When Parisians woke up on May 19, they found a city reborn. Overnight, the curfew had been pushed back to 9 p.m. from 7 p.m. The streets surrounding Opera Garnier went from pin-drop silent to bustling, with locals eager for the first “cafés en terrasse’’ since October. Not too far away, in the lively Pigalle district, the excitement was such that bistro owners served their first pints before 10 a.m.

It was the first sign that Paris was gradually waking up from months of stringent restrictions.

That process has been slow, and it’s still ongoing. That curfew is now 11 p.m. as of Wednesday. Some landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, remain shut—its reopening is slated for July 16. But the seven-day average of new daily cases has declined by 83% since the end of March, and as of June 8, 55% of France’s adult population has received a first vaccine dose. That’s allowed most shops, museums, theaters, and terraces to return to a mostly normal rhythm, albeit with 50% occupancy restrictions through the end of June.

International tourists have been notably absent thus far, but those, too, are coming soon. 

As of June 9, visitors from a “green” region, including the EU, Israel, Japan, Singapore, and Australia, can come to France without a Covid-19 test so long as they’re fully vaccinated. Tourists from “orange” countries such as the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. will still need to show a negative PCR or antigen test, even if they’ve been inoculated. If you’re coming from a red-zone country, like Brazil, India, or South Africa, a minimum seven-day quarantine remains in place. 

Travelers seem eager to work within the confines. “We’re seeing initial signs that American customers are coming back this month and next,’’ says Isabelle Bouvier, hotel director of the Left Bank’s most luxurious hotel, Le Lutetia. But she says it’s too early to know whether the summer season will be saved.

These days, Palace hotels such as hers have just 8% to 15% of their rooms full—compared to 70% in a normal summer—according to UMIH Prestige hotel industry group. At the Lutetia, that occupancy rate is currently on average 20% with booking increasing on the weekends, Bouvier says. “We’re optimistic. It will take the time that’s needed. We don’t have a crystal ball but our clients are looking forward to being able to travel again.”

If Paris received around 10 million tourists during summer 2019, the Tourism Office expects half as many visitors this year. But that’s just one reason that Paris may look and feel a little different than you remembered. 

The Dining Scene
The pandemic shook Paris’s dining scene to its core. For more than half a year, restaurants were fully unable to serve guests on their premises. With state aid continuing, it’s hard to gauge how many venues have shut down permanently. Many dining rooms went dark temporarily; fearing they might dilute their brand with delivery services, they opted not to do business at all until brighter days arrive. 

That time is now. With balmy temperatures, luxuriously late sunsets, and that just-extended curfew, Parisians have taken back their dining habits with gusto. In some streets with narrow sidewalks, it’s hard to move around without bumping into a chair or a wooden deck. 

For those seeking ample outdoor space as well as refined cuisine, Loulou makes a great bet. It’s located next to the Louvre and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and serves Italian and Mediterranean cuisine from a green outdoor space on the Tuileries gardens. “We’re lucky we’re in a garden that’s very much protected from the city’s tumult—a little haven of peace in a metropolis,’’ says Loulou co-founder Gilles Malafosse.

Also claiming excellent outdoor spaces right now are Bistrot Paul Bert, Chez l’Ami Jean, and Le Comptoir du Relais—all of them classic Parisian bistros and beloved fixtures of the city’s dining scene.

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