Bulletin from Julien Biri, who annually sub-lets his two-story Cannes apartment to myself and Washington Post critic Ann Hornaday: “Due to the stubbornness of the [French] government, the railway workers have changed their modus operandi for the strike. Unless the government adjusts their position they’ll start an indefinite and permanent strike on Saturday, April 14th. Paris public transport (Metro), Air France and aerial control workers, postal services, and many other sectors of the French economy (supermarket workers, retirement homes, universities) will consider seriously for the general strike. Even the lawyers are on strike.

“I hope the government will back off, but take some good walking shoes for your stay in Paris, just in case. And enjoy the moment — this could be an historic event in France.” May 2018 is, of course, the 50th anniversary of the famous May Day revolt of ’68.

I told Julien I have a TGV train ticket from Paris to Cannes, and that it leaves on Monday, May 7th at 7:19 am and arrives in Cannes roughly five hours later. Key question: “Are you telling me I need to buy an Easy Jet ticket from Orly to Nice?”

Biri response: “No, you will get to Cannes by train. I did not want to panic you. The risk is the train is canceled and you may have to take the next one, and have not a booked seat. Right now 30% of TGV is working. SNCF is a different story. I don’t think it can go below that level of service. What I mean is, I think you will be able to take a train, but maybe not the one you’re booked in. And it might be very crowded and delayed. But you will get to Cannes by train. Don’t book an Easy Jet flight.”