French farmer protests: major A64 blockades lifted - others continue
Action is also continuing outside mairies and other public buildings in south-west
Protests remain in place on sections of the A64 outside of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and elsewhere in the south-west
Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock
Several farmer-led road blockades remain in place across south-west France on December 26, although some are being lifted following negotiations with local authorities. It follows weeks of protests against the government’s handling of bovine lumpy skin disease.
The final blockades on the A64 in Pyrénées-Atlantiques are set to be lifted at midday on Friday after talks between the Coordination rurale union and the prefecture.
However, protests remain in place on sections of the A64 outside of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and elsewhere in the south-west, as well as in front of mairies and public buildings around the country.
You see how to check for protests on your route here.
Blockades ease after talks with prefecture
Union representatives held discussions with the prefect of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Jean-Marie Girier, and reached an agreement that was due to be formally confirmed at a final meeting on Friday morning.
While the prefect did not agree to end the systematic slaughter of entire herds affected by dermatose nodulaire contagieuse (DNC), as demanded by the union, several other points were negotiated.
The prefecture has estimated that the cost of the A64 blockades in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques exceeded €1 million, largely due to disruption and security measures.
Despite lifting the Pau and Urt blockades on the A64, the union said the wider protest movement would continue.
Benjamin Loste, spokesperson for Coordination rurale 64, said the union had not “lost the battle” and would pursue its demands through other forms of mobilisation. A meeting is expected in the coming days to decide the next phase.
Protests continue elsewhere in south-west
Elsewhere on the A64, protests continue. The blockade at Carbonne, south of Toulouse, remains in place, having been established on December 12.
Other blockades were also reported earlier in the week on the A63 south of Bordeaux, parts of the A65 in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and the A75 in Lozère and Aveyron, according to the gendarmerie.
The protests target the state’s response to outbreaks of DNC, a viral cattle disease first detected in France in Savoie earlier this year.
Current rules require the compulsory slaughter of an entire herd when a single infected animal is identified, alongside vaccination campaigns and strict controls on animal movements.
This policy is strongly contested by parts of the farming sector, particularly the Coordination rurale and the Confédération paysanne, which argue that whole-herd culling is disproportionate and financially damaging.
Over the Christmas period, several protest camps marked the holiday collectively, including religious services held at blockade sites on the A63 and A64.
While some unions called for a temporary Christmas truce, others chose to maintain pressure during the festive period.
The government has defended its strategy as necessary to prevent wider spread of the disease, pointing to expanded vaccination programmes and financial support for affected farmers. No change to the national policy has been announced.
