Paris, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon Trade Nightlife for Sleep: The French Curfew Conundrum

Paris, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon have swapped nightlife for quiet as curfews were imposed to quell unrest.

The police rolled out nighttime curfews across these cities on Tuesday, a move the government says helped keep the peace overnight.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu told reporters the curfews were a "calming" measure and hinted that further restrictions could be imposed on Tuesday evening if the streets remained noisy.

During the curfew hours, the boulevards resembled a sleepy suburb – bicycles, scooters and the occasional stray cat were the only things seen roaming the streets.

According to the official line, the curfew "helped keep the peace overnight," a claim the prime minister repeated while emphasizing that any additional curfews would be decided where necessary.

The policy has sparked conversation in cafés about whether the government is solving the problem or simply silencing the night.