Under lockdown in France, AMA (need entertainment!)

[mamansnet]

It's been 11 hours. 14 days to go

What’s your favourite food? When I’m over I love the cucumber salad stuff from Leclerc - it’s in a runny crème fraîche stuff.

Are you British, French or other?

Have you sung from your balcony yet?

Are you alone? Do you have enough wine?

@BabbleBee too many to list!

I'm fucking pregnant so I can't even crack open the wine to pass the time 😭😭😭

@TheSpottedZebra British born but been over here/married so long now that I've got French nationality via DH.

@FredaFrogspawn Not planning on it but my Facebook tells me some people have started applauding healthcare workers from their balconies at 8pm every night. Nobody would hear me if I bothered trying!

So, if we could all go out and about and the supermarkets were stocked, and we were visiting, what:

• 3 things would you insist that we bought you over from uk
• 3 things would you suggest we stocked up on in France to take home

Panic buying has only just started over here. I did a big shop as soon as Italy got locked down last week as I thought we wouldn't be far behind, but everything was readily available and the bloke at Click and Collect looked at me like I was daft.

Did a shop for fresh stuff on Saturday and my local supermarket was out of tinned foods and toilet roll. DH got some bits yesterday from the superstore and said the queue for the tills was an hour and a half.

I got back from a trip to the UK about three weeks ago and brought back my own body weight in crisis and chocolate that I can't get here. So for my 3 UK items I'd say (in no order of preference)

• multipacks of Mini Cheddars, Monster Munch And Wotsits
• giant bars of Galaxy and some mini eggs
• nappies and formula , because they cost a fraction in the UK of what they cost over here!

French items: several boxes of decent wine, enough baguettes to fill a chest freezer and my new French passport so I can get back and forth.

Are croissants being delivered in brown paper bags early in the morning if you call the bakery ?

Bakeries, along with supermarkets, pharmacies and tobacco shops () have been deemed essential so are staying open. We stocked up yesterday so haven't yet seen if they're reducing hours yet, although driving past earlier it looked like people were only allowed in one at a time.

I've heard horror stories of staff still handling cash and baguettes without washing their hands though 🤢

Op without even thinking about it I've read your opening post to the tune of nothing compared to you thank you for making me smile tonight

Bonsoir OP.
I am learning french, have you got any useful phrases I can learn to impress my classmates or any top tips for learning the language? Also any podcasts or youtube channels you can recommend for practising my listening skills. Merci beaucoup.

@TiptopJ

#Since Macron took freedom away
I go out every night and sleep all day
But now the pubs and clubs are all closed
Ah ahh ah ah ahhhhh#

But nothing compares to flu

Wotsits! I somehow wasnt expecting that. Monster Munch though-bien sur.

God I'd love a good baguette right now. I need to brave a shop tomorrow. I guess I should treasure that (going to a shop when I wish, without a form or appointment) while I can.

@Dylanpickle well done you! I learned French at school and uni about 20 years ago but things really clicked into place for me when I got my head around tenses and learned the relevant verbs off by heart.

That and total immersion. My French was pretty fluent before I met DH but now it's even better. It's when you start using proper slang (especially verlan) that you feel you're doing well. The french are really amused to hear it said with a foreign accent!

For example:

C'est naze - that's rubbish
Une meuf or une nana- a girl
Je m'embâts les couilles - I couldn't give a shit (literally 'I'm circling my balls'. Very funny when said by a foreign female).

HTH!

Be honest - do you like ANY modern French music? Apart from Christine and the queens.

Be honest - do you like ANY modern French music? Apart from Christine and the queens

No. French music is generally shite. Including Johnny Hallyday. But then I come from a country that gave us the Beatles, Queen, David Bowie and Rick Astley, so it's a bit like asking the French to eat Wensleydale cheese.

(I have tried. I love Wensleydale. They looked like I'd offered to vomit in their mouths)

I'd have put Wensleydale on my list but I can get it in M&S over here, hurrah!!!

@TiptopJ

Do you get any sense that things could tip over into civil unrest in France, or are people taking it on the chin? (The TV footage of people queuing round the block for that gun shop in LA was unsettling.)

Great question, @boatyardblues. It's very hard to tell, since the French are hardly known for being the most obedient bunch (Yellow Vests. Need I say more?!).

