Restaurants and cafés were reopening fully in Paris today after President Macron announced he was accelerating the lifting of lockdown in France.
It coincided with borders opening across Europe after three months of closures due to the coronavirus.
Announcing the reopening of borders and Paris restaurants for dining inside, the President said it was time “to turn the page of the first act of the crisis” and “rediscover our taste for freedom”. Restaurants, hotels and cafés were allowed to reopen in many parts of France earlier this month — provided distancing rules were observed.
Mr Macron confirmed that from today, this would also happen in the Paris region, which recorded the highest number of cases in the country.
He also said that schools would reopen from June 22 — except for high schools. Germany, Belgium, Croatia and Switzerland were also fully reopening borders with EU countries today.
Travellers from the UK will be able to visit them without quarantine or restrictions on arrival. However, those travelling to France from the UK or Spain face a two-week isolation period on arrival.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the country was moving forward its opening to European travellers by 10 days to June 21.
“We have got the pandemic under control, but the reopening of our frontiers is a critical moment,” he said.
