Alcohol, cigarettes, pecorino and panties… The Azureans are back in Italy - 20 Minutes

  • Italy reopened its borders to European nationals on Wednesday June 3.
  • France is expected to do the same on June 15.
  • The Azureans, who border Italy, took the opportunity to go and fill up, cheaper, with alcohol and cigarettes in particular.

From our special correspondent in Ventimiglia (Italy)

" It's cheap ! You should also have taken whiskey. Just out of the Eurodrink store, their arms already loaded with bottles, this couple turns back. We spoke a lot of French this Wednesday in Ventimiglia. And it's been a long time since this happened. Many Azureans have taken advantage of the reopening of the border, on the Italian side, to come and refuel: taxes are advantageous on certain products.

Right next door, via Ruffini, the "Tabacchi" queue never decreases. And, on this stretch of pavement, it still speaks only in the language of Molière. Mélissa and Marie are waiting with the others. "Yes, we come to buy six cartons of cigarettes, but it's not even for us," they take care to specify. We are from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, not very far. We come to walk from time to time around here. We missed it. We had a day off to shop and we suggested to friends to bring them cigarettes. "

"We're here because it's cheaper!" "

At the exit of the station, Mattia, bartender at the American bar, confirms the return of the "French neighbors", even if the crowds at the front Covid-19 are not yet there. "They settle down for a coffee, then most of them go straight to a tobacco shop," he says.

It's almost the rule. "We're here because it's cheaper!" The cartridge is 50 euros here against 90 euros in France ", explain the two friends from Nice, Danielle and Chantal, 72 and 68 years old.

"But we didn't just come for that," adds the first, loading the trunk of his car, parked in Piazza della Libertà, next to many other vehicles registered in 06. We also got a good pasta dish with tomato and ricotta, with ice cream for dessert. "And I also bought Sardinian pecorino [cheese] and panties," says Chantal, with a laugh.

Strict verification of certificates

Patrizia, at the checkout of the Coppo 1896 Spa store, found her smile a little behind her cloth mask. “In two months, we opened a few times. We had to give lots of perishable products to associations, explains the employee of this large grocery store, where there are cookies, pastries, but especially alcohol. It's really nice to see customers coming back. "

In the middle of the afternoon, Marielle comes out with cheese, two panettones and three bottles of Pastis. La Cagnoise seems worried: "I heard that there was traffic due to police checks in Menton".

Italy reopens its borders on June 3, however it remains closed on the French side. Italian nationals must still present a certificate to enter French territory. #Italy #France #AlpesMaritimes #frontieres pic.twitter.com/t6WPVMRvP7

- France Bleu Azur (@francebleuazur) June 3, 2020

Early in the morning, in fact, the French authorities had imposed a strict verification of the certificates, France did not plan to reopen its borders before June 15. But the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes "has given the necessary instructions to streamline the entry points and soften the controls for French nationals returning to the national territory".

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