France’s President Emmanuel Macron has announced that its COVID-19 lockdown will begin to ease this weekend so that shops, theatres and cinemas will reopen by Christmas and people will be able to spend the holiday with their families.
In his address, Mr Macron acknowledged that the worst of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic was over, but that restaurants, cafes and bars would have to remain closed until January 20 to avoid a potential third wave.
The French Government is keen to stress to citizens that they should only expect a gradual reopening.