Paris holds its nose as rubbish piles up thanks to strikes

It is the most visible sign of widespread anger over a bill to raise the French retirement age by two years, with other cities facing similar scenes

Bin strikes have been going on across France for more than a week (Lewis Joly/AP)

The City of Light is losing its lustre with piles of rubbish appearing across Paris thanks to strikes from sanitation workers that has lasted more than a week. It is the most visible sign of widespread anger over a bill to raise the French retirement age by two years to 64.

The smell of rotting food has begun escaping from some rubbish bags and overflowing bins. Neither the Left Bank palace housing the Senate nor, across town, a street steps from the Elysee Palace, where waste from the presidential residence is apparently being stocked, was spared by the strike.

More than 5,600 tons of garbage had piled up by Monday, drawing complaints from some district mayors. Some piles disappeared early on Tuesday with help from a private company, the TV station BFMTV reported.