Obligatory form for going outdoors in France
 

Here is the link at the Ministry of the Interior for getting the form that you must have for going outdoors starting from noon on 17 March:

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-a…

Click on the PDF symbol lower left to download it.

If you don't have access to a printer, you can handwrite the basic information: name, birthdate, address and one of the five authorized reasons for going outdoors: work, basic purchases, health necessity, family emergency, brief individual exercise.

You must also date and sign the form.

Thanks Kerouac, stay safe.

Thanks, kerouac. This is eerie - really seems like wartime. Which of course is what Macron said last night.

I assume brief indivdual exercise includes letting the dog out? I was wondering how the heck dog owners were going to cope!

Good luck with it. Keep safe.

Dog owners?

What about those with numerous small children or young families? Coping is difficult in the best of times.

I made the mistake to click out of curiousity on the link which kerouac provided.
The server seems to be down, so also no one in France who actually need that document can access it currently.
Please don't follow my stupid example.

I imagine that the server will be very busy at least for the rest of today.

It worked fine for us. We've downloaded it, filled it out, and signed it, as we are going out shortly.

I didn't have any problem downloading and printing the form either. We're stocked up for the moment, so no need to go out. But, we have the form ready when we do need it.

They have said that there will be no real enforcement today other than some warnings. Today it is still very easy to say convincingly, "Oh I hadn't heard anything about that."

I offered to print out two forms and take them to our Canadian neighbors, who do not speak or read much French, and they are insisting that because one of the bullet points is "Déplacements brefs, à proximité du domicile, liés à l'activité physique individuelle" they can go out and do anything they want. Clearly, they don't know what a dérogation is, or can't decipher what activité physique individuelle might mean, or both. Since we're going to see them soon anyway, I'm going to bring them the forms and explain.

We just went into town and it's completely dead. The Intermarché staff were all wearing masks and gloves. No cash payments were allowed, and the machine where you can swipe the bar code on you receipt to win a shopping discount was covered up. It's weird.

StCirq, shouldn't you stay home? Why risk contact when it's not necessary? You can email them the form and explain it over the phone. As kerouac said, if they can't print the forms, they can write up the basic info.

We're taking PA's lockdown seriously. Not that other people in our area necessarily are, but the two of us are pretty law-abiding and it's also common sense.

Please stay safe, for yourself and others.

One of the details of the rules is that people should go shopping alone, not with somebody else, just like for exercise. (This seems a bit extreme for me, particularly regarding the elderly who often need help carrying things -- but I'm sure that the control authorities feel the same way, except in cases of rebellion. "These restrictions are stupid and I'm going to do whatever I like!")

kerouac I don’t drive so my husband will have to take me, however only one of us will enter the supermarket. After the undrinkable wine I purchased tonight for €12. 90, he will go into buy the wine.

Thanks for sharing Kerouac!

I've heard about this in Italy, also, I think, and I'm a little perplexed about what the purpose of this form is? It's just something people fill out themselves so obviously doesn't indicate any official authorized status (such as a doctor attests to something). So I don't understand the purpose of this is versus just being stopped by authorities (as that's the only way a form could be checked) and them just asking you verbally why you are out and about. I don't understand the paperwork thing. I can't imagine they are collecting these forms, that would create massive administrative problems, so that just means they are looking at them. And anyone who is going out and doesn't have one of those reasons would just put down an authorized reason anyway, if they didn't care about the rules.

I could see it would let someone see at a glance your age, etc (although ages aren't limited to going out as I understand it), and would solve language problems except as noted, people who weren't very competent in French probably wouldn't be competent enough to understand the form or lots of other things going on.

What do you think the practical goal of this is, Kerouac et al.? Is it just the French love of bureaucracy? A way to gain revenue from the fines? I don't really think that, it is a cynical thought, but I just don't understand this. Not to mention how much paper this is going to waste if you need one every time you go out, that's bad from an environmental viewpoint.

