Bedbug ‘scourge’ becomes a political issue in France ahead of Paris Olympics
- French government will emergency meetings to examine surging numbers of reported bedbug cases
- Photos and videos have been published of bedbugs in cinemas, on trains and on the Paris metro
A rash of bedbug sightings across France is causing paranoia among travellers and becoming a sore spot for the government as Paris prepares to host the Olympics next year.
Videos that appear to show the bloodsucking insects crawling over seats on the Paris Metro and a high-speed train have gone viral on social media in the last few weeks, and some Metro passengers posted videos on TikTok vowing to stay standing.
Public transport operator RATP, which runs Paris’s subway, trams and buses said in an emailed statement it had investigated, but “no cases of bedbugs have been confirmed to date”.
Early in September, cinema chain UGC released a statement saying it was deploying dogs to detect bedbugs after “questions” from customers at its Bercy theatre.
While it’s unclear whether infestations are up significantly, it has become a political issue in France, which is currently hosting the Rugby World Cup.