France has been under a second nationwide lockdown since October 30 and there are some differences this time around. How’s it going and what are the France lockdown rules? How have I personally been coping with it? Let’s talk.
What the France lockdown is like this time around
Credit: Shutterstock.com/shocky
First, let’s start with the facts. For your reference, the French government website has everything you need to know, so please default to that for an up-to-date official resource that is more complete than what I’m covering in this post.
In an effort to minimize the spread of the virus, many of you are aware of the restrictions that have been put in place to limit the public’s movement and contact between people until December 1, 2020.
Restaurants and bars are closed nationwide. Non-essential shops are closed, including gyms, cinemas, and salons. Parks, though, remain open.
All schools from kindergarten to high school have remained open during this France lockdown. Masks are required for all children over the age of 6.
When we leave our homes for one of the official reasons (more on that below), we need a special form (paper or digital on our phone) each time that has our name, address, reason for being out, and the time of day — just like the first lockdown. A mask is required everywhere, even outdoors.
Currently, the France lockdown rules are as follows.
Bakeries remain open during the France lockdown.
What we CAN do during the France lockdown:
-Go to work and university classes and bring children to/from school (working from home is encouraged wherever possible).
-Go out for essential purchases such as groceries, including the bakery, which is considered essential.
-Attend important medical appointments that can’t be done over video conference and to purchase medication at the pharmacy.
–Assist an elderly family member, a handicapped person, or leave your home for childcare reasons.
-Get out for fresh air, exercise, or to walk a pet for a maximum of 1 hour per day no more than 1 km from the home.
-Go to a court appearance or administrative appointment.
-Participate in a mission of general interest upon request from an administrative authority (no idea what this is exactly but it’s one of the official reasons we can be out).
Other than the specific reasons above, we’re expected to stay home.
Credit: Shutterstock.com/Robert Sarnowski
What we CANNOT do during the France lockdown:
-Go to a friend or family member’s house to visit and socialize (even within the 1-km limit)
-Eat at a restaurant
–Shop at a store
-Grab a drink at a bar or a coffee at a café
–Hang out at the park or walk around town all afternoon
-Go out for a scenic drive.
–Travel between different parts of France for leisure
-Exercise or walk with people during that 1 hour of daily outdoor time who are not a part of your household.
Paris. Credit: Shutterstock.com/WorldPictures
How is the France lockdown going in practice?
Out where I live in the Maine-et-Loire, so not Paris or a big city, there’s been very little enforcement of the rules by the police. It feels like Lockdown Lite in a way. Last lockdown, I saw sporadic police checks when out with my dog, but this time around I haven’t seen a single one. Lots of people are out and about on the street — maybe for legit reasons and respectful of the 1-hour limit and maybe not. If I didn’t know we were under lockdown, I’d have no idea by looking at the amount of people and cars out on the road.
Without any type of enforcement of the rules, they’re there for people to abuse. I’ve also seen people out and about in public without any mask at all. I feel like there would be more adherence if people saw there were consequences for ignoring the rules.
Speaking of consequences, the fine is 135 € for non-compliance and that fine is even higher for repeat offenders. That said, I haven’t seen or heard of anyone local being fined. Are the rules being strictly enforced where you live?
President Macron said in his speech to the nation a couple of weeks ago that the government would reassess the France lockdown measures mid-month, so last night Prime Minister Jean Castex addressed the nation. Restrictions will be staying in place as-is until December 1, 2020. According to the WHO, new coronavirus cases in France are continuing to rise with nearly 42,000 people dead since this all started, so it’s clear why the stringent measures are staying in place.
My family room where I cozy up on the couch with twinkle lights. The lighting makes me feel good.
How is the lockdown going personally?
We are OK. Tom can’t work from home so he’s been going to work daily since the second France lockdown began. He has his own office and can shut the door, so it’s relatively safe. Some of his co-workers’ kids currently have the virus so their parents are quarantining.
We’ve been coping by ordering a lot of takeout from local restaurants that are trying to hang on financially. Many have adapted by offering special weekly menus, including an excellent gastronomic restaurant nearby where you can order via FB or email and then pick up your food in the evening. I never feel like cooking and that feeling has been amplified even more lately.
My daily routine is more or less the same and Dagny delights in her walks to the park, completely unaware that anything has changed. Ahhh, a dog’s life.
