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Month: May 2020

France extends border controls

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/05/2020

The French Interior Minister has announced that the country will keep its borders closed through to 15th June, despite the easing of other lockdown restrictions.
Christopher Castaner said that France’s borders will be shut until 15th June to all but essential travel for EU citizens and residents, whilst non-EU residents have been banned entirely for an indefinite period of time.
“Since the start of the crisis the closure of the borders is the rule, and the authorisation to cross a border is the exception. We have to keep this protection in place, this will not change soon,” Castaner said in a televised news conference.
He added that this extended restriction period will not affect cross-border workers. This comes as a relief to employees crossing borders between France, Monaco and Italy, and who have thus far enjoyed freedom to come and go for their occupations.
The news comes despite the gradual lessening of other lockdown measures within the country and upcoming talks with the EU executive branch about lifting internal border controls between Schengen countries.
At the moment, anyone travelling in Europe needs an international travel permit and can then only cross borders if they have good reason. The French government is not requiring a quarantine for travellers coming from inside the EU or Schengen zones, unlike in many other countries.
French citizens may return to the country, but anyone coming from within Europe (including the UK) will need to meet one of the following criteria to be allowed in:

  • People who have their primary residence in France. This does not include second home-owners. Third country nationals will need to present a visa or residency card while EU do not need any proof of residency status.
  • People who have their permanent residency in another European country and are travelling through France to get home
  • Healthcare workers engaged in coronavirus-related care
  • Commercial good carriers such as lorry drivers and flight or cargo crews
  • Diplomatic staff
  • Cross-border workers.

Special parking rates

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/05/2020

Unique hourly rates are being implemented at many of the Principality’s parking garages during the deconfinement period to help make the transition back to normal less expensive for residents.

As of Monday 11th May, several of Monaco’s parking lots will be offering what is being termed “city entrance parking”. Primarily aimed at workers returning to their jobs who are not usual users of public car parks, this service is giving temporary cut-rate deals on parking.

For example, the cost of three hours of parking during this period will now be set at €3.50 rather than €6. The price for a whole day is capped at €5. In order to take advantage of this pricing, customers must now take a ticket. This goes for those with pre-paid subscriptions, as well. Those clients should not use their cards but should also take tickets to benefit from the deal.

The special rates apply to all car parks in the Principality except for the lots and garages of Princess Grace Hospital and Ostende, which have their own pricing plans and allow for patient parking as part of their resumption of medical services.  

Fontvieille Shopping Centre and Place d’Armes also will retain original rates to keep places free for customers as well as Saint-Laurent, des Carmes, des Oliviers and Bellevue car parks in order to keep spaces during the hours necessary for school runs.

Parking de l’Abbaye is also on this list due to its low capacity.

The plan will stay in effect until 15th June, unless the changing health situation deems otherwise.

 
 

Weeks ahead for "green" Riviera looking good

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/05/2020

France’s Prime Minister has confirmed that Monday 11th May will mark the beginning of the country’s “progressive” exit from lockdown, saying that bars and restaurants may open from early June in “green” areas including the French Riviera.
Édouard Philippe gave a televised address on Thursday afternoon, detailing his government’s plan for easing Covid-19 lockdown measures after nearly two months of confinement for the population.
The country has made enough progress in slowing down the spread of the virus and reducing strain in hospitals to gradually return to normal, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said.
“From Monday we will progressively unwind the lockdown that started on 17th March… but the country is cut in two, with the virus circulating more quickly in some regions, notably in the Paris region, which is very densely populated,” he said.
The minister was referring to the map of red and green areas that details the difference in the local level of the spread of the virus and the pressure on hospital’s intensive care units.
“In the Paris region, the infection rate is falling slowly, but it remains very high, higher than we expected. That is why in these territories we will need to be extra vigilant.”
Beyond the Paris area, administrative regions around Calais, Strasbourg and Dijon will also remain classified as “red zones”, where some restrictions will remain – such as keeping parks, gardens and secondary schools shut.
In other parts of France – including the French Riviera – secondary schools, cafes and restaurants may open from early June if the infection rate remains low, Philippe said.
As of 11th May, people in France – or those travelling through France – will be allowed to move freely in an area of less than 100 kilometres from their home.
The interior ministry will publish a new attestation for travel purposes to ensure that this rule is upheld.
From this date, everyone over the age of 11 must wear a mask on public transport or face a fine of €135.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed almost 26,000 people in France since 1st March, though the number of new hospitalisations and ICU cases has fallen steadily in recent weeks.
 
