Ideas on how France will change
 

The podcast "Join us in France" is always interesting to listen to, and I found the hosts' latest show very thought-provoking. They discussed 20 likely changes in French life..

The podcast is 15 min long but seems to be cut off in the middle, so I'll link to the website. You can listen to the podcast from there, but then be sure to check out the website for the parts that were left out.

https://joinusinfrance.com/episode/w...change-france/

Sounds like la bise is dead except for family, and I have to say I would miss that.

I won't miss the Dutch equivalent of la bise - three kisses.
I won't miss shaking hands with everybody either.

In the Netherlands they say that all infectious diseases have dropped since people have stopped kissing and shaking hands and kept to social distancing and hand washing regimes.

Frankly, I believe that things will return as they were before the end of the year if there is not a clear second wave. Some of it will simply be force majeure -- the SNCF cannot run trains at 50% capacity forever. Do people really think that in the future they would remove half of the seats to adapt?

I like your positive, thanks :)

It's up to the consumer to adhere to safety measures when in crowds. The older generation will be much more aware of the COVID than the the younger generation, as the latter suffers much less from the virus. We've seen this already in Switzerland, where the lockdown has been eased and younger people are congregating in masses in pedestrian zones again. With the warm sun kissing our noses and the inate drive for social interaction, you really can't blame them for wanting to meet up again.

I like Annie's #11: "There may be a revitalization of small villages where those who went to hide may decide to stay."

Supposedly a million Parisians headed to the countryside before or during the confinement. One small town I read about got quite a boost to its weekly market, the baker, the butcher, and the pharmacy, but no benefit to the bars. There was originally strong resistance to Parisians coming to the area and possibly overwhelming the tiny local hospital but as it happened this particular area didn't get many cases of covid-19,

The smell of hand sanitizer is beginning to make me nauseous.

And it leaves such an odd filmy kinda gross feeling on your hands too. I think I prefer to wear the thin rubber gloves and use the alcohol gel over them. As the gel is required in certain stores, I cannot avoid it, but hate it on my bare hands.

I am trying to visualize wearing rubber gloves with gel on top and shopping? Is that really required?

I wonder if restaurants will go back to having tables so close together. I have always found that difficult in Europe, and do understand it is about maximum capacity. On the plus side we have had many great conversations with people at the next table if they begin the conversation first, especially when they learn we are Australians. The conversation usually starts off with spider questions, and how far away we are.

Lois - In my closest Franprix, the gloves are not required, but as soon as you enter the store, you are required to clean your hands with the alcoholic gel. There is a security guard there to remind you if you don't notice the very obvious gel station/sign. I'm not sure if all stores require this, but many do.

I use the gloves as an additional type of hand protection. It is self pay at this store and I don't want to touch the screen or the keypad for paying with a CB. Hence the gloves. And the gel does not seem to degrade the gloves; which I kinda thought it would.

I must say it: what with this group be without kerouac's numerous posts - whether they be informative, cheeky, error-correcting, or anything else!

In spite of the fact that kerouac lives on the Right Bank, he is an asset.

I doubt anything of any import will ever change here in St-Cirq. The population of 112 will probably dip in the coming months but not because of COVID but because people are just ancient here. We don't have any commerce, but the nearest towns that do are of course suffering for lack of business. The agriculteurs are already suffering from the spring weather, and the proliferation of palombes and crows and Asian hornets and tiger mosquitoes is threatening this year's crops already, and folks may or may not rebound and may or may not be sufficiently supported by the government. Usually when the farmers whine the government comes through with help, but that's when the government coffers are full, so who knows.

What's happening in Paris is of no consequence here. I guess the good thing is the virus is pretty much of no consequence here, either. We've paid for things by sans-contact for a few years here, so that's not an issue. We can order groceries and use Le Drive to pick them up if we don't want to go into the big grocery store. Small farm producers in the countryside have also set up curbside pick-ups for local produce. You can call your local apiculteur, for example, as we do, and order honey and strawberry wine and hydromel and vinegars and such and meet her in a parking lot somewhere. There's a well-established network of local producers and local buyers that hasn't been disrupted. You just call and tell them what you need and arrange to meet somewhere at an appointed time.

