Analysis
In his televised address on 16 March 2020, President Emmanuel Macron said France was "in war" against the coronavirus, describing the virus as "invisible, elusive, but advancing." The phrasing in the statement matches the substance of his remarks, though exact wording varies slightly in translation. The core claim that he framed the pandemic as a war with an invisible enemy is verified by the official transcript.
Background
Facing the rapid spread of COVID‑19, Macron announced the first nationwide lockdown in France on 16 March 2020. He employed war imagery to convey the seriousness of the situation and to rally public compliance with health measures. Such language was common among world leaders during the early pandemic response.
Verdict summary
Macron indeed used war metaphors, calling the fight against COVID‑19 a war against an invisible, elusive enemy in his March 2020 lockdown address.