Covid

The negative test will be required on direct flights from China and flights with stopovers.

French head of state's remarks have been condemned by his political opponents who said the language used was "unworthy" of the presidential office.

Under tougher Covid rules that came into force this week, non-resident Britons can no longer drive through France - only those with a primary French residence will be allowed in.

French president started his trip Saturday night in Tahiti with a visit to a hospital and an appeal to get vaccinated against the virus. 

Last weekend, police estimated that 100,000 people joined protests against new Covid measures - some of them under the banner of the Yellow Vests or 'gilets jaunes'.

The health pass will be required for all events or places with more than 50 people, before being extended to restaurants, cafes and large shopping centres in August.

Drinking alcohol drinking will also be prohibited outdoors in the Pyrénées-Orientales département on the Mediterranean coast just north of Spain. 

European special forces involved in anti-jihadist operations in west Africa's Sahel region were given prime position in the traditional Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on 14 July.

Easing of coronavirus rules came as French authorities hailed a rapid decline in new cases on the eve of summer holidays, raising hopes for a more vibrant and relaxed tourist season.

French health minister says Delta variant only made up between 2 and 4 per cent of confirmed cases in the country.

France intends to impose a mandatory quarantine on visitors from Britain to prevent the spread of a worrying virus variant first detected in India.

Local authorities said that many of the revelers were still on the site of the illegal party in western France on Friday morning and that police had failed to stop it.

France has confirmed 2.6m Covid-19 cases, the fifth highest total in the world, and more than 64,000 deaths.

One of the French government’s biggest hurdles will be overcoming the high level of distrust of vaccines in France – one of the highest in Europe.

French PM Jean Castex says that COVID-19 vaccines will go to the homes' residents first when doses become available in France, which is not expected before the end of the month.