In France under lockdown - AMA

[MickeyMouae199]

I'm currently under lockdown in France in a relatively big city. The measures came into effect at 12pm today and will last for at least two weeks... Feel free to ask any questions !

We are in the Alps in the major town for skiing & mountaineering and it sounds like a Sunday morning out there. We went for a walk to the bigger of the small supermarkets and chatted to a friend on her bike. She has lost her job as she was on a CDD contract and the shop had to close, but she is just going to spend her time hiking & cycling (alone). The gendarmes drove past us and just stared gloomily ahead (as usual). There were a few people queuing outside the supermarket as they were only letting a certain amount in and doing one in, one out... We went back to our very closest supermarket which is very small and eye-wateringly expensive and bought loo roll, fresh bread, milk, oranges, ham and chocolate :) No queue at all. Cashier used her hand gel after she served us as she has to take the basket from us after and handle our shopping. Still as nice as ever.
We packed our ski gear away and put it in our van and while we were in our carpark, which is next to the public car park, another friend who drives for a transfer company (they collect at Geneva Airport and bring them to their apartments/hotels) pulled up as he was collecting some visitors. He had been across the border to Geneva already that morning and it had taken over four hours to cross with all the passports being checked. Later on on FB, it seems the queue had disappeared as all the workers and people desperate to get to the airport early had all been through.
Our apartment is in the pedestrianised city centre and we can hear people passing occasionally. We don't really know whether to stay or go. The van is filled up with fuel and I did a 'big' shop in the lovely Lidl about 15 miles away - just in case we got ill and needed to cook easy stuff. Another friend who left yesterday handed me some British bacon and some smoked salmon .

Lots of jokes about renting dogs.....but we are allowed to exercise and there are some beautiful walks here - we are surrounded by them - so as long as no one takes the piss, we should be okay. Ski touring is being frowned upon, as if you have an accident, you would be using up medical resources, but one person has been past already with skis. To be fair though, there would be people up in the mountains ski touring before the pronouncement so he could be just returning.

UKs lax approach to the virus

Suprised by this, we are pretty much in line with the rest of Europe now, other than school closures, and we are a few weeks behind. So in essence have reacted sooner? No?

What was it like in between the announcement and when it started? Did the supermarkets go mad? Anyone get angry?

Do you know anyone who has it? Are they testing or is it just going off symptoms?

I went out for some supplies yesterday, when the rumours were already circulating. No panic. I heard some bigger supermarkets were busy, but even in that case about pre-christmas level, nothing scary. I think most people were expecting it, based on what has been happening in Italy and Spain.

@Serene12 the mayor isn't going to open the border for your brother in law. He isn't special ffs. Border closed mean it's closed

Because here in Italy our first stage lockdown was like yours, but has now been made more restrictive still because of Muppets thinking they could meet their mates "for a bit of fresh air" and take their kids to the park "to let off Steam"

In a funny way that is refreshing to hear. So many people have been saying that only the English will be so bloody minded and that the Italians and French are well behaved.

Thanks @crapette. A lovely fresh baguette or gros pain is wonderful for morale when you're mostly cooped up in the house. I miss that now I'm in the UK!

@swishthecat
Plumbers and electrician artisans are allowed to work.

I'm also in rural France. I've been using Cned.fr with my primary school kid which gives a 4 week programme (I think it is designed for homeschoolers) and my secondary school son is getting lots of homework and assignments via google classrooms. Libraries also offering lots of digital resources. Parents are even swopping books for the reading rally via WhatsApp and letterboxes. Internet a little wobbly here and there but ok so far.

I was very relieved when they closed the schools - we don't expect to be back before end April, possibly not before end of school year.

I do expect to be able to walk to the boulangerie every day for my baguette and there's not too much panic around food so far other than the pasta and toilet roll aisles.

There is unemployment assistance available for those who can't get to work, including the self employed. The schools are staying open for health and essential services staff. You can go for exercise on your own, near your house but I guess if people take the piss we won't even be able to do that.

We had decided as a family to self isolate from Monday any way so the confinement is not a too awkward: we both work from home so easy to set up. It's devastating for the service sector around here but there is govt. aid and a willingness to help. I'm seeing a huge amount of community spirit online in Ireland too: please focus on building positive communities rather than panicking. It is hard knowing we won't get to see elderly parents for the forseeable future and can do nothing to help them but they have also been under voluntary house arrest for the last week.

My extended family is in Ireland and we are astounded the schools are still open in the UK and at the lack of preparation and leadership and apparent belief that British scientists know more than the WHO about dealing with pandemics. My parents are pleading with family members in London to take their kids out of school: other family members have already done so. I would urge you all to mentally prepare that this will also be your reality by this time next week. There is no way GB is going to escape its health service being brought to its knees and all we can do is try to and alleviate the rate to help the most vulnerable.

We are in small town France where it's so quiet you'd think a neutron bomb had gone off.

DD18 in Paris, said streets were already quiet this morning ahead of lockdown.

Do you feel ok?

I hope you don’t feel panicked or afraid. I’m sure this will be ok, eventually.

Are you still getting deliveries from
Places like amazon etc or is it pared back to essentials only?

deliveries working fine

I’m in central Paris. Streets are deserted - everyone is being very well behaved so far. Nipped out for some shopping before the lockdown started at midday - everyone was calmly queuing. No panic buying. I think if you know the shops are being restocked there’s no need to over-buy.

@DennisReynoldsDuster i was going to ask the same thing, I want to stock up on craft stuff/lego etc before school shuts so that's a relief.

I'm sending a link to this thread to DH because he thinks he'll be able to pop out to drop something at his parent's house

Can I ask how healthcare staff are managing to work with the schools being closed? Who is watching their children? This is my biggest worry

The schools are open for children of healthcare workers (with size classes restrictions. Our local primary (100 pupils ) and secondary (800) are open for them, from 8-6 with canteen service.

@usuallydormant thanks for replying, maybe just maybe the U.K. may go for this approach also

The schools are open for children of healthcare workers (with size classes restrictions. Our local primary (100 pupils ) and secondary (800) are open for them, from 8-6 with canteen service.

That’s an excellent idea. We can’t have those on the front line, being left without childcare, though I know that’s not what school is supposed to be.

That’s an excellent idea. We can’t have those on the front line, being left without childcare, though I know that’s not what school is supposed to be

I don’t think of school as childcare any other time and my children go to a childminders one the holidays but she has young children herself and may decide to follow the schools

I think Macron was right last night to say we are at war against this virus. We have to change the way we live for a bit.

Hi op, What about dental appointments and emergencies?

Thanks for all this detail- is it on government websites or something?

I think the problem here is they haven’t defined what is/isn’t essential...

@Pogmella

Yes, there is an up-to-date government website and I got a text with a link to it this morning.

Some useful FB groups in English have been set up (although I had to leave the group as the levels of stupidity were terrifyingly high)

@Charlottejbt don't tell anyone, but I am not really a fan of French bread I was getting a baguette for Monsieur Crapette. Our local bakery had a new oven put in a couple of weeks ago - I was hoping that would reduce the number of burnt croissants they produce, but they seemed even worse this morning