With everything going on, I’ve felt major physical anxiety nearly daily, at least for part of the day. Distractions help. It’s not just the pandemic. It’s the pandemic starting you out on a foundation of stress and everything else going on in life building on top of that already cracked foundation.
I feel like I can’t breathe in quite deeply enough, like I need to stretch my lungs. Then there’s the pressure and discomfort in the center of my chest which is like an annoying friend who you just can’t get a break from. I’ve never been an anxious person and mentally I feel fine most of the time, but the body often does its own thing. I cling to my workout routine now more than ever to maintain a sense of normalcy and get that endorphin rush. I’m lucky I enjoy working out at home and am motivated to do it. Yay Peloton.
Cozy is the name of the game for me, even more than usual, and I take comfort in soft blankets and socks, dim lighting, and twinkle lights. Self-care is a priority and will be for a while. I feel like we’ve all lost time and I know it’s fall, but at the same time, it’s shocking that it’s fall.
Where has this year gone? How can we best use our time in lockdown?
A sign of fall. Where has this year gone?
For those of us who live abroad, the holidays can be particularly difficult especially if we’re not able to see friends and family. This year, it’s a sad reality for many of us. While of course things could be worse and I’m extremely grateful that I have a loving spouse, family and friends just a Facetime tap away, food to eat, and a roof over my head, it’s really hard to grapple with the fact that the holiday period will be more difficult than usual this year.
We won’t be able to have the special Thanksgiving meal we’d planned on with my in-laws who live 45 minutes away, something I was looking forward to given the fact we aren’t going to Florida this year.
So yes, it could be worse — I don’t live in a war zone — but at the same time, whatever you’re feeling is valid and OK. We don’t need to push our feelings aside just because other people have it worse. It’s normal to be sad and frustrated with the state of the world right now. It’s OK to be emotional. Your feelings are yours and they are valid, whatever they are. Be kind to yourself.
We don't need to push our feelings aside just because other people have it worse. It's normal to be sad and frustrated with the state of the world right now. It's OK to be emotional. Your feelings are yours and they are valid, whatever they are.Click To TweetRegarding the state of the lockdown, I think we all need to do our part to abide by the rules so this virus can get under control. I have been respecting what the government has asked of us even if it’s annoying and inconvenient at times. The truth here is the sooner we can get back to normal, the better off we’ll all collectively be.
Regardless of your political stance or views on the virus or masks, I think we can all agree on the fact that we don’t want to be sick ourselves or see our loved ones suffer from illness, financial issues, stress, or anything else this pandemic has caused. No one wants to feel fearful or angry and we want the global economy to flourish. We are all on the same team here.
Here’s to hoping we get there together sooner rather than later…
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How are you coping with the France lockdown?
On a positive note, head over to this post to read about the pandemic’s silver lining for some of my readers.
PIN MY FRANCE LOCKDOWN POST:
“It’s the pandemic starting you out on a foundation of stress and everything else going on in life building on top of that already cracked foundation.”
“We don’t need to push our feelings aside just because other people have it worse.”
Yes yes and yes, this. Thank you for putting words on exactly the way I’ve been feeling. It’ll probably be almost 2 years without seeing family or friends back home, worrying about the election, distance and then in-person teaching during all this with crazy demanding parents and a student on the spectrum being given no support, being an introvert with zero time to recharge at home because my husband is working from home, parenting a preschooler during lockdown, my cat died unexpectedly at only 7 yo, my car is going to cost 1000€ to fix, no dance classes that I really enjoy, all while feeling horribly guilty complaining knowing others are truly suffering while my family and I still have our health and our jobs. I try to stay positive and keep pushing through but it’s gotten really hard. Bon courage to you and your husband. Fingers crossed for a healthier and happier 2021.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment, Laura. I’m so sorry for everything this year has thrown at you, especially the loss of your cat. All of that is so hard. Hang in there and let’s hope 2021 is better on all fronts!
