Paris Lockdown: Act Three

It’s well over a year into this global pandemic and these lockdown days, it often feels like we’re back where we started, at least here in Paris. Last April I shared scenes of a nearly empty Paris. I also wrote about what Paris is like without tourists for Fodor’s. These days, with the sun shining brightly and the promise of summer in the air, the city is far from empty and this lockdown (our third) is far from strict. Notes are not necessary and masks must be worn. We are free to roam up to 10 kilometers from home until 7 pm curfew beckons us back.

All along the quays, tourist boats lay idle, waiting for their turn to coast along the Seine, filled with eager onlookers hopping on and off to view the sights.

With schools closed in April, many locals have left the city for homes and home-schooling in the countryside.

Parks and gardens fill up with life during the weekends. Alcohol is no longer allowed to be served or drunk outside, attempting to limit the number of people gathering.

Restaurants and cafes remain closed since October, creating outdoor dining and picnics wherever possible. Terraces plan to reopen in mid-May.

With museums closed and now shops too, activities are limited. The French sport of Pétanque is often played in the gardens of the Palais Royal and along the Seine, reminding us of normal pre-pandemic days.

Most of all, simply sitting on a bench and watching the flowers in bloom, reading a book, or speaking with a good friend, is keeping us sane.

It’s impossible to predict how life in Paris will unravel in the months to follow. But I like to believe the city will reopen soon, both for the Parisians and ex-pats proud to call it home and for those who long to return.

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