Deserted streets after dark. After the violence and looting of Saturday October 17 and Sunday October 18, on the sidelines of demonstrations against the high cost of living, "partial and localized curfews" were introduced on Monday October 19 in several large cities in France, namely Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Lille and Nice - and sometimes in their close suburbs. Smaller municipalities have also taken similar decisions, such as Coulaines (Sarthe), or two municipalities in Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre and Les Abymes, as of Sunday.
New curfews could be decreed on Tuesday, warned Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Immediately, the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, announced the implementation of such a measure in his city. Who is affected? From what time? How long will these measures last? Franceinfo answers your questions.
1 What are the curfew times?
It all depends on the city we are talking about. In Paris, the night curfew was in effect from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to the decree published by the police headquarters. In Lyon, the text ran from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Same thing in Nice, according to the text of the municipal decree.
In Lille and several neighboring municipalities, the curfew was in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to the text of the decree. In Bordeaux, the ban on going out ran from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., according to the decree. Details regarding Marseille have not yet been communicated.
2 Who is affected?
In Paris and Lyon, the entire population is prohibited from traveling in the areas concerned, regardless of age. In Bordeaux as in Lille and Nice, only minors not accompanied by a legal guardian are concerned. Same thing in Marseille, says mayor Benoît Payan on X.
3 In which areas is driving prohibited?
Some perimeters are very large, others very restricted. In Paris, two distinct zones are concerned. The first is the “central reservation of Place de la République”. The second includes the area of Châtelet and Les Halles, roughly delimited by Allée André Breton to the west, Rue Rambuteau to the north, Boulevard Sébastopol to the east and Rue Berger to the south.
In Lyon, it is part of the peninsula which is concerned, i.e. the central part of the city. The sector concerned goes from the town hall to Place Carnot, and includes the famous Place Bellecour, but not that of Terreaux.
In the North, restrictions affect “certain parts” of Lille, but also the neighboring towns of Douai, Wattignies and Denain. In Lille for example, the area concerned is bordered by rue Voltaire and rue des Bateliers to the north, and boulevard Louis XIV to the south, with boulevard de la Liberté to the west and the M651 to the east.
In Bordeaux, the measure concerns “sectors particularly affected by looting”, according to the prefect. The decree designates several axes, including Rue and Promenade Sainte-Catherine, Cours de l'Intendance and Rue de la Porte-Dijeaux.
In Nice, the curfew concerns several sectors including the city center, Old Nice, the Trachel district, and the Gare du Sud, summarizes France 3.
In Marseille, the curfew must affect "exclusively the commercial areas of our city, particularly affected by the looting that occurred this weekend and threatened if we were to experience new episodes of violence", describes Benoît Payan.
4 How long will the curfews stay in place?
Hard to say. In Paris, the published curfew order was only valid for the night of October 19 to 20. The same goes for Lyon, where the curfew was only planned for one night. In Lille, the decision also applies to the night of October 20 to 21, depending on the regional prefecture. In Nice, it is in force from Monday October 19 to Monday October 26 in the morning. The Bordeaux curfew does not begin until Tuesday evening, and is due to last until the morning of Monday October 26.
But Sébastien Lecornu has already announced on That of Marseille takes effect Tuesday evening "and for the coming days", according to the mayor, without communicating an end date.
5 On what legal bases are these decisions based?
The General Code of Local Authorities recognizes the mayor's general police powers to ensure public "good order, safety and security", which allows him to take "safety measures required by the circumstances" in the event of "serious or imminent danger". In October 2025, the Council of State also confirmed, in a decision, the legality of curfews decided by mayors and targeting only minors, "on the condition that they are justified by the existence of particular risks of disturbances to public order to which these minors would be exposed or of which they would be the perpetrators".
The General Code of Local Authorities also entrusts the prefect with general police powers, allowing him to take “all measures relating to the maintenance of public health, safety and tranquility”. The Internal Security Code also specifies that it “leads and coordinates the entire internal security system”. Here again, the text provides that traffic restriction measures may only apply to minors in the event of "clear risk to their health, their safety, their education or their morality".
