French Diners Sit With Wine Despite Raging Protest Fire

Diners sitting outside at a cafe in Bordeaux’s Place de la Victoire enjoyed their wine amid the glow of a raging fire lit by demonstrators protesting France’s recent retirement age changes on Thursday, March 23.

Video filmed by TikTok user @maximedaviau shows the fire burning on Rue de Candale beside the outdoor seating area for a nearby restaurant.

Protests were reignited following the French government’s decision to move forward with unpopular pension reform, including raising the age of retirement from 62 to 64, without a parliamentary vote on March 16.

Protests continued in force across France on March 23, including in Paris, where the CGT union said around 800,000 people joined in.

During protests in Bordeaux on March 23, city hall was engulfed in flames. Credit: @maximedaviau via Storyful