For all our pisstaking, they go on strike so often because they feel they have a right to have their voices heard - and fair play to them! Far better to tell those in power that you're not happy, rather than getting your head down and just hoping things improve.

This time is different though, which is why it's hard to tell. This isn't just another president imposing arbitrary rules or policies, it's literally life and death. I think most people understand that, having seen what happened in Italy when the lockdown was ignored.

Having said that, a LOT of people decided to escape to their country/family homes outside the cities as soon as the lockdown was announced. I can understand not wanting to be stuck in a small flat when you've got kids, but that's EXACTLY how the virus spread in Spain so quickly. And those pictures of people out sunning themselves on Sunday just showed how badly we needed stricter rules.

So civil unrest perhaps not, if Macron manages to squash the French sombrero. A lot will depend on whether shops (especially tobacconists) manage to keep up the supply chain and how long this lockdown goes on for. In any case, the fine for being out without your paperwork is about €38 (I heard it was 60 GRAND in Spain!!) so a lot of people would rather pay it rather than have their 'rights' impinged. It'll be an interesting one to watch!

Hello! I'm in lockdown in France too so am selfishly going to see if you can answer the questions I can't find answers to, in spite of spending 24 hours reading every piece of info I can lay my hands on.

Can we cross the Schengen border for medical appointments? All my doctors are in Switzerland . I've already missed important treatment on Tuesday. If you don't know, any idea who I can ask? Thinking of trying the Marie tomorrow. I'm not French and have no carte de sejour (been here 16 years though) so am a bit worried about getting back into France if I manage to get out.

Can I leave the house with my husband or only on my own, for permitted activities eg shopping?

Sorry for such boring questions!

Hi @ViveLEntenteCordiale,

I've had a quick look online and found this, which is worth a read:

www.thelocal.ch/20200317/explained-which-border-crossings-are-open-between-geneva-and-france

That said, it doesn't specify crossing the border for medical treatment. The French attestation allows you out for medical reasons, but crossing a border I don't know. The fact you're don't have a French CDS either is a problem I think (I don't either - was due to collect my new carte d'identité tomorrow but no chance!)

In your position, I'd be speaking to your doctors, your mairie, the Swiss authorities and even the British embassy. I'd also give the French embassy in Switzerland a go, explain the nature of your treatment and see if they can arrange an emergency residency/CDS type document that would get you back into France. They might at least know what to do for the best.

Is there a way your doctors can refer you to a French hospital for treatment? With all this uncertainty, I'd be trying to get treatment within French territory, no matter how far. If you risk going to Switzerland (assuming you can get in), you could be stuck there for the 30 days that the borders are closed. That might be worth considering, if you can do it and your treatment requires it. On the other hand, you need to check that they're not cancelling operations, as the UK is doing. Think about printing out a justificatif d'adresse that's less than 3 months old and with your name on, it's not ideal but it could help to prove you have a French address.

Regarding going out with your husband, I'm not sure of the facts but I would say have an attestation each and keep a metre apart. If you need to travel by car, sit with one of you in the back, furthest from the driver. If you have medical reasons that prevent you travelling alone, take some kind of proof. You know how much the French love their paperwork.

Best of luck - happy to do more digging if you need!

Hi @mamansnet thanks so much for your help, and sorry you haven't had any more interesting questions to divert you today! Am reporting back in case you are interested or it helps someone else!

I called my GP's secretary and the Marie today and both said confidently that it's ok to go, using the French form and stating medical reasons. I can put the doctor's name and number on the form if the border people want to check up on me. I will be taking proof of address in case I need it on the way back. I still haven't found any official written info, which I think is a pretty poor state of affairs - there are lots of people in this area with insurance that only covers them in Switzerland, because there are so few specialists/hospital here. So I will be attempting my appointment tomorrow - it's at lunchtime so hopefully the border won't be horrendous, if it is will turn back. My husband is allowed to drive me by filling in the form and ticking the box to say he is aiding a vulnerable family member. I'm going to ask my doctor for a referral letter for France in case repeated visits aren't possible, but my situation is quite complex and I think it would take a long time to get into a pain clinic, for example, and am already being passed between three specialists for one problem . Luckily I have no urgent surgery on the horizon, I don't think I fancy being an inpatient at the moment!

Hope you are coping with the confinement ok.

I've asked Italy the same question...

How does child contact between separated parents work?