IN PICTURES: Strikers cripple transport and stage protests around France

The huge nationwide strike began on Thursday and is set to rumble on for days if not weeks with unions and the government at odds over controversial pension reforms.

The strikes were said to the biggest since 1995 and left trains and transport in Paris at a virtual standstill while cities and major routes across France saw widespread disruption.

READ ALSO LIVE Roads, ferries, buses and trains all hit as massive strikes get underway in France

An eerily deserted Gare du Nord in Paris. AFP

A deserted platform at Gare du Nord which would normally be teeming with commuters. AFP

This was the scene at Saint Lazare station in Paris early on Thursday morning.

Those Metro stations that were open allowed passengers to walk through without paying.

The lack of trains and Metro services in Paris meant many commuters were forced onto two wheels to get to work.

Although it was proving hard to get on to some buses in Paris.

But while we might have expected chaos on packed trains and commuters crammed on to any available service, many noticed how empty many trains and Metro services were.

Flights were also hit with airlines asked to cut around one fifth of their services to and from France. Hundreds of easyJet, Ryanair, Air France and British Airways flights were grounded.

Here people wait at Orly airport to find out if their flights has been cancelled.

AFP

Union-led demonstrations against the government's pension reforms got underway in cities across France on Thursday.

This image was taken in Marseille.

Demonstrations in Rouen also saw a strong turnout.

There were also big demonstrations in Rennes and Nantes in the west as the images below show.

Roads were also affected by the disruption with protesters staging blockades and operation escargot (rolling roadblocks) on several of the country's major routes.