Yes, really.

As we highlighted yesterday, footage showed uniformed French police patrolling cafes and restaurants demanding proof of vaccination.

Those unable or unwilling to show their papers face massive fines, while business owners could even go to prison if they refuse to enforce the system.

However, the new program may end up putting a lot of people out of business given the multitude of images that showed normally busy cafes and restaurants all but empty.

Ignoring the threat of legal action, half of the establishments canvassed by Reuters said they were refusing to enforce the checks.

Despite the fact that the French haven't experienced such an intense 'papers please' society since the Nazi occupation, President Macron insisted that vaccine passports were about protecting people's "freedom".

"It's about citizenship. Freedom only exists if the freedom of everyone is protected," Macron said, adding, "it's worth nothing if by exercising our freedom we contaminate our brother, neighbor, friend, parents, or someone we have come across at an event, Then freedom becomes irresponsibility."