French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Jean Castex had a drink at the terrace of a Parisian cafe on Wednesday (May 19), as the country’s cafes and restaurants were allowed to start serving customers in outside areas.
“We are not out (of the COVID-19 pandemic) yet. These are gradual stages of reopening as we have detailed them with (French) Prime Minister (Jean Castex) and which are the result of consultations,” Macron told reporters.
The global pandemic has forced the closure of hospitality venues around the world, but in France, the nation that invented haute cuisine, the shutdown was felt especially keenly.
