People will also be able to visit family members in retirement homes, which have been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Restaurants, hotels and cafés were allowed to reopen in many parts of France earlier this month - provided distancing rules are observed.

Mr Macron confirmed that from Monday this would also happen in the Paris region, which recorded the highest number of cases in the country.

He also said that schools would reopen from 22 June - except for high schools.

More than 29,400 people have died of coronavirus in France, and the country has had almost 194,000 confirmed cases - although the number of new cases has slowed markedly in recent days.

President Macron first imposed a strict lockdown on 17 March. These remained in place until 11 May, when the country began to cautiously ease restrictions.

His latest announcement marks the most significant lifting of restrictions since lockdown began.