France's railway networks are plagued by “sabotage” and “malicious acts” just as the country prepares to host the 2024 Olympic Games

“Last night, coordinated malicious actions targeted several TGV lines and will significantly disrupt traffic until the weekend,” wrote French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete in a post on the social network X.

Fires broke out at three key junctions on the railway line and people fled the sites in vans, Jean-Pierre Farandou, head of the national railway company SNCF, told BFM TV. The sites were chosen to have a serious impact on traffic, he said. The company had to repair its network cable by cable, he said, adding that many trains would have to be cancelled. About 800,000 passengers were affected.

“This is absolutely appalling,” said French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera on BFM television. “Anyone who takes action against the Games is taking action against France, against their own camp, against their own country. These are not the Games of a government, they are the Games of a nation.”

There are no official statements about who might be behind the attacks. The Paris public prosecutor's office said in a statement that it is investigating the case.

In recent weeks, French government officials have raised the possibility that the far left or Russia might try to sabotage the Games. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told RTL radio on Friday that his services had foiled four plots to attack the Olympics in recent weeks.

The disruptions come amid heightened security measures across Paris. Some 45,000 police and military personnel are on patrol and cordons have been set up around the Seine ahead of the opening ceremony, which will see boats sail down the river for the first time. Large parts of the city have been cordoned off in advance. Olympic sites, train stations and tourist attractions are guarded by armed officers, including anti-terror units and the military.

Eurostar said its services from Paris to London and Brussels were affected, with several trains cancelled or delayed. High-speed trains to and from Paris were being diverted, adding around an hour and a half to journey times. A long line of people waited at Gare du Nord, Paris's Eurostar station, to rebook their journeys.

Nabeel, a 24-year-old trainee analyst who lives and works in London but was visiting family in the Paris region, said he was able to change to a slightly later train without any problems, having been told his journey would take longer than usual.

“In retrospect, I should have chosen a different day,” he said, declining to give his full name for privacy reasons.

Meanwhile, there was chaos at Paris's important rail hub, Montparnasse, where a series of train cancellations were announced over loudspeakers.

“I've been here for three hours and I'm going home now,” said 29-year-old Julien Mercier, who was planning a three-day weekend with his parents in Moreleix, Brittany. He had his bike in a carry bag and a backpack and said he would try to reschedule for later in the summer. “It's a bit worrying that they were able to coordinate this today with the opening of the Olympics and all the security measures.”

The SNCF said that as a result of the “malicious acts”, high-speed train services between Paris and several cities had been suspended and that significant delays were to be expected across the entire network.

“Arson attacks have begun to damage our facilities and teams are already on site to carry out the diagnosis and begin repairs,” SNCF said in a statement. The railway company will present a new diversion plan for trains later in the day, said French caretaker Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

Farandou suspected that the attacks were intended to disrupt the traditional holiday season in France.

The timing of the celebrations was set for the “day of the great departures,” when many French people leave the country, he said.

“It was the French who were attacked,” said Farandou.

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