From commuters in Paris to tourists on the French Riviera, many people seem to welcome the government’s light touch, while some worry that necessary precautionary measures may be needed. Hospitalizations linked to the virus have risen rapidly in France over the past two weeks, with nearly 1,000 COVID-19 patients being hospitalized a day, according to government figures. Infections are also rising across Europe and the United States, but France has an exceptionally high rate of people in hospitals, according to Our World in Data estimates. French government spokeswoman Olivia Gregoire said there were no plans to reintroduce national regulations restricting or placing conditions on indoor gatherings and other activities. “The French are tired of restrictions,” he told BFMTV on Wednesday. “We are confident that people will behave responsibly.” France’s parliamentary elections last month saw President Emmanuel Macron lose his majority in the national legislature, while far-right and far-left parties protesting his government’s previous rules on vaccines and masks won seats. After the prime minister this week recommended that people start wearing masks on public transport again, passenger Raphaelle Vertaldi said: “We have to deal with the virus, but we can’t stop living because of it.” Vertaldi, who was boarding a train at Boussy-Saint-Antoine south of Paris, said she opposed mandatory mask use but would cover her mouth and nose again if the government required it. Hassani Mohamed, a postal worker in Paris, did not wait for the government to decide. He masks before his daily commute. With his wife recovering from surgery and two children at home, he doesn’t want to risk contracting the coronavirus a third time. “I realized that the pandemic is not a thing of the past,” Mohammed said. Masks are controversial in France. Early in the pandemic, the French government suggested that masks were not useful. He eventually introduced some of Europe’s toughest restrictions, including an indoor and outdoor mask mandate that lasted more than a year, along with strict lockdowns. A Paris court ruled on Tuesday that the French government failed to adequately supply surgical masks at the start of the pandemic and prevent the spread of the virus. The administrative court in Paris also ruled that the government was wrong to suggest early on that masks do not protect people from infection. The government lifted most virus rules by April and foreign tourists returned by land, sea and air to French beaches, restaurants and Mediterranean bars. Meanwhile, French hospitals are struggling with chronic staffing and funding shortages. Local officials are considering new measures, including mandating indoor masks in some cities, but nothing that would limit economic activity. French tourism professionals expect a booming summer season despite the virus, with numbers that may even exceed pre-pandemic levels as Americans benefit from a weaker euro and others rediscover foreign travel after more than two years of limited existence. On the French Riviera, a slow economic recovery began last summer. But with attendance at gatherings still limited, social distancing rules and travel restrictions in place a year ago, most visitors to the region have been French. A tour guide and e-bike taxi driver in Nice described her joy at seeing foreign visitors again. During France’s repeated lockdowns, it transported key workers and transported people to hospitals, to care for elderly relatives or for PCR tests. Now, passengers on her bike from the US, Australia, Germany, Italy or beyond reach for the hand sanitizer taped to the barrier between the passenger and driver seats. He said he still diligently disinfects the bike before every ride, “like it’s 2020.” A retired UK couple visited France this week on their first trip abroad since the lifting of pandemic travel restrictions. They started with a cruise on the Rhone River – face masks were mandatory on board – and ended with a few days in the Mediterranean. “It was delightful from start to finish,” said Ros Runcie, who was in Nice with her husband, Gordon. “Everyone is so happy to see you, everyone is very polite and kind to visitors.” Sue Baker, who was traveling with her husband Phil and the Runcies, remarked: “It feels very much like pre-2020.” Asked about the possible return of French mask rules, Phil Baker said: “Masks are a bit uncomfortable, especially in the heat.” But his wife added: “If it means we can still go on holiday, we will bring it back without hesitation.”
Le Deley reported from Boussy-Saint-Antoine, France.
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at