This is the perfect outline to send to my friends and family when they ask what lockdown is like in France. My husband and I moved from Canada to southern France in August for his work so this is our first experience with France’s lockdown orders. It’s considerably more intense than Canada and my husband has seen multiple checks on daily commute. I was just starting to feel like I was getting into a good groove before lockdown. I am so fortunate for our health, roof over our head and food on the table and find myself giving a PR response when asked how I’m doing, “I’m good”. If I didn’t have a workout routine, and like you thank god for my Peloton, I wouldn’t have any motivation to get out of bed during the day. Living abroad during a pandemic is hard and very isolating. Thank you for your truth and honest words about how you’re feeling. I couldn’t agree more with your description. Hang in there!
Thank you Diane for the reminder that we need to acknowledge our feelings even though we know that some people are worse off.I don’t have any problems sticking to the rules . I am not one for going out a lot so quite happy to be a homebody for a while and my husband has a chronic health problem so we’re extra careful .I try and find the positives daily and living in the French countryside with a large garden helps us to cope . I love hiking but as we’re only allowed 1 hour I am doing a daily walk instead and practising my yoga. I so miss the impromptu apéro or cafè with our friends but as you say not being able to celebrate the festivities with family is the worst. We’ll have to settle for a virtual one.I was in the UK for Xmas in 2019 with all my grown up children who still live there. I can’t believe it’s a year since we were together. I keep stressing out that if something happens we are not able to go or even worse they cannot come here .but I am cheering myself up by putting up all the Xmas lights to make the evenings extra cosy. I am preparing some edible gifts for Xmas presents and making loads of Xmas cards and Xmas boxes for family and friends all the while enjoying some vin chaud. Hoping things will get better. Wishing you great health and stay safe
My village is small so I have seen any police either this time or with the first lockdown. I do wish we could order takeaway, but the only restaurant closed-and is usually closed for the season. I cook Monday-Friday and my husband cooks on the weekends. We shop once a week at a hypermarché and I will go to my local grocery and fresh market-on Fridays-for fresh fruit. My boulangerie is open Tuesday-Sunday.
I have to say routine is what helps me the most. I have certain days of the week that I do certain tasks, I exercise 6 mornings a week, planning the menu-these things all help me to feel better.
I will miss having a big Thanksgiving dinner. We hosted a potluck Thanksgiving for 2 years when we lived in Rennes. Our last one had 37 people in our little apartment! When we bought our home in February, we talked about being able to have new friends and neighbors over and how fun that would be.
I have noticed more locals taking advantage of the 1 km walking time. Last Sunday, 2 couples who are friends walked by our house and we chatted through the window. It really brightened my day and both said they will be back on Sunday again.
Stay safe and healthy.
Lots of love from Gensac.
All good comments. Especially that it’s OK to feel whatever one is feeling and that it is normal to have a wide range of emotions. Lockdown in Chicagoland is to start again this Monday and we will also miss Thanksgiving and probably Christmas with the family. That will be sad. But I keep reminding myself that it is essential to do this if we are all to be together again in the future and this helps. BTW, you touched on this, but I know several writers who have already taken this time to write a new novel and are even starting a second! I guess we have the advantage of slipping into other worlds when we want to.
Interesting post, thank you. We sometime find ourselves confused about which box to tick for going out. As an example, we are legal representatives for friends in Oregon, who bought a house in our area, sight unseen, just as the confinement began, not thinking it would go on and on. Right before this second confinement, we submitted plans for a gate for their property. Plans must be approved by an architect, as the house is less than 100 meters from a 12th century church. We are waiting for a letter recognizing that the plans have been received. So off we went today, to check the mailbox—knowing we may have to explain ourselves to Les Gendarmes. Fortunately, we saw none. I’ve noticed that I am anxious on the inside, and swallowing seems difficult at times. Maybe we are struggling with the reality that confinement might happen again and again….I enjoy reading the ways you are all coping, and will check out peloton. Currently having a weekly zoom meeting with a personal trainer. Its fun! Bon Courage, all!
>So off we went today, to check the mailbox—knowing we may have to explain ourselves to Les Gendarmes.
I suspect the French police have better things to do than follow-up on the massive French administrative-pleasure for making life a paper-mess.
Here’s my favorite phrase, that I say in English when necessary! “Oh really, you were expecting that document from me. Sorry, but I don’t read French!” (But, I do!)
France is nearly famous for its administrative-mess that each new president in the function likes to show how well they can contribute to it.
