Summer 2020 in Paris will be one for the history books, likely remembered as the summer of masks and hand sanitizers. It will also be one of the quietest summers in decades, with dramatically reduced numbers of international tourists and many locals on holiday around France instead of going abroad.
The coronavirus pandemic has not succeeded in stopping summer in the city. For the past 18 years, Paris Plages has been the mainstay of the city’s summer programme and it is back again this year. Every summer Paris transforms part of the banks of the Seine and the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement (district) into a beachgoer’s paradise with its very own artificial beaches.
Like previous years, there are all kinds of activities spread over both sites. These include fencing, open-air gyms, concerts, swimming, paddle boats, pétanque (boules), and food and drink stalls that promise respite for Parisians unable to escape the city’s sweltering heat. There was even a floating open-air cinema to mark the opening on July 18. Film buffs were able to hop on one of 38 electric boats, each seating up to six people from the same social circle.
Rigorous coronavirus restrictions are in place, with the sites being systematically cleaned and disinfected at regular intervals. There is also reduced capacity at both locations.
One element that's usually typical of summer in Paris, and which will be thankfully missing this year, is the queues. No need to worry about waiting in line for hours in a heatwave to reach the entrance of the Eiffel Tower. The tower, like most sites, is primarily selling tickets through online booking, allocating a specific time slot in advance of all visits.
It has also introduced a series of strict controls. These include mandatory masks for all visitors over the age of 11, a set route for going up and down the tower, 30 hand sanitizer distribution points and significantly reduced visitor numbers. Initially only offering access to the first two levels, on July 15 visits were extended to the whole tower, if only by elevator.
Similar measures are in place at the Chateau de Versailles. Visitors are welcome, but you must book online in advance and bring your own mask, as none will be available on-site. Most of the chateau and its gardens are open, but guests must follow a specific route and stay at least a metre apart.
Team effort
Keeping Paris safe for visitors is a citywide effort. For getting around on a daily basis, the RATP transport network (bus, tramway, metro, RER…) has rolled out rigorous safety measures to maintain a sufficient level of service while respecting the required physical distancing measures. Voyagers must wear a mask or risk a €135 fine.
In June, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau launched "Caring attitude", a new commitment charter for tourism professionals. It involves a shared set of rules, including implementing health measures, training employees in these measures and adapting services to respect social distancing.
“Ongoing communication has made it possible to work together to find solutions. There have been many initiatives to continue to bring Paris to our visitors through virtual tours, and so continue to showcase the wealth of the capital's cultural offerings,” Corinne Menegaux, managing director of the Paris convention and visitors bureau, told FRANCE 24.
“It is essential to reassure our visitors: All tourism professionals here have created the necessary sanitary conditions to ensure that visits can take place in complete safety.”
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Still a cultural paradise
Paris may be taking precautions, but the good news for visitors and locals is that it has not dramatically reduced the number of cultural events on show. Instead, the capital has sought ways to make events this summer safe for the public, even if it means having less attendance than normal.
Nuit aux Invalides (Night at Invalides) has been one of the big light shows in Paris for the past eight years. Its return in 2020 had been in question, but they have since reopened nightly in the courtyard of Invalides. This year’s show explores the 350-year history of Invalides, the largest monument in Paris. Visitors must wear masks, use hand sanitiser and keep moving in a designated direction.
Another popular light attraction this summer is the L’Atelier des Lumières. Currently with two exhibitions on show, you can immerse yourself in the artistic worlds of Monet, Renoir and Chagall, or explore the colour blue with Yves Klein. The atelier has implemented safety measures making masks obligatory for everyone over 11, groups are banned, and visitors are required to stay at least one metre apart.
August looks set to be a hot month in the city, with a first heatwave set for this week. One of the joys of Paris is the number of outdoor swimming pools to dive into, such as the Josephine Baker on the right bank of the Seine and La Butte aux Cailles in the 13th arrondissement. They have all introduced strict rules, including limiting visitor numbers and eliminating shared changing rooms. Visitors must also thoroughly wash before entering the pool.
The best way to fully escape the heat, though, is to descend into the underground city of the Catacombs at Denfert-Rouchereau. Normally you would experience long queues, but now everyone must book a slot online. Climb down over 100 steps and you will find yourself in a dark labyrinth of the macabre that stays a chilly 14°C. They have also adopted strict practices to monitor crowd numbers and have made it obligatory to wear masks.
One of the key monuments to reopen after lockdown was the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. In a normal year this national treasure welcomes over 10 million visitors but it was forced to close last spring due to the pandemic. It has finally reopened its last sections, the crypt and the cupola, so you can climb up for the best unobstructed views of Paris.
“The summer of 2020 is indeed totally atypical. All the Parisian tourism operators are suffering significant losses due to the virtual absence of foreign visitors. However, we can now see that part of the foreign clientele has been replaced by a French, Parisian and provincial clientele,” Guillaume Duchêne, director of marketing for the Bateaux Mouches company, told FRANCE 24.
Bateaux Mouches are the iconic riverboats that cruise the Seine, and they are limiting the number of passengers on board and reducing tours – particularly during the week.
“However, we have been able to increase our cruising times a little ... and the customers are coming!” said Duchêne. “It has to be said that the conditions are ideal for Parisians to rediscover Paris from a different angle.”
