PARIS – The French way of life is set to largely resume next week, with most virus-related restrictions easing as the country prepares for the summer holiday season amid the pandemic.
In a speech on Thursday, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe promised that “freedom will, at last, again become the rule.” France is one of the world’s hardest-hit countries by the coronavirus and was under strict lockdown for two months before starting to ease restrictions on May 11.
Authorities have reported at least 28,596 COVID-19-related deaths. From June 2 restaurants and cafes will reopen, together with monuments and museums, concert halls and theaters, beaches, campsites, gyms and public swimming pools.