Joie de vivre as cafes reopen in Paris
A MASKED Parisian puffs on a cigar in celebration as France begins lifting restrictions in the capital.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo said yesterday cafes, bars and restaurants would temporarily be allowed to set up tables on pavements and in parking spaces when they opened.
Photographer Pascal Rostaing, pictured, was among the first to enjoy the freedoms as he enjoyed a coffee at Cafe de Flore in the city’s Latin Quarter.
Coronavirus lockdown measures were being eased further after a staged return to normality, with food and drink establishments also opening across most of France for the first time since March 14.
Paris, however, remains “orange” on the country’s Covid-19 map, meaning the virus is still circulating.
As a result, bar, cafe and restaurant owners have been warned they can only serve customers outside on terraces and with strict physical distancing and protection measures in place.
The city also plans to close some roads to traffic and allow restaurants to serve their food in public open spaces to give them more space.
Ms Hidalgo said authorities wanted to start with a “principle of trust”.
Eateries will now be required to register their request to use the public space online and sign up to a 10-point charter of good behaviour.
France has suffered nearly 29,000 deaths from coronavirus but the infection rate – like in many other European countries – has started to fall in the last month.
Meanwhile, British holidaymakers have been told that they will be able to travel to Greece from June 15, in what has been called a “misunderstanding” over who can and cannot visit.
The apparent change of heart comes after Greece appeared to ban British tourists, after leaving the UK off a list of 29 nations allowed to visit – citing the UK’s poor coronavirus record.
However, cruise holidays are unlikely to be available this summer.
P&O has extended the suspension of sailings until mid-October.