- Title: Paris deserted as country shuts down over coronavirus
- Date: 15th March 2020
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 15, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MASKED WOMAN IN TULIERIES PARK RETIREE AGNES VARAILLON TAKING PHOTO OF FOUNTAIN IN EMPTY CONCORDE SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (French) RETIREE AGNÈS VARAILLON, 59-YEARS-OLD, SAYING: "This morning, I voted, first of all. I voted against the government, in any case, they don't measure up to expectations, in the face of the virus. And then I said to myself, well Paris empty of people is very good, so I'm taking photos, and I've been going around on the bike, voila." FOUNTAIN AT CONCORDE SQUARE MAN STANDING ON EMPTY SIDEWALK IN FRONT WESTIN HOTEL RIVER SEINE, EIFFEL TOWER IN BACKGROUND WATER BASIN AT TUILERIES PARK MAN WITH HIS BIKE, FOLLOWED BY HIS DOGS (SOUNDBITE) (French) DOCTOR, SÉBASTIEN, 43 YEARS OLD, SAYING: "I'm walking my dogs as I usually do, and I'm not getting in close contact with people so as not to risk spreading the virus or getting infected." CARS ON ONE OF AVENUES THAT LEADS TO ARC DE TRIOMPHE (SOUNDBITE) (French) COMPANY DIRECTOR, JULIO MORENO, 41 YEARS OLD, "I've lived abroad, I lived in Hong Kong. I've recently travelled to cities where they've experienced this, and people follow the instructions. And I think the (containment) measures (here) were done too late." CHAMPS ELYSEES AVENUE WITH A FEW CARS ETOILE ROUNDABOUT AT END OF CHAMPS ELYSEE, WITH ARC DE TRIOMPHE TWO PEOPLE WALKING ON CHAMPS ELYSEES ESCALATORS LEADING TO METRO AND TRAIN STATION WOMAN ENTERING METRO AND COMMUTER TRAIN STATION EMPTY SEATS INSIDE METRO MAN INSIDE METRO EMPTY METRO CORRIDOR CLOSED MCDONALD'S SIGN ON MCDONALD'S THAT READS (English): "The government request to close until further notice" CLOSED LIDO PARIS CINEMA AND THEATRE MADELEINE CHURCH MAN GOING UP CHURCH STEPS EMPTY CHURCH CARS ON ROAD
- Embargoed: 29th March 2020 11:48
- Keywords: Paris coronavirus empty streets pandemic streets
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C55WQPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: 7036-HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/FRANCE-RESTAURANTS HAS IMAGES OF RESTAURANT AT MIDNIGHT CLOSING ITS DOOR, DINERS ENJOYING THEIR LAST NIGHT OUT, AND RESTAURANT WORKERS TALKING ABOUT IMPACT OF CLOSURES
Parisians woke up to a surreal ambience on Sunday (March 15), with scenes of shuttered cafes, quiet streets and empty stores playing out across the French capital after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced restrictions on French public life unprecedented in living memory.
The coronavirus has sickened some 4,500 people and killed 91 in France, which followed neighbouring Italy and Spain and other European nations in enforcing the severe measures.
The few Parisians who were out on the streets were being careful to keep their distance from other people.
In the most visited city in the world, tourists were in small numbers.
The coronavirus outbreak has forced the closure of the Louvre museum, Eiffel Tower and Moulin Rouge cabaret bar.
On the Champs Elysees, usually thronged with tourists, there were fewer pedestrians and cars than usual, and no tourists around the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the boulevard.
Restaurants, cafes, bars and cinemas would be closed indefinitely from Sunday, Philippe said. So too would libraries, shopping malls, and sports halls -- any venue deemed non-essential. Food stores and gas stations would remain open.
(Production: Yonathan Van der Voort, Michaela Cabrera) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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