PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron says France will reopen cafe and restaurant terraces on May 19 and museums, cinemas, theaters, and concert halls under certain conditions.
The decision comes as the country is slowly starting to step out of its partial lockdown despite high numbers of infections and hospitalizations.
Macron detailed Thursday a four-step plan to reopen the country and revive its economy. The ban on domestic travel will be lifted next week, Macron confirmed. The curfew, now in place from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., will be maintained.
On May 19, restaurants and cafes will welcome customers outdoors, with tables of a maximum of six people. The curfew will be pushed back to 9 p.m. Cultural places, and sports facilities will also reopen, with a limit of 800 people indoors and 1,000 outdoors.
The plan allows foreign tourists on June 9 if they have a certificate of vaccination or a PCR test. On June 30, the finals stage would involve the end of the nighttime curfew and lifting most restrictions.
According to Variety, the final stage comes just in time for the Cannes Film Festival, slated to begin on July 6.
Variety reported that special permissions, which have not been announced, will be needed for events that have more than 5,000 people.