Picture: Map of France and the active circulation of the virus according to departments, as of Wednesday 6th May
 

Luxury goods market set to contract up to 35% in 2020

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/05/2020

Faced with a global collapse driven by lockdowns and the shutdown of tourism in all key markets, the luxury industry faces a challenge like never before. After falling by an estimated 25% in the first quarter of 2020, the slowdown should accelerate in the second quarter and could lead to an estimated contraction of between 20–35% for the full year. 
China has begun to lead the way toward a recovery and Chinese consumers are set to cement their status as crucial drivers of the industry, accounting for nearly 50% of the market by 2025. Luxury purchases made online have increased throughout the crisis and the online channel could represent up to 30% of the market by 2025.
These are the key findings from Bain & Company, advisor to the global luxury goods industry, in the ‘Bain & Company Luxury Study 2018 Spring Update’ released this week in collaboration with Fondazione Altagamma, the Italian luxury goods manufacturers’ industry foundation.
“There will be a recovery for the luxury market but the industry will be profoundly transformed,” said Claudia D’Arpizio, a Bain & Company partner and lead author of the study. “The coronavirus crisis will force the industry to think more creatively and innovate even faster to meet a host of new consumer demands and channel constraints.”
The coronavirus crisis takes a toll on luxury
Bain & Company estimates that the market for personal luxury goods declined by 25% in the first quarter of the year, as Covid-19 spread in Asia and then worldwide.
A strong start to the year in all key regions (Mainland China, Europe, America) was quickly offset by the imposition of lockdowns and the collapse of tourism, which amplified the decline in Europe. Luxury sales in Japan and the rest of Asiaalso declined, albeit at a slightly slower pace and the consumer mood globally remains subdued.
Online luxury has remained resilient, while traditional models of directly operated stores and department stores have seen sharp drops. Travel retail has been decimated by the shutdown of worldwide air travel.
“As consumers slowly emerge from lockdowns, the way they see the world will have changed and luxury brands will need to adapt,” said Bain & Company partner and report co-author Federica Levato. “Safety in store will be mandatory, paired with the magic of the luxury experience: creative ways to attract customers to store, or to get the product to the customer, will make the difference.”
All categories have seen declines, with accessories showing the most resilience and watches declining the most due to a lack of online sales platforms to offset the shutdown of physical channels.
The luxury market will face a difficult year ahead: Bain & Company expects that for the full year 2020, the market could contract between 20-35%, depending on the speed of the recovery.
Looking towards the future: what will the luxury market look like in 2025?
It will take time for the market to recover. Bain & Company anticipates that a recovery to 2019 levels will not occur until 2022 or 2023. Market growth will resume gradually from then on, reaching an estimated €320-330 billion by 2025.
“The speed of future market growth will depend on luxury players’ strategic responses to the current crisis and their ability to transform the industry on behalf of the customer,” said Ms. Levato.
Chinese consumers are set to confirm their place as the most important buyers of luxury, accounting for nearly half of all purchases worldwide by 2025. As a region, mainland China will account for 28 percent of the luxury market, up from 11% in 2019.
The online channel, already experiencing double-digit growth in 2019, will continue to gain share and account for up to 30% of the market by 2025. This goes hand-in-hand with the younger generations (Gen Y and Gen Z) becoming the majority of the luxury market.
Luxury players will need to face disruption head-on
Faced with a crisis like never before, luxury players will need to act now to create their future. Every aspect of the market, from creation to distribution, marketing to supply chain, and crucially the interaction with the final customers will need to be re-imagined to suit a changed world.
“Winning brands will be the ones that best interpret the zeitgeist all while remaining consistent with their inner DNA and individual story,” said Ms. D’Arpizio.
 
