Prime Minister Edouard Philippe made an address a little over an hour ago announcing the new measures.
Also cinemas, anywhere public that people gather.
Grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, banks, and tobacco shops (!!??) will remain open.
France passes into its Stage 3 of battling the epidemic.
Edit Sunday 3/15:
Today the government published its official decree. The measures are slated to be in place until April 15 (as of now; of course they can always be extended).
I just canceled my trip that included Paris (like 20 minutes ago) and now I feel like I made the right choice. My husband and I have been fusing over this for three weeks.
I laughed at tobacco shops. But I have been in a lot of European tobacco shops and as a lifelong non-smoker, I can tell you they sell a lot more than tobacco. They are similar to our convenience stores and sell all sorts of essentials (like stamps and bus tickets). You can even pay some utility bills at a tobacco shop in some countries.
Would the closure include all the outdoor markets, Bastille, Popincourt, d’Aligre, etc.?
(I suppose it should.)
Once Spain did this, it felt like just a matter of time until France adopted the same measures.
I, too, just personally canceled a trip -- I had a friend who was having a wedding in the UK in early May, so I had been planning a trip to France and the UK for then. He and his fiancée have just announced they are postponing their wedding to spring 2021, which honestly is the right move and makes it very easy for me to pull the plug on this trip, as I had been considering for many weeks now.
(And without minimizing the very real impacts on human life and health, this has to have been a rough year for Paris tourism and businesses that depend on that -- between the transportation strikes in December/January and now these very needed closures, I have to imagine a lot of small businesses in particular are facing incredible economic challenges! Here's hoping we can get through this effectively, safely, and rapidly.)
We made the tough decision to cancel our 3wk trip yesterday. Very disappointed after so much planning, but this confirms it was the right decision.
Virtually all non-essential businesses are now closed.
Les Tabacs sell much more than just tobacco products and operate in a quasi official capacity by selling government stamps used to pay fines and other financial obligations to the government. They serve official public interests in a variety of ways.
Has France officially entered stage 3? They want to complete today’s elections before there is a bigger lockdown. I expect to see additional measures, possibly limiting public transportation, on Monday or some time after the elections.
With so much closed and with heightened public heath concerns covering the entire country, visiting France right now should be avoided. Realistically, tourist travel anywhere on the globe should be avoided.
LeParisien had an article yesterday about RATP's sending questionnaires to all employees in attempt to discover which employees would be home taking care of children because of school closings. RATP was attempting to get their staffing worked out before Monday's school closure hit. Specific line closures were not mentioned but the following would be kept if possible on normal schedules. RER A et B, metro lignes 1, 7, 8 et 14
Well, here’s the answer: 15 mars, Bruno Le Maire a confirmé que les marchés resteront ouverts contrairement aux restaurants et aux bars. Markets stay open. I wonder if they’ve remained open in Italy. The data suggest that there has been - perhaps - a slight change in Italy’s case trajectory (as reported in ft) since they implemented a lockdown.
I wonder what the checkin lines at CDG will be like this week...
Has France officially entered stage 3?
Yes, Professor Salomon (DG of the health agency) announced it during his daily briefing last night.
Here's the language from the French government website:
Le 14 mars à 20h00
Le ministre des Solidarités et de la Santé, tient un point presse quotidien pour vous informer sur l’évolution de la situation en France.
Les informations du jour :
Le virus est présent sur le territoire national, avec notamment plusieurs zones de regroupement de cas appelés "clusters". Nous sommes actuellement au stade 3 du plan d’actions du Gouvernement qui a pour objectif de prévenir et limiter la circulation du virus.
Depuis le 24 janvier 2020, la France compte 4 500 cas de Coronavirus COVID-19 confirmés.
91 personnes sont décédées depuis le début de l'épidémie.
Source: https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus
And click on the down arrow on the rubric “Point de Situation en France »
Markets today in Paris were extremely busy, probably some last-minute panic shopping before they close down too (I am 95% sure that confinement measures à la Spain or Italy will be implemented by Tuesday). Elections (were held, too, and my polling station wasn't noticeably quieter than usual, but it was probably for nothing anyway, as the second round is due to take place next Sunday, and I can't imagine it going through.
Chicago just closed down bars and restaurants too after an evening last night of the usual St. Pat's Day revelry and crowds at bars and bar hoping. They cancelled the parade and dying the river etc but it didn't slow down the crowds and partying.
I also cancelled my trip to France as I was scheduled to leave April 1. I am resolved my decision was the correct one.
Your decision was the correct one.
The lock-down of France, rumored to be announced this evening, could last up to 45 days, making any travel before May very problematic.
I just receive an email from the city of Paris that they are in the process of closing all the parks.
"France issues more than 4,000 fines for violating lockdown in the first day"
"That fine started at 35 euros (about $38) and has now been raised to 135 euros, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on television, the Telegraph reported. It can go up to 375 euros, he said."
...and tobacco shops (!!??) will remain open.
Edgar, Tobacco shops sell government seals/stamps needed for certain official documents, as well as metro tickets, etc.
Fiscal stamps (timbres fiscaux) are much easier to buy online these days, but I'm sure some people still saunter down to the local tabac for them, especially if they're not online or don't have access to a printer.
I'll never forget watching the OFII (French office of immigration and integration) official when I first moved to France several years ago licking the stamps I had dutifully bought at a tabac, one by one, and sticking them to my immigration document. Reminded me of my Mom licking her S&H Green Stamps that time in 1966 or 67 when she had misplaced the little sponge thing she typically used.
It was a just a bit of a foreshadowing of what I've since grown very familiar with: how France is this odd mix of hyper-modern and mystifying embrace of tradition.
I agree thoroughly. You described perfectly my impression, particularly these official stamps, so symbolic of the old ways.
Ok, I get it re tabacs. But honestly, they have said vaping stores can also stay open??!!
The NY Times has a conversation between two (married) epidemiologists today:
BH: It’s really instructive to compare what happened in Wuhan and what happened in Guangzhou. In Wuhan, they shut down when they had 495 cases in a city that is roughly the size of New York. In neighboring Guangzhou, by contrast, they took action when there were seven cases. The epidemic curve in Guangzhou was completely manageable. As we all know, in Wuhan it was absolutely …
HJ: Catastrophic.
