Restaurants and the iconic Parisian bistros were open even during the Nazi occupation noted Alain Fontaine, a noted Paris chef and owner of Le Mesturet.
The numbers of bistros have dropped alarmingly in the past century from 200,000 in the beginning of the 20th century, a little over 50,000 after the Second World War and 25,000 at the present. He dispelled the predictions that over 40% of the businesses would not survive the pandemic.
Bars and restaurants have been hit by the pandemic severely. They were allowed to open in the Paris region. Due to the high risk of spreading the virus, only outdoor seating is permitted for service. Fontaine is spearheading a drive to win UNESCO recognition for French bistros and cafes as intangible cultural heritage.
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