 

10 days coronavirus free

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/05/2020

There have been no new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Principality since the lockdown was lifted on Monday, as Monaco reaches its 10th day of being coronavirus-free.

The good news may be in part due to the strict regulations that have been put in place regarding contact and protection. Social distancing, masks on public transport, regular disinfecting of well-travelled public spots and abundant supplies of hydro-alcoholic gel are creating a safer environment for the residents and workers of the Principality as they journey down the path of deconfinement.

Meanwhile, France saw a leap in the number of new cases after several days of decline. This has been attributed to the normal ebb and flow of things as de-escalation continues and authorities say it is not cause for alarm.

Currently, there are 95 people who had tested positive in Monaco since the outbreak began. After the all-clear was given to another patient on Wednesday 6th May, a total of 82 patients have been deemed recovered. There is only one person who remains in intensive care at the Princess Grace Hospital.

Not all people who tested positive or who were hospitalised here were residents, though if they showed severe symptoms, they were admitted along with those who do live in Monaco.

Most cases, fortunately, were of the mild version of the disease. Those people were asked to self-isolate at home whilst being monitored remotely by doctors. Four patients are currently being home-monitored whilst they recover.

 
 

Reduced number of trains to discourage useage

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/05/2020

As France prepares to lift its lockdown, train services are gradually resuming across the region, albeit at a reduced capacity.

From Friday 8th May, SNCF initiated a limited service, which comes as welcome news for those who rely on rail travel as their sole means of transportation. But all is not completely back to normal just yet, with only around 20% of main line services resuming. 

The government said on Thursday evening that public transport services between regions would be severely limited in the coming weeks to encourage people to avoid unnecessary travel.

From Monday 11th May, regional TER lines will be running at anywhere between 40% and 50% of the usual capacity, with travel for passengers limited to 100 kilometres until 2nd June, unless it can be proven that the traveller needs to be somewhere for professional or otherwise compelling purposes.

For TER PACA riders, this means that up to three out four trains will be running on the most heavily travelled lines during rush hours, but in general the frequency will be a bit less. Half the regular number of trains will be running for many lines, with the lesser travelled ones seeing one in three. Routes typically used during tourist season or for occasional travel will not resume at all until the end of May. 

TGV services will slowly but surely return as well. Almost half the trains will be back online again by the end of the month. From 11th May, there will be one Paris to Nice round trip and a very limited Lyon-Marseille-Nice service.

Italian company Thello won’t kickstart train services again until 18th May. For now, the Marseille-Nice-Milan route is cancelled in both directions. From the 18th, circulation will slowly resume with two daily round trips between Nice and Milan. Trains going to and from Marseille will start back later.  

Large capacity trains will be in operation, though the capacity will be greatly reduced as only one in two seats will be usable under the health regulations. This translates to 35% to 40% capacity.

“SNCF is actively working with businesses to ask them for their recovery estimates but also to encourage them to continue teleworking and staggering schedules,” the company has said. “Similarly, the South Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region has brought together as a transport organising authority, as requested by the state, transport stakeholders and user associations to raise this point.”

SNCF has incorporated a raft of measures to ensure sanitary rules are followed. Police and railway security guards will be on hand at larger stations to make certain everyone complies with mandatory mask-wearing. Incoming and outgoing traffic will be choreographed and markings on the ground will assist passengers in knowing the basics of where to wait and how to proceed.

Eventually, masks and germ-killing gels will be on sale at Relay and Selecta. Gel distributors will be installed at major stations, as well. Finally, there will be updated cleaning frequency schedules posted on trains and in stations.

The SNCF has asked that travellers “be responsible in mobility and (to) adopt the behaviours which protect themselves and protect others.”

As it does during times of strikes, SNCF will be publishing lists of the trains that are running by 5pm the prior afternoon. They have stated they will be flexible about exchanges and refunds and ask passengers to buy online as much as possible.

For daily Monaco train services, check this website:

https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gare/frxmm/monaco-monte-carlo

 

Photo: Pixabay