It’s a “feature” of the country that started – some say – with Napoleon. Yes, it’s that old and that dreary …
I don’t envy French right now as stay-at-home orders feel so very wrong to me for many, many reasons. I’m not a COVID conspiracy theorist though, I believe in masks, hygiene and several measures but not lockdowns because they don’t seem to be very effective.
My family is directly affected and they are really sick of it. My mum has to go to work (teaching) so it basically makes her life harder while potentially exposing her, which pretty much defies the purpose.
So many places are in lockdown, even here in Aussie Land and me well on Monday 16th I get to go out shopping for Christmas presents, I have not been shopping since March
In my case, being put on one of the longest lockdowns in the history of Covid and despite the fact that I am very introverted and a home buddy, I felt like a prisoner in my own home. I used to love staying home before but after I was put on a WFH arrangement since March and the only time I really can go out was when I needed to buy essentials, I somehow become very anxious and stressed if I can’t see outdoors.
Quarantine levels had eased for most part of my country since September but wearing masks and face shield plus bringing along a quarantine pass is still mandatory. Groceries and supermarkets are scheduled basis, based on your registered place of residence.
Unfortunately, our cases have started to go up again and the government will start to re-enforce border controls which will again makes it very difficult for everyone to cross places, unless you have valid reasons to do so or that you have the required documents.
The pandemic brought us a lot of realizations and one that people really miss is the freedom we used to have before.
I hope we can all go back to our old lives again. In the meantime, please hang in there. Please stay safe everyone. ❤️
Maricel, Cebu Philippines
>In my case, being put on one of the longest lockdowns in the history of Covid and despite the fact that I am very introverted and a home buddy, I felt like a prisoner
Get used to it. Because this type of pandemic is not going away as quickly as we would like. Presently, it is making its third “comeback”.
There will be others that follow the med-scientists are saying – but whether they are as deadly or not is highly debatable. We started preventive Covid-medication with the “oldies” and now we are down to the teens.
Time will tell how this will finish – if it ever finishes …
Here in Canada, the numbers are going up, while covidiots continue to hold parties that bring together hundreds of people. Yes, you read that right, HUNDREDS. This is, of course, illegal. The police arrive, break up the parties, and perhaps, perhaps, the home owner gets a “slap on the wrist” fine. It’s disgusting. I live in a large city, and the bars and restaurants are closed, except for patios. But it’s getting cold and a lot of restaurants are offering service on covered patios which, in my opinion, are not safe. We occasionally do take out, picking up the food at the restaurant, so we’re in and out in a few minutes. At least people do wear masks in stores. There is an anti-mask movement, but it’s pretty small. People are generally very good about masks and social distancing. I live in
a quiet neighbourhood and walk about 5 kilometres a day. It’s still really nice. I don’t wear a mask while walking because it’s easy to socially distance, but when I walk on a busy street, the mask goes on.
Up until yesterday, I was leading a very quiet life. I work freelance, and do two kinds of work. The “at home” part of my work just brings in pin money. It’s the “outside” work that has provided me with a good living for many years. Now, most of that work has gone on-line, which I have found very stressful. I have my first on-line gig next Tuesday. This week, I worked in a hybrid setting for the first time. I had to go to a studio, and there were other people there. Most were wearing masks all the time, some were taking them on and off. I was, for the most part, in any enclosed area, with no one else sharing my space. That said, I wore my mask ALL THE TIME. Was it safe? Well, not as safe as staying at home, but hopefully not too dangerous. I took all the precautions I could. I have to admit, it felt good to be working and earning my keep. I am lucky to have a partner who has a steady income, and is working from home right now. He will continue to do so until Aug. 1, 2021. After that, we’ll see. At least he has his own office with a door, like your husband.
Keep on keeping on, Diane. Life is indeed very stressful for all of us, even those of us who have everything we need. I’m only starting to feel less stressed, and I admit, it comes from having gone out to work a bit. I don’t want to go out a lot, but boy, it’s made a difference to my mental health. If there’s a total shutdown again and I can’t go out, I think I’ll take it better than when the world turned upside down last March.
I do miss one of my kids who lives about 600 kilometres from us. On Dec. 25, it’ll be a year since we’ve seen him. I think we’ll be lucky to see him, even in 2021. Thank goodness for zoom and facetime.
Bon courage, mon amie. On va y arriver !