And most everything can be ordered on Amazon.fr. Being isolated and under orders to stay home and wear masks and self-distance is so far hardly any different from normal life here. A little more stringent - enough to make you think about it - but far from unusual.

So "how France will change" is way too big a topic. I imagine the changes are somewhat profound in big cities. Here, it's pretty much life as normal, with people relying a lot on personal contacts with people they used to just run into in the markets and such. You need cheese? You call Stéphane. You need honey? You call Isabelle. You need pork chops? You call Thiérry. You need lettuce? Grow it.

Cheska, you raise an issue about restaurants that I've been thinking about. We go to small restaurants, and if half the tables are taken out to provide better spacing of customers, some of the fun of a meal out will be lost to me. Only half as many people to watch!

Like you, I don't like being crammed into a small space in a restaurant, but it has led to some memorable friendly encounters. Also an embarrassing one. Our table was only a few inches from the next table. Two friends started out speaking French but switched to English assuming we wouldn't understand the conversation. She started to tell her male friend about her online dating experiences and it got personal. I raised my voice a little speaking to my husband hoping she'd notice we were English speakers, but she didn't. Her friend caught on and looked a little embarrassed but didn't stop her. At that point I stopped being embarrassed on her behalf.

Four more of Annie's points:

French people are now painfully aware that we rely too much on Chinese imports

Personal space in France will hopefully get bigger.

Awareness of how important medical services are.

Awareness of how important “menial” jobs are.

Coquelicot I’m always amazed at the discussions people have in cafes here in Aus, and they speak so loud that it is impossible not to overhear. Sure it happens everywhere.

We are a bit excited here in Australia as some of the interstate borders are reopening. Let’s hope the low numbers continue

Many of the smaller restaurants and shops can't survive if they cut capacity. Rent will remain the same. Utilities won't change much if any. Maybe you can get by with less staff but for a small family run business sending staff home doesn't help much.

I agree with the earlier comment that eventually everything will more or less go back to the way things used to be. My guess is most of us grew up with people that had been bombed or even shot at during the war. If they could return to "normal" life relatively quickly so will we.

Our restaurants (Switzerland) have opened up and their seating capacity allowance is about half. People want life to go on as before, especially the younger generation, so if there is no upsurge in infections, I see restaurants being able to allow full capacity in the not too distant future.

'The older generation will be much more aware of the COVID than the the younger generation, as the latter suffers much less from the virus'

I see quite a few older people, my mom's friends among them, who scoff at the restrictions, and go where they please. Bridge groups, visits, shopping trips; they say that life is not worth living without social contacts, and they are going to die some time anyway, better make the time left worth it.
My mom is careful, and doesn't want to see those that flaunt the lockdown, but there are quite a few who don't care. These people are 80+

I think your mother's friends have a point tbh tulips. At 80+ I probably wouldn't worry either. Something is going to kill you sooner or later and you may as well enjoy what time you have left.
I admit that the thought of lockdowns being imposed purely based on age is depressing and unfair.

Restaurants are opening up here on June 1st, which is a holiday hhere, so bad timing in a way. Reservations only inside and limited numbers. Terraces will be open too, with the 1.5 metre rule being applied. I shan't be rushing to any local retsaurant any time soon. Some won't open at all as it doesn't make sense for them to do so, not enough covers allowed to make money. I think that will be the case in many countries.

It is odd not shaking hands with people - we just had someone round to give a quote for trimming some trees and normally we would have shaken hands at least twice!

I do worry a bit that easing restrictions is going too fast ain Europe and we will pay for it later in the year. I don't get the rush to want to travel again, especially outside your own country. Lots of Germans here this weekend for instance as it is Ascension Day, and the border towns are worried about crowds, as Dutch shops are open whereas Geman ones are shut. I saw several German cars and a couple of German campers in town yesterday. The border has never been closed so they have every right to be here, but it is worrying.