The oil depot at Fos-sur-Mer, the biggest in the south of France, is back in the hands of union members opposed to President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to raise France's retirement age.
A force of around 200 demonstrators blocked off several petrol tankers as riot police looked on, helplessly.
The depot at Saint-Pierre-des Corps near Tours in central France was freed after a week of being static, several sources said. Sarkozy hopes to put his battle to raise France's retirement age behind him this week by signing the measure into law despite a new wave of strikes, rallies and fuel blockades.
Strikes continue, particularly in the oil industry and around 70 ships are waiting at anchor off the southern port of Marseille unable to dock and unload. "In the Paris region we have 35 percent of filling stations that have run dry or are out of at least one fuel product, and in the west of the country a third are in real difficulty," said a spokeswoman for the transport ministry.
An advisor of Sarkozy said in a television interview that one in four pumps were dry nationwide, but said the situation would improve.
Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo warned drivers to expect shortages on Monday, echoing a warning from the association representing retail petrol stations of shortages as many tanker drivers took their traditional Sunday day off, despite the government having exceptionally allowed them to work.
Meanwhile MEDEF, the organisation representing French business, warned about the serious impact the protest was having on its members, citing in particular road and rail disruption.
Petrol running dry
One petrol station in four around the country has run dry, amid strikes at refineries and blockades of fuel depots by strikers playing a cat and mouse game with riot police sent to disperse them.
With thousands of families heading off for school half-term holidays, and lawmakers expected to give the pension’s bill their formal final approval on Wednesday, Sarkozy hopes the mass protest movement will die away.
But, with Sunday newspaper opinion polls showing the embattled president more unpopular than ever, trade unions and student bodies have declared at least two more days of action, and strikes continue in the key fuel sector.
"In France we have a sort of ritual from another century. Strikes, protests, yes, but taking the economy hostage is intolerable," said Jean-Francois Cope, leader of the right-wing UMP in parliament, in an interview with Le Parisien.
The pensions reform bill was approved by the Senate on Friday, and on Monday the text will be reconciled with the draft passed earlier by the lower house.
A force of around 200 demonstrators blocked off several petrol tankers as riot police looked on, helplessly.
The depot at Saint-Pierre-des Corps near Tours in central France was freed after a week of being static, several sources said. Sarkozy hopes to put his battle to raise France's retirement age behind him this week by signing the measure into law despite a new wave of strikes, rallies and fuel blockades.
Strikes continue, particularly in the oil industry and around 70 ships are waiting at anchor off the southern port of Marseille unable to dock and unload. "In the Paris region we have 35 percent of filling stations that have run dry or are out of at least one fuel product, and in the west of the country a third are in real difficulty," said a spokeswoman for the transport ministry.
An advisor of Sarkozy said in a television interview that one in four pumps were dry nationwide, but said the situation would improve.
Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo warned drivers to expect shortages on Monday, echoing a warning from the association representing retail petrol stations of shortages as many tanker drivers took their traditional Sunday day off, despite the government having exceptionally allowed them to work.
Meanwhile MEDEF, the organisation representing French business, warned about the serious impact the protest was having on its members, citing in particular road and rail disruption.
Petrol running dry
One petrol station in four around the country has run dry, amid strikes at refineries and blockades of fuel depots by strikers playing a cat and mouse game with riot police sent to disperse them.
With thousands of families heading off for school half-term holidays, and lawmakers expected to give the pension’s bill their formal final approval on Wednesday, Sarkozy hopes the mass protest movement will die away.
But, with Sunday newspaper opinion polls showing the embattled president more unpopular than ever, trade unions and student bodies have declared at least two more days of action, and strikes continue in the key fuel sector.
"In France we have a sort of ritual from another century. Strikes, protests, yes, but taking the economy hostage is intolerable," said Jean-Francois Cope, leader of the right-wing UMP in parliament, in an interview with Le Parisien.
The pensions reform bill was approved by the Senate on Friday, and on Monday the text will be reconciled with the draft passed earlier by the lower house.
