Four weeks of protests on pension reforms have crippled rail systems and services in France.

resident Emmanuel Macron has called for calm across France in his New Year's address.

Striking protesters have brought the country to a near-standstill as they demonstrated about pension reforms that would have forced employees to continue working for longer.

And now, even the Paris Opera's orchestra has launched an unusual protest of its own.

Al Jazeera's Natacha Butler reports from Paris.