Cafe where 5 died in Paris attacks reopens

La Bonne Biere, a corner cafe in the trendy central Paris district targeted by the gunmen, opened early yesterday morning. Five people died outside the restaurant.

The pavement around the restaurant on Rue du Faubourg du Temple remains bedecked with flowers, candles and messages left by people showing their solidarity and support.

A banner above the entrance reads “Je suis en terrasse” – I am on the terrace – a message of defiance popular among Parisians in the wake of the attacks.

The cafe’s managers say they want to help the neighborhood heal itself after the attack.

Customers turned out Friday at the Bonne Biere cafe, reportedly the first Paris cafe that was attacked to reopen. We have carried out some work, and repainted the walls to wipe away the signs of this nightmare.

Cars pass by and people gather around La Bonne Biere cafe in Paris during its reopening Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. “Getting that going again is our goal today”, said the management, which added that a new terrace seating plan had been implemented “for psychological reasons”.

Since the attacks, like many other Paris locales that were hit by militants, the shuttered cafe had been piled high with flowers in memory of those who were lost, according to the Times of India.

A chalkboard outside the café offered condolences to the victim’s families and thanked the emergency services.

It’s time they open and that we continue life as it was before.

Local residents said they agreed.

Le Petit Cambodge, another restaurant that came under gunfire during the attacks, also will reopen, although it is not known exactly when it will do so.

On Wednesday, two of the Bataclan’s owners said they meant to have reopened the venue by the end of next year. We mustn’t give in to fear, you have to fight.