Macron spoke to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier by phone on Saturday and informed him of the situation, a spokesman for the German president said.
The state visit was to see Macron cross Germany from west to east before delivering a speech on bilateral relations.
Yet despite all the anticipated displays of camaraderie, French and German officials had said the leaders would not publicly address simmering disputes over nuclear power or air defense.
Yann Wernert of the Jacques Delors Institute in Berlin said the postponement of the visit highlighted the impact of the unrest on Macron’s ability to conduct foreign policy.
“The state visit may pick up later, but the violent protests and the reactions to them also show how charged the political environment is in France at the moment,” he added.