for the England fans, as well as British holidaymakers on their way to sunnier climes.
The strike date takes place on the day that Mr Sarkozy’s government presents its pension reform bill to parliament.
Secondary school teachers were among the first to strike, with thousands withdrawing goodwill on Monday night in protest against plans to cut 7,000 jobs in education.
Meanwhile, thousands of police across the country began bracing themselves for a day of action.
The General Confederation of Labour, France’s largest trade union, said it expected some two million people to take to the street.
Its leader, Bernard Thibault, said: ‘We may have an exceptional day and, if it is exceptional, we will perhaps be at a turning point.’
Mr Sarkozy insists that he will not back down from his plan to raise the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62. Under the proposed law, the age for full pension payments would be lifted from 65 to 67.
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