French farmers block the roundabout at the Champs Elysees with tractors during a demonstration as part of a nationwide day of protests and actions called by several farmers' unions to push the French government to block the Mercosur trade deal, in Paris, France, 08 January 2026. EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON 
Farmers from the large Coordination Rurale union called for the protests in Paris amid fears the planned free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc will flood the EU with cheap food imports, and in anger at the government's handling of a cattle disease.
"We are between resentment and despair. We have a feeling of abandonment, with Mercosur being an example," Stephane Pelletier, a senior member of the Coordination Rurale union, told Reuters beneath the Eiffel Tower.
FARMERS' PROTEST PILES PRESSURE ON MACRON
The farmers overran police checkpoints to enter the city, driving along the Champs Elysees avenue and blocking the road around the Arc de Triomphe monument before dawn on Thursday, while police surrounded them.
Dozens of tractors obstructed highways leading into the capital ahead of the morning rush hour, including the A13 leading into Paris from the western suburbs and Normandy causing 150 km of traffic jams, the transport minister said.
Farmers from the FNSEA and young farmers unions joined them later at the Eiffel Tower in a calm demonstration.
The protest piles yet more pressure on President Emmanuel Macron and his government, a day before EU member states are expected to vote on the trade accord. Without a majority in parliament, any policy misstep by Macron risks a perilous vote of no confidence in the chamber.
MERCOSUR VOTE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY
France has long been a stiff opponent of the trade deal.
Even though Paris has won significant last-minute concessions, the trade deal is a political hot potato for the government, with municipal elections in March and the far right polling strongly ahead of elections to replace Macron in 2027.
"This treaty is still not acceptable," government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told France Info radio. She refused to be drawn on whether Macron would vote for or against the deal, or abstain.
French Farm Minister Annie Genevard said on Wednesday that, even if EU members backed the accord, France would continue to fight against it in the European Parliament, whose approval will also be required for the agreement to enter into force.
This week the European Commission proposed making 45 billion euros of EU funding available earlier to farmers in the bloc's next seven-year budget and agreed to cut import duties on some fertilizers in a bid to win over countries wavering in their support of Mercosur.
The deal is backed by countries such as Germany and Spain and the Commission appeared closer to winning Italy's backing. Rome's support for the deal would mean the EU had the votes needed to approve the trade accord with or without French support.
A vote on the accord is expected on Friday.
Farmers are also demanding an end to a government policy of culling cows in response to the highly contagious lumpy skin disease, which they consider excessive and instead advocate for vaccination, as well as high costs and excessive regulation.
Police were avoiding clashes with the protesters, said Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot. "Farmers are not our enemies," he said.
(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, Inti Landauro and Camille Raynaud; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Richard Lough and Toby Chopra)