Employees of the Clairoix plant demonstrate in Compiegne, north of Paris, on Thursday. (Michel Spingler/Associated Press)

More than a million people joined a nationwide strike in France Thursday, protesting against the government's response to the economic crisis and disrupting public transit, postal services and hospitals.

The Interior Ministry put the figure at 1.2 million protesters, while union officials said it was closer to three million.

The biggest turnout was in Paris, where at least 85,000 people marched through the streets, police said.

Angry workers in 200 protest marches across the country demanded that President Nicolas Sarkozy do more to fight the crisis.

Workers demonstrate as part of a countrywide strike in France on Thursday. (Michel Spingler/Associated Press)

Sarkozy told ministers at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he "understood the worries of the French," but said he had no plans for additional measures.

Former conservative Prime Minister Alain Juppe said that street protesters were numerous enough that "in one way or another, there must be a return to the table" for talks.

"There is real anxiety," said Juppe, now mayor of Bordeaux.

Notwithstanding the turnout in Paris, the strikes were not widely felt in the capital, where buses and subways ran at nearly normal rates.

Strikers disrupted services at schools, hospitals and the postal service to varying degrees.

Almost a third of the country's teachers did not go to school, national education officials said.

The SNCF train authority said 36 per cent of its employees joined the strike. Some suburban Paris lines were seriously hobbled.

Flights affected

About one-third of medium-haul flights were affected at Orly, Paris's second airport.

Rail traffic was disrupted throughout France, although the high-speed TGV trains that connect the country with European neighbours ran on time.

Meanwhile, energy workers cut off 10,000 megawatts of electricity production overnight leading into the protests.

The strike was also expected to cut refining output and block Marseille's oil port.

"This march is legitimate and useful for the country," former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal told local media on Thursday. "Perhaps as a result of this march, the authorities will finally move to respond to the preoccupations of the French."

Special bonuses for the needy

A strike in late January drew between one million and 2.5 million people into French streets.

Weeks later, Sarkozy announced measures to help people affected by the financial crisis, including special bonuses for the needy.

Union leaders want further talks on more measures to help those in distress as a result of the crisis.

Budget Minister Eric Woerth said the measures already announced will increase social expenditures in 2009 by nearly 10 billion euros.

"I cannot believe that the government will stay immobile in the face of a phenomenon of this size," Bernard Thibault, head of the CGT union, told France 2 television.

'Strong sense of injustice'

"A very strong sense of injustice is building up," Jean-Claude Mailly, head of the Force Ouvriere Union said.

"I think the government will find it hard to ignore us."

The demands by the unions include boosting salaries, protecting employment, halting job cuts in the public sector and a tax hike for high earners.

Opinion polls in the country indicate that more than 70 per cent of voters support the nationwide strikes.

Many French also feel, however, that the protests won't change government policies.

"The strike won't accomplish much but is useful nonetheless. It's necessary to express yourself, in any case," said Beatrice Lobrot, a spokesman for a cosmetics company.

Jean Batis, a music producer, said: "It's always the same game. They give a little bit, we strike, they give a little bit, we strike."

Economy shrinking at record pace

France's economy is shrinking at the fastest pace in more than 30 years. The economy's contraction is expected to accelerate to 1.5 per cent in the first quarter, its worst performance since 1975.

The jobless rate stood at 7.7 per cent in the third quarter and is expected to spike to 9.8 per cent this year, according to the European Commission, with some of France's largest companies expected to cut their work forces this year.

With files from the Associated Press