Paris Extends Alcohol Ban Due to Pandemic

The city of Paris has massively extended its ban on alcohol in public places because of the coronavirus situation.

For example, alcohol consumption is now prohibited on the banks of the Seine, the Saint Martin Canal, the famous Place du Tertre – the busy square normally teeming with artists near the Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) basilica, the police prefecture announced on Friday.

In addition to many other places in the city, shops larger than 10,000 square metres that do not sell food will have to close.

Earlier, many Parisians had enjoyed the good weather in the fresh air.

In places it was very crowded, especially on the banks of the Seine and canals in the French capital.

Paris is one of the 23 areas for which Prime Minister Jean Castex has declared an increased coronavirus warning level.

However, there is no weekend lockdown in the metropolis like the ones in the cities of Nice and Dunkirk, or in the Pas-de-Calais district in the north of the country.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had described such a partial lockdown as inhumane.

Before that, however, her deputy had suggested a short, hard lockdown for a few weeks with the prospect of being able to reopen restaurants or cultural institutions afterwards.

After heavy criticism, however, he rowed back on the suggestion.

The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in Paris was recently just under 322.

In France as a whole, the number is around 220.