For the moment we still don’t know how long the lockdown in Paris will last. The Conseil Scientifique report that was supposed to come out today has been pushed to Tuesday, but President Macron has made it clear that he doesn’t want to restrict the French to total confinement…for now.
Stay off the Lawn! (And the Riverbanks)
The streets are certainly emptier in Paris than they have been for the past week, but that could also just be “Monday”. Many people have remarked how it’s so quiet in the city that now you can actually hear the birds. Despite this, the city of Paris announced the Esplanade des Invalides, the Champ de Mars (Eiffel Tower), and the Voies sur Berges (pedestrianized banks of the Seine) would remain off-limits until the end of the lockdown, not just for the weekend.
Putting Healthcare Workers First
To further help out healthcare workers, the Federation of French Commerce and Distribution announced they get priority access to supermarkets (no waiting in line). The SNCF (trains) and RATP (Paris public transport) are also supporting healthcare workers with free transportation, including shuttle busses between Parisian train stations and major Parisian hospitals.
Performers Will Perform…
Professional tenor singer Stéphane Sénéchal has been singing from his 9th arrondissement balcony, this time he sings the Marseillaise in support of the first French healthcare worker to die from the virus. What’s adorable is how he then chats with his neighbors at the end from their windows. Parisians don’t normally do this, because we’re crammed so close we’re usually very “discreet” and respect each other’s privacy by pretending we don’t see each other.) The comments are also hilarious : « Il récidive! Ce n’est pas le coronavirus qui va le tuer lui, mais ses voisins. » (“He does it again! It is not the coronavirus that will kill him, but his neighbors.”) Last week he paid a tribute to Italians fighting the pandemic.
Fans of beloved French film and theatre actor Fabrice Luchini will be delighted to hear he just opened an Instagram account so that he could recite Fontaine’s Fables to us each day from his armchair.
And French rock legend Jean-Jacques Goldman came out of retirement to remake one of his songs in pay tribute to healthcare workers, singing direct from his home in London.
On a lighter note, Le Parisien also posted a video compilation of police officer around Europe taking a moment to entertain the public while they’re confined indoors.
Stay healthy, stay inside! – Heather
Add Comment