Yellow vest movement abates at start of winter holidays

The number of yellow vest protesters demonstrating on Paris’ Champs Elysees on Saturday is down sharply on recent weeks.

Several yellow vest groups had called for a sixth straight Saturday of protests across France, but their call appears to have fallen on deaf ears in the capital at the start of the Christmas break.

In a stark contrast to the chaos of previous weekends, groups of tourists strolled down the avenue near the Arc de Triomphe and the road remained open for traffic.

In a protective move, the palace of Versailles just outside Paris will be shut for the day after yellow vest protesters said they will hold a demonstration at the famous chateau that was home to succession of French kings until the French Revolution in 1789.