The rolling transport strikes that crippled Paris through much of December and January have stopped, as empty pay packets post-Christmas took their toll. Instead there has been a change of tactic, with the more radical unions now planning sporadic days of action, reports the BBC.
President Emmanuel Macron's bid to radically overhaul the post-war pension system reaches the National Assembly on Monday, ahead of a long period of debate.
The moment is being marked by a strike on the Paris metro and further protests on Thursday.
For the government, the pressure from the street has clearly diminished, even though the protests still draw tens of thousands.
But the bigger difficulty is with the broader public - polls continue to show a majority in favour of the strikes, and rejecting the government's handling of the reform.
The pensions issue has also served as a rallying-cry for all those with other grievances against President Macron.