The only reason I can think of, but have not seen stated anywhere, is that it is just psychological, to get people to really take this seriously like it is being in a war, and then to lay the way for more stringent rules if people flout this edict. I can actually see that to some extent. Or to lead to the need to have proof of where you are going. All of these things are kind of creepy as to what they remind you of. It's also odd that you have to print this out, they won't allow you to have a form filled out on your phone, for example (where you could just change the date or something), which at least would cut down on all the paper being wasted. To some extent, it seems slightly discriminatory also, as it may seem trivial, but some people might not have excess funds to be buying all this paper right now.

They could have levied fines much more easily without requesting a form. The form at least gives people a chance to think about why they are going out. It is more educational than useful

I agree. It serves no practical purpose that I can see, other than to force people to think about what they really need to be roaming around for. It definitely is a pain, as in waste of paper, to have to have a new form for every trip, at least for people who are leaving home a lot. I doubt it will be a money-making endeavor except in cases where they stop truly clueless people or those who are flagrantly disregarding the guidelines. And yes, the French do love their paperwork.

I used the same form today and just changed the date.

I'm surprised you don't have to sign it in front of the police so they can check against your ID and see if it's really you. It's all pretty silly, IMO.

People who don't like French rules can just go home. Oh, that's right -- you can't. :sun:

I admit that I find it a bit strange that people would complain about a document that gives them personal responsibility instead of putting all of the power in the hands of the government. It's almost as though some of you would prefer 1) no control at all over going outside or 2) you actually want to be ordered to go to a police station or something to get a permission slip.

Living in Paris, I confess that I am still seeing far too many people in the street, but it is already much better than yesterday. And I hope that tomorrow will be better than today, even if it takes giving a lot of people fines.

Makes sense to me. It makes a person think.....do I really need to go out......I'm doing that in the UK but it is a nice piece of nudge technology.

Wow!

I see fines have been issued and will be higher from today and going up again soon.
I think we may end up with the same thing here sooner or later.

An internet friend was overwintering in Portugal and had been stuck for a while with her camper but has now been issued documentation allowing her to get home provided she takes the fastest, most direct route. As a solo camper user she will have to stop somewhere along the way for a break or two.
The Portuguese campsite where she was didn't charge her to stay there once the border was closed, and have given her some food, which they won't use now, to get her on her way. They said they hope to survive the year and to see her next winnter again!
She is hoping the French motorway thieves will also be under lockdown so she can at least park up along the motorways for a sleep in relative safely.
Once home she has to self isolate for two weeks. her neighbours have offered to shop for her.

Long distance truck drivers in France were about to revolt because the toilets and showers were closed as well as the autoroute restaurants. The government has now had the toilet and showers reopened for them and also some places to get food. If the truckers can no longer bring us all of the things we need, it will be the end of civilization.

Thanks StC very interesting

A small town newspaper did a brief article, along with a short video, about the first day of enforcement. I noticed the three gendarmes had picked one of the quietest streets in town to do their checks.

Many of the regional newspapers as well as Le Parisien are publishing a blank form every day that people can clip out if they don't have a printer.

Great idea

In the UK, just about all the over 70s are home-based now. Our local town has four organisations arranging home food supply, the local stores (excluding supermarkets) are moving to home delivery of bread/meals/coffee etc at zero cost to transport. Supermarket delivery systems are overwhelmed in the short term though beginning to recover. Our postman delivered goods to us and left the mail outside the front door to reduce doorknob contact. Roads are relatively quiet. Schools stop on Friday.

London restaurants worry everyone but miles away from us.

The US Embassy has published an English language version of the form:

Attachment 4053

kerouac....will the hand clapping at 8:00 happen again this evening????

Yes, it will take place every night until further notice.

Thank you! I will be sure to be at my window clapping my hands.

You're also welcome to clap hands at 12:00 noon for the Belgian hospital staff and all other caregivers who are giving their best during this Covit-19 crisis.