The protests, sparked by soaring living costs, drew more than half a million demonstrators across 200 cities, with a concentrated wave in Paris that turned violent after midnight.
In Limoges, the 143‑year‑old town hall was set ablaze, a blaze that left the building a skeleton of its former self. Mayor Guillaume Guerin declared, "We will rebuild, but the spirit of our city must not be ignited by fire."
While the police in Milan and Lisbon clashed with stone‑throwing crowds, a Dutch entrepreneur, Tije De Boer, recounts how his family fled a hotel that turned into a firefight zone, adding, "We were forced to leave our children and our belongings."
Macron, addressing the nation, warned that those who vandalised public property would face restitution and that the Republic would be defended. He instructed prefects to restrict gatherings and called for a summit of educators, union leaders and business heads this week, expecting a concrete plan to stem the unrest.