Apple has temporarily closed seven of its French stores today, Saturday 24 October, to protect staff and stock after two outlets were looted during nationwide protests on 17 October. Apple’s own store pages list all seven as closed today, as first reported by MacRumors.
The shuttered locations are the three Paris branches (Champs-Élysées, Opéra and Marché Saint-Germain), plus Bordeaux Sainte-Catherine, Lille, Strasbourg and Aix-en-Provence. According to MacRumors, Apple described them as stores with direct street access and called the closures a precautionary step for staff and goods; shops inside shopping centres should run as usual.
Two stores in Lille and Bordeaux were reportedly broken into during the 17 October protests. Stolen iPhones from those incidents are said to show a message stating the phone is disabled and its location is being monitored, urging its return to an Apple store.
The wider demonstrations, sparked by rising living costs and poor school conditions, brought large peaceful crowds onto the streets, though violence and looting broke out in several cities.
Apple’s store pages show the three Paris locations, Bordeaux and Aix-en-Provence reopening on Sunday 25 October from noon to 6pm. Lille and Strasbourg stay closed on Sunday and are listed as reopening on Monday 26 October.