University restaurants are gradually reopening, now making it possible for students to access the one euro meals promised by Emmanuel Macron, served indoors.

For young people, it is a double relief: meals that help the most vulnerable while regaining social ties, in compliance with health protocols. 

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This is a step forward for students, whose situation is weakened by the Covid-19 health crisis: university restaurants are gradually reopening their doors with, on the menu, meals for one euro in order to respect Emmanuel Macron's promise.

Until now, only take-away was possible in "U restaurants" and the one-euro meal was only offered to scholarship students, once a day.

This new development is a relief for young people in precarious situations, but also for those lacking social ties.

Because the opening of the Crous establishments is an opportunity to break the isolation around a hot meal, by keeping the necessary distances.

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Two meters away

The gesture may seem trivial in this university restaurant in the Mabillon district, in Paris.

Yet it is almost hesitant that Quentin helps himself to the self.

"I'm going to take carbos pasta, yogurt and a starter, it's a salad," he comments.

He will be able to enjoy sitting down this hot meal, paid for one euro, in the company of his classmates.

This afternoon, there are three to have lunch together.

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"Downstairs, there is a room where we can eat together. There are microwaves", comments a student.

"These are tables to be at nine and in fact there are three. We had come at the beginning of the year, there was already social distancing, but it was far from being as important", describes one of his comrades .

"There, we are two meters away. Suddenly, that still limits the number of places"

The return of "conviviality"

Separated by two meters distance, staggered and provided with disposable cutlery, these students settle down for their lunch.

A situation law to be ideal but which is already a step forward for them.

"It's a break. Above all, we eat inside, we are not cold, we are not outside," says one of them.

"Since the beginning of the year, we have had very few moments where, in fact, we could all be together. There is this aspect of conviviality that comes back."

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"We are in the first year, so these are our first moments to be together finally, since we passed a baccalaureate", adds the latter.

A meal like a comforting aside, before putting on his mask and returning to study.

The Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, interviewed on the YouTube channel "HugoDécrypte" also announced that university restaurants could remain open later, beyond the 6 p.m. curfew, to allow students to recover their meals. meal for one euro at the end of the day.