France takes cautious steps out of coronavirus lockdown

France tiptoed out of one of Europe’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns on Monday, allowing non-essential shops, factories and other businesses to reopen for the first time in eight weeks as the risks of a second wave of infections loomed large.

With the world’s fifth highest official death toll, France is also re-opening schools in phases and its 67 million people can now leave home without government paperwork, although documentation is still needed for rush-hour travel around Paris.