PARIS (Reuters) - Transport in Paris has been disrupted by subway and domestic trains, with France on strike in most government and private sectors in protest at President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform.

The French media described the movement of domestic trains as almost non-existent, where canceled the flights of 10 trains of high-speed category, while the civil aviation authorities announced the cancellation of about 20% of flights due to disruption of traffic in the city.

A number of tourist attractions, including the Louvre Museum, were absent, and the Eiffel Tower administration announced the closure of the tourist shrine on Thursday, saying in a statement that the closure was caused by the local strike movement in the country.

Most of the underground trains, as well as hospital, airport and police workers, are taking part in the strike to protest against Macron's planned retirement.

A sign hung in a subway station stating that the strike was closed (Anatolia)

This is the biggest strike in years, and enjoys a high level of support within the unions, and therefore the French authorities fear that the scenario of strikes in 1995, which paralyzed transport for three weeks, and forced the government to change its economic plans.

Workers will have to work from home or find an alternative to going to work, whether by sharing cars or renting bicycles.

The strike is a real test for Macron, who won the presidency after an election campaign in which he promised a transformation in France and return it to its leading position on the international stage, and his ability to implement his project.

Many public transport unions have called on their workers to strike to save their pension system, which is supposed to end as part of a reform Macron wants.

The reform would end all special regulations that benefit some employees and employees of large public companies and a few other professional sectors (sailors, Paris Opera staff, etc.), and impose a general point-based pension scheme.

The government regards pension schemes as too expensive.In Paris's transport sector, the average retirement age was 55.7 years in 2017, compared to 63 years for public order pensioners, according to an official report published in July.

Trade unions emphasize that this special system takes into account "specific constraints" and "difficulties associated with the nature of their work in the public service."