Join Us in France · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Tourist Patricia Howard describes getting caught in unexpected protests, looting, and tear gas in Bordeaux on October 17th. She notes that while the situation was disorienting and frightening, locals and protesters occasionally stepped in to offer medical help, and she emphasizes that the experience has not diminished her love for France.
“We had gone on a self-guided walking tour, that took about two hours, came back around noontime. Our boat tour for the afternoon was never canceled. We saw no sign of police or other law enforcement.”
“Then headed over to the Place de la Bourse to head over to where the boat was docked, and we literally turned a corner, and it was chaos. We were tear gassed.”