Vietnamese students in France organise football tournament, donating to national vaccine fund
	EURO 2020 TODAY (June 28): Croatia 3-5 Spain, France 3-3 Switzerland
	France vs Switzerland round of 16 Euro: Fixtures, match schedule, TV channels, live stream

People relax at the Champ-de-Mars garden next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Friday, July 16, 2021. Photo: AP

The Eiffel Tower reopened to visitors on July 16 after nine months of shutdown due to Covid-19, the landmark’s longest closure since World War II.

The Associated Press (AP) said with the tower reopened to the public even as France introduces new virus rules aimed at taming the fast-spreading delta variant.

The “Iron Lady” of Paris was ordered shut in October as France battled its second virus surge of the pandemic, and remained shut for renovations even after other French tourist draws reopened last month.

The tower’s reopening came four days after President Emmanuel Macron announced new measures aimed at warding off a fourth surge, including mandatory vaccinations for health workers and mandatory Covid-19 passes to enter restaurants and tourist and other venues.

From July 21, all visitors to the Eiffel Tower over age 18 will need to show a pass proving they’ve been fully vaccinated, had a negative virus test or recently recovered from COVID-19.

Masks are required, and the number of daily visitors to the tower will be limited to about half the pre-pandemic norm of 25,000.

The rules didn’t seem to scare crowds away on July 17.

“Bienvenue - Welcome - Wilkommen - Bienvenido” flashed on a screen as families, couples and groups lined up or posed for photos beneath the tower.

Half of visitors expected to be French

Visitor line up at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Friday, July 16, 2021. Photo: AP

Early reservations for tickets during the French summer holiday period underline how the tourism industry in Paris has changed due to travel restrictions, Al Jazeera said.

Jean-Francois Martins, head of the tower’s operating company, said there was an “almost total absence” of British ticket holders, while only 15 percent were Americans and very few were from Asia.

Half of visitors are expected to be French, while Italians and Spanish make up a higher proportion than usual.

The long closure has caused havoc with the finances of the operating company, Sete, which runs the monument on behalf of Paris city authorities.

It is set to seek additional government aid and a fresh 60-million-euro ($70m) cash injection to stay afloat, having seen its revenues fall by 75 percent to 25 million euros ($29m) in 2020.

Visitors enjoy the view from top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Friday, July 16, 2021. Photo: AP

The masterpiece by architect Gustave Eiffel has also been hit by problems linked to its latest paint job, the 20th time it has been repainted since its construction in 1889.

Work was halted in February because of high levels of lead detected on the site, which poses a health risk to labourers.

Tests are continuing and painting is set to resume only in the autumn, meaning a part of the façade is obscured by scaffolding and safety nets.

France has opened to international tourists this summer, but the rules vary depending on which country they are coming from. While visitors are trickling back to Paris, their numbers have been far from normal levels, given continued border restrictions and virus risks./.

France vs Switzerland round of 16 Euro: Preview, prediction, team news, betting tips and odds France is ready for their match against Switzerland in Round of 16 on 29 June at Bucharest, which is an equally strong opponent. In this ...

Portugal vs France: Preview, prediction, team news, betting tips and odds Portugal and France wil face each other on Wednesday night at Budapest, Hungary. In this article, we update preview, prediction, team news, betting tips and ...

Memories of President Ho Chi Minh preserved in heart of France 110 years after his arrival in France, the memories of Ho Chi Minh live on