Coronavirus curfew breakers: controls intensified in France

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has acted on his warning that the curfew in France would be more strictly policed after new measures came into force to combat the spread of coronavirus.

On Sunday following the announcement, border crossings and 743 public places were checked and 62,198 people out after curfew were stopped. As a result, a total of 11,955 people were fined in one day.

So far police in France have already carried out more than 600,000 checks and fined nearly 60,000 people for breaching coronavirus curfew rules, Mr Darmanin said.

"The French should know that after 18:00, they have a greater chance of being checked and ... fined," he warned.

As reported, authorities have so far held off imposing a third lockdown, but new measures have come into force, including stricter curfew checks and enforced non-essential store closures.

As well as increased checks on people out after curfew, almost 400 establishments have been fined for failure to maintain sanitary measures, Mr Darmanin said.

Border checks, requiring the vast majority of people to present the results of a negative PCR coronavirus test before they can enter France, also came into effect over the weekend. Authorities said that customs or border police could refuse entry to those without the correct paperwork, and may be able to issue confinement orders requiring people to stay at home.

Read more: The 21 essential reasons non-EU travellers can enter France