21 hours.
The most beautiful avenue in the world is also the saddest.
It is cold and dreary on the Champs-Elysées this first evening of effective curfew.
The road remains crossed by cars - mainly taxis, and VTCs.
But on the wide sidewalks, however, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Champs-Elysées roundabout, you hardly see a living soul.
No revelers in bling-bling outfits, no American or Chinese tourists drawing their portraits at the foot of the illuminated Arc de Triomphe.
Among the last human presences, homeless people are posted on the steps of a luxury boutique.
"The vision of all these restaurants, closed artisans grips my heart"
We also meet Fatou and Jamila, 17 and 18, scrutinizing the timetables for bus 73 when the fateful hour has passed for a few minutes.
These "child minders" come out of work and do not seem to have understood the rules well: "We need half an hour to reach Villetaneuse, the police will not prevent us from going home?
»Worries Fatou.
No one will prevent them from finding their home but without a travel certificate or employer certificate, they risk a fine of 135 euros.
On the opposite sidewalk, the police do not seem to have noticed the outlaws, or they have decided to close their eyes.
On the Champs-Elysées, bars and restaurants began to pack up at 7.15 p.m./LP/Arnaud Dumontier
The last quarter of an hour, the crowd evaporated.
Thus Charlotte and Cedric, slowly walk boxes spreading a pleasant aroma of pizza in their arms to reach a nearby hotel: "The sight of all these restaurants, closed artisans, grips my heart" slips Cedric, from the Ile de Ré .
Nadia she spun much earlier: "I do not want to give money to the State, growls the young student by rushing into the George V metro. To reach Chaville, it takes more than an hour and a half, especially with transport problems ”.
Her mother with whom she went shopping the press “Quick, quick!
".
Like many suburbanites, they did not want to find themselves trapped by the 9pm cleaver somewhere in Ile-de-France.
Khalil, buttoned up his jacket and rolled up his warm scarf calmly before joining his home in Malakoff "I prefer to take the margin.
The new night confinement measure rather makes me smile, I'm Tunisian so the curfew, I'm used to "jokes the quadra who came to nibble on macaroons and sip a coffee with friends" to celebrate this first shortened evening ".
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VIDEO. Curfew: "I think I'm going to sleep a lot"
The restaurants have repacked their chairs and their terraces from 7.15 p.m.
"We have to give us time to get home" blows the waiter in a black fitted jacket from the "Deauville", while he passes the broom and turns off the outdoor heating to "encourage" his customers to leave.
On the Champs Elysées, the showcase of Paris, the curtains were generally lowered before 8:30 p.m.
So those who had planned to have fun advanced their date like Gaétan, Amaury, Olivier and Solène a bunch of friends between 22 and 24 years old.
They met "super early" at "Café Joyeux".
“We had a long walk with friends in the Tuileries this afternoon instead of going out tonight.
We end with coke and hot chocolates.
Hello the atmosphere!
”Gaétan laughs.
But Amaury planned not to be satisfied with that, "I'll go have beers with some friends at Olivier's and I won't be back until tomorrow morning."
We are not going to let ourselves be defeated, ”he confesses without batting an eyelid.
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