With the rallies promising a fraught six month run-in to the country's presidential election, Paris authorities banned protests in the heart of the capital.
The country's Yellow Vest movement, which eight years ago staged street protests against Macron's government, called Saturday's "yellow and youth" demonstrations.
It has appealed to teachers and students, workers, pensioners and farmers to take part.
"We're expecting a pretty big turnout," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France 2 television. A police source told AFP that authorities estimated nearly 200,000 people could take part, with 40,000 in Paris.
Macron called "for calm and respect". In Brussels for European Union talks, he added the right to protest went hand in hand with "respect for people and property".
Macron this week said he believed the "legitimate" demands of the students were being "exploited for political purposes", according to a government spokeswoman.
The unrest has been seized upon by France's far-left and far-right parties.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, has backed the student protests and marched in one demonstration Tuesday supporting them.
News: France24
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