Last Updated on September 1, 2023
Beginning in July 2020, the rules around where to wear masks in France have become increasingly complex and strict. In a bid to curb transmission of Covid-19 and avoid a dreaded “second wave”, French officials have passed emergency measures requiring everyone except young children to sport masks or cloth face coverings– in both indoor and outdoor settings.
This is true whether you’re a resident or a visitor. And beware: the fines for failing to comply are steeper than you probably think they are.
{Read related: Is Paris Safe, & Can I Travel to France Now?}
Confused about where you’ll need to wear a mask in Paris, and how to tell when you might be approaching such a place? Keep reading for all the latest details, plus a clickable map of Paris streets, markets, riverbanks, and squares where mask-wearing is currently required by law.
Indoor Spaces Where Masks Are Required in France
Until further notice, you must wear a mask or proper cloth face covering (not a scarf or bandana) in the vast majority of indoor places and public spaces in France, including in the capital:
—Museums and galleries, such as the Musée du Louvre, Centre George Pompidou, and the Musée d’Orsay, as well as smaller museums and exhibition spaces. You must keep your mask on in all areas, including lobbies, toilets, and gift shops.
Exceptions are usually made for onsite cafés and restaurants, but keep your mask on when you’re not at the table eating or drinking, or when your order is being taken.
–Indoor exhibition areas at popular monuments
—Shops, supermarkets, malls, shopping centers, and other indoor retail areas : Make sure to put your face covering on before entering the shop, and keep it on until you leave.
–Theatres, cinemas, and semi-enclosed “arcades” or covered markets
—Tourist information centers, airports, train stations, car rental offices, convention centers, and other indoor places of business or leisure
–Bakeries, take-out restaurants, and other indoor food retailers
—Common areas in restaurants, bars, and cafes (the bar, public toilets, and anywhere outside your table. Wear a mask as much as possible when ordering and when interacting with your server, too.
—Public libraries, government offices, and other indoor areas open to the general public and not covered above
Where Do I Have to Wear a Mask Outdoors in Paris?
As of late August 2020, you are required to wear a mask or face covering whenever you venture outside of home or your private accommodations in Paris and the surrounding suburbs.
While the rules initially only applied to certain crowded streets (see below), the Paris city government decided to extend the requirement after the capital saw a strong and worrying uptick in Covid-19 cases starting in August.
The bottom line is that you must now wear a mask at all times when outdoors (except when eating or drinking). This includes all pedestrian paths along the banks of the Seine River and the Canal Saint-Martin. The rules for picnics is currently unclear, however.
Signs like the one below are prominently displayed in outdoor (and in some cases, indoor) areas where you’ll need to sport one, so look out for them. The notices read “Port du masque obligatoire” (Wearing a mask is obligatory).
(Editor’s Note: Since regulations around masks are changing rapidly, we are maintaining the map below that showed crowded zones initially covered by the new rules. However, as of late August, as detailed above, masks are now required in all public spaces outdoors in Paris and its surrrounding suburbs. Check back here for updates as the situation evolves).
The new measures apply to the following streets in each district and arrondissement of Paris shown on the map below (and listed on the side panel when you click on the arrow icon at top left). Some of the places concerned by the mask regulations may not appear on the map, but we will work to keep it as up-to-date as possible as areas and zones are added or removed.
Please note that only pedestrians are required to wear a mask outdoors. Cyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers or passengers in cars are exempt. However, you must wear a mask if you’re running or jogging in public.
Where Do I Need to Wear a Mask Outdoors Elsewhere in France?
To see information on mask ordinances and requirements in other cities around France, including Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Lille, see this page.
How Much Can You Be Fined for Not Wearing a Mask?
This brings me to the next point, which is that you can be fined for not complying with rules and regulations surrounding masks.
This now applies to the global requirement to wear a face covering in all indoor public spaces in France, and to the more recently introduced rules for certain outdoor places (see section above).
The current maximum fine that may be applied if you fail to don a mask or face covering in required settings is €135. Some police officers may first offer a warning, but it’s best not to count on it.
Who’s Exempt From Wearing Masks in France?
Currently, only children under the age of 11 are exempt from wearing masks in the places and settings detailed above. Some with health conditions such as asthma and respiratory disorders, as well as people who have or assist those with hearing disabilities, have (understandably) wondered whether plastic shields or visors are acceptable alternatives.
For the time being, however, France’s public health authority doesn’t permit the use of visors instead of masks.
Why is this the case? They argue that visors don’t adequately protect others from viral particles and aerosols that may escape from around the sides of the mouth.
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Courtney Traub is the Founder and Editor of Paris Unlocked. She’s a longtime Paris resident who now divides her time (as well as she can manage) between the French capital and Norwich, UK. Co-author of the 2012 Michelin Green Guide to Northern France & the Paris Region, she has written and reported stories for media outlets including Radio France Internationale, Reed Business Information, WWD, and The Associated Press. She has also been interviewed as an expert on Paris and France by the BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Le Figaro, Matador Network and other publications. In addition to pursuing an insatiable interest in French culture, history, food and art, Courtney is a scholar of literature and cultural history whose essays and reviews have appeared in various forums.
Excellent article. Great website too!