Bordeaux (AFP)

"We have the impression of going back to school," jokes Saïd Marouf, clothing seller in Bordeaux, on the longest pedestrian artery in Europe, rue Sainte-Catherine where the first customers looking for pleasure shopping or "extremely important" must submit to strict sanitary measures.

In this independent shop, the two employees - masked - are working on the final preparations: entry gels, floor markings, brush strokes on clothing.

Shortly after 10 a.m., Saïd Marouf found his first customers, still few in number. It is "in September-October" that things will resume, thinks the manager.

Finally, an hour later, despite the rain, there was a line in front of the big signs. Gwendoline, 20, and Alison, 19, were there before the opening of Zara, where they hope to find small spring pieces. "I missed a little dress, a little top when the weather was nice!" Said the first.

Paul-Franck Dencausse, 24-year-old student, patient in front of Decathlon for an "extremely important" purchase: a pair of sneakers to pass a contest, "otherwise, we wouldn't be there," said his mother. She quickly plans to go home.

With some 200 people inside Fnac, "for a Monday, things are going a lot," says director Didier Roussarie, who welcomes his first customers at the entrance. "I am a welcomer," he said before rushing into the store with the CEO of the Fnac-Darty group, Enrique Martinez, who came to Bordeaux to "support" his troops. "And then I'm interested in seeing the customers again," said the latter.

"It's good for morale," says Virginie, 30, who just bought a necklace at Bijou Brigitte. A first sale that gives heart to the manager of the store even if everything is "bizarre": "these people who look but do not dare to touch objects".

As of Monday, the vast majority of some 240 stores had reopened on rue Sainte-Catherine (1.25 km), one of the city's two historic axes which today leads from the upmarket hyper-center to a more popular and student Bordeaux.

This Monday is the first test for traders already tested in recent months by the demonstrations of yellow vests. "I expect a real peak in attendance this weekend", underlined the mayor LR of Bordeaux Nicolas Florian, who came to observe on the spot.

- "Signaling" agents -

"There are people!", Judges Adelise, 33, in the middle of shopping with her son Jules 3 years old and her mother, Geneviève, 63 years old. Growth requires, the little one needs shoes for his return to the nursery. "We are so happy to find the freedom to move about," smiles the grandmother.

Both wear a mask, the "compulsory" accessory on rue Sainte-Catherine. "Signalers", security agents, are posted at each crossroads to encourage passers-by to mask themselves. And the municipal police are also patrolling: "put on your mask", throws an agent at a couple. For violators, it will cost a fine of 135 euros, but the mayor has promised a period of "tolerance".

To deconfine the rue Sainte-Catherine, the municipality had to plan redevelopments to enforce social distancing: directions of pedestrian traffic left-right and "waiting areas" are materialized by markings on the ground along the large signs.

Inside, the traders played the game: "the saleswomen all had masks, there was frost everywhere, it was well organized," said Geneviève. Depending on the brand, it is "compulsory" or "recommended" for customers filtered at the entrance and encouraged to take the hydroalcoholic gel step.

In this independent shoe store, Michard Ardillier, the shoes tried but not bought are cleaned with a sanitizing spray and rings or necklaces returned by Bijou Brigitte's customers "placed in isolation for 48 hours", in a pouch.

The shoe maker, worried about "its capacity to sell its stocks" intends to lengthen its opening days and hours to absorb the crisis. On his window, a welcome message: "what a pleasure to find you".

© 2020 AFP