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It鈥檚 a grand day for the French. Cafe and restaurant terraces reopened Wednesday after a six-month coronavirus shutdown deprived residents of the essence of French life 鈥� enjoying a latte or croissant at a sidewalk cafe with friends.

The French government is lifting restrictions incrementally to stave off a resurgence of COVID-19 and to give citizens back some of their signature 鈥渏oie de vivre.鈥� As part of the plan鈥檚 first stage, France鈥檚 7 p.m. nightly curfew was pushed back to 9 p.m., and museums, theaters, and cinemas reopened along with outdoor cafe terraces.

President Emmanuel Macron, among the first to take a seat at a cafe terrace, was seen chatting with customers and with Prime Minister Jean Castex, projecting a mood of measured optimism.

鈥淟et鈥檚 get used to try and live together,鈥� Mr. Macron told reporters at the cafe. 鈥淚f we manage to ... have a common discipline as citizens, there鈥檚 no reason why we can鈥檛 continue moving forward.鈥�

Mr. Castex planned to attend a cinema later Wednesday. Actress Emmanuel Beart, meanwhile, went to a movie theater opening in Paris where her latest film 鈥淟鈥橢treinte鈥� (鈥淭he Embrace鈥�) was showing 鈥� among the scores of movies produced during the shutdown.

France is not the first European country to start getting back a semblance of social and cultural life. Italy, Belgium, Hungary, and other nations already have started allowing outdoor dining, while drinking and eating indoors began Monday in Britain鈥檚 pubs.

Eateries in France have been closed since the end of October, the longest time of any European country except Poland, where bars and restaurants reopened Saturday for outdoor service after being closed for seven months.

French cafe and restaurant owners spent days preparing for Wednesday鈥檚 milestone, despite the rainy weather.

Still, the government has put limits on how much fun can be had. Restaurants can fill only 50% of their outdoor seating areas and put no more than six people at a table. Movie theaters can only seat 35% of capacity, while museums must restrict entries to give more space between visitors.

Starting June 9, the French government plans to extend the curfew until 11 p.m. and to permit indoor dining. Also on that date, France will begin to welcome tourists from non-EU destinations provided they have some sort of coronavirus passport or health pass. The final phase of the three-stage reopening plan is scheduled for June 30, when the curfew will end and all other restrictions will be lifted, if pandemic conditions allow.

Mr. Macron鈥檚 plan to bring France out of the pandemic isn鈥檛 just about resuscitating long-closed restaurants, boutiques, and museums, but also about preparing his possible campaign for a second term. Before next year鈥檚 presidential election, Mr. Macron is focusing on saving jobs and reviving the pandemic-battered French economy.

France has recorded more than 108,000 deaths due to COVID-19, among the highest tolls in Europe. But virus deaths, admissions to critical care units, and the coronavirus infection rate are now on the decline.

Dr. Michel Slama, chief of the Intensive Care Unit at Amiens Hospital, said his stance, like Mr. Macron鈥檚, was 鈥渙ptimistic but prudent.鈥�

鈥淲e are attentive about the reopening but worried is not the word,鈥� he told The Associated Press. 鈥淭here has been a significant drop in emergency hospital admissions for the virus in France. That鈥檚 good news.鈥�

Tourists waited excitedly as the cordon around the world鈥檚 most visited museum and home of the 鈥淢ona Lisa,鈥� the Louvre, was finally lifted.

鈥淚t means a lot, you know. It means COVID-19 is starting to finish, when it鈥檚 the opening of all museums and public areas,鈥� said visitor Walid Hneini.

Benoit Puez, a Parisian art lover, was more understated but still pleased about France opening up.

鈥淢aybe I didn鈥檛 really miss it, but we are happy it鈥檚 reopening. It鈥檚 a stage,鈥� he said.

This story was reported by The Associated Press. Thomas Adamson reported from Leeds, England.