French Return To Cafes, Museums After Half-year Covid Closure

French return to cafes, museums after half-year Covid closure

The French on Wednesday joyfully made their way back to cafes and prepared long-awaited visits to cinemas and museums as the country loosened restrictions in a return to semi-normality after over six months of Covid-19 curbs

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th May, 2021 ) :The French on Wednesday joyfully made their way back to cafes and prepared long-awaited visits to cinemas and museums as the country loosened restrictions in a return to semi-normality after over six months of Covid-19 curbs.

Cafes and restaurants with terraces or rooftop gardens can now offer outdoor dining, under the second phase of a lockdown-lifting plan that should culminate in a full reopening of the economy on June 30.

Museums, cinemas and theatres are also reopening after being closed for more than six months, during which they relied chiefly on state aid to remain afloat.

Across Paris, cafes and restaurants had in the last days prepared for the return by setting out outdoor dining areas and the first customers were already sipping their morning expressos.

The establishments have been closed since October 30, 2020, when France entered its second lockdown to beat the coronavirus.

"I already had three customers come drink their coffees. It feels good," said Pascal who manages the Saint Jean brasserie in the Montmartre district. "What a change from getting take-away coffee at the bakery!" enthused one of the customers, Cyril.

In the western city of Rennes, Patricia Marchand, the manager of the Cafe des Feuilles, said she had reservations even for aperitifs. "It feels good. There is a sense of euphoria in the city centre." But with the weather service forecasting showers across much of the country -- possibly even snow in the Alps -- and most venues allowed to use only half of their outdoor seating, some of the 40 percent of French restaurants that boast a terrace are expected to take a rain check on resuming operations.

A night-time curfew that will be pushed back two hours to 9:00 pm starting Wednesday could also put a damper on the revelry, with dining limited to six people per table.

Stephanie Mathey, owner of three Paris bistros, told AFP she was treating this stage of the reopening as a dress rehearsal for the summer.

"Like a diesel engine, we'll be warming up slowly," she told AFP.

On June 9, restaurants will be allowed serve indoors, followed by a further easing of measures on June 30 when the curfew will be fully lifted.