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Join Us in France · Sunday, November 1, 2026

Bordeaux Tourists Caught in Unexpected Unrest and Tear Gas

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.

personPatricia Howard

The tape

2 quotes
“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.”
Patricia Howard
“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.”
Patricia Howard
Heard on Join Us in France — “How to Handle Protests in France: Lessons From October 17”, published Sunday, November 1, 2026. Heardvine summarizes and quotes with attribution and timestamps, and links to the original everywhere.
Transcribed via publisher transcript · $0.00
Bordeaux Tourists Caught in Unexpected Unrest and Tear Gas — Heardvine