France: in Paris, restaurants and cafes will only be able to reopen their terraces

Text by: RFI Follow

Among the announcements made this Thursday, May 28 by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, that of the reopening of bars and restaurants was eagerly awaited. However in Ile-de-France and Mayotte, classified orange, an additional restriction and size: only the terraces can accommodate customers.

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From next Tuesday, with the usual rules of distancing and tables of 10 people maximum, restaurants and cafes can reopen with, however, a restriction in Ile-de-France and Mayotte where only the terraces can open.

►Also read: Deconfinement in France: the restrictions largely relaxed

Everyone sees noon at his door. Or sometimes, outside the door of his restaurant. Abderhamane Ifakhara's specialty is couscous, that of Krishna Kaderiso, French cuisine, and both have a large terrace. So they are perfectly satisfied with this reopening, even limited.

"  Really, it suits me well, it's excellent," says the restaurateur. We are fine like that and afterwards we will restart step by step  ”. "  For almost three months, we have been waiting for this, it has given life to the restaurant which otherwise is dying," says his colleague . The customers are excited and we also want to work so it's very very good  ”

Without terrace by opening

The reaction is more bitter for those who do not have a terrace. This is the case of Andrea Foresto, Italian restaurateur, and Quentin, waiter in a Parisian bar.

“  It is not normal to open the terraces and not the interior,  regrets Andrea. It's a bit the same. People are gathered on the terrace, it's like being gathered inside  ”. "  We don't have the right to a terrace, so we're not even concerned by that, because we won't be able to reopen anyway,"  explains Quentin. Usually, we already have pressure from the local authorities preventing us from having people in front of the bar with glasses they bought in the establishment, so for us it changes nothing  . ”

Parisian restaurants and cafeterias will know on June 22 whether they can in turn welcome their customers in the dining room.

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