In pictures: French strikes

France's main trade unions have held a day of demonstrations and strikes to protest against government plans to change the state pension system.

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in the marches in Paris and at least 126 other cities.

Workers are upset over government plans to make everyone work an extra year before they can claim a full state pension.

Their unions are also angry at government plans to cut the number of public sector workers.

Police gave a much lower number of participants, but unions called the day an "undeniable success".

However, Thursday's walkouts did not cause the widespread chaos of last November, when transport workers staged a nine-day strike against Mr Sarkozy's plan to scrap their special pension rights.

A law introduced by President Sarkozy to guarantee a minimum transport service helped maintain commuter services around Paris.

In Marseille, demonstrations against pension reform plans followed earlier disruption caused by fishermen blockading ports in protest at rising fuel costs.