Blois

Covid Containment Day 11

Date: March 27, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, covid, Market, Shops
Comments: 1 Reply

As the Saturday fresh produce market in Blois has been suspended until further notice, we went to La Ferme de la Touche in Chitenay yesterday which is open to the public from 5 to 7 pm on Thursdays. It was taken by storm so we weren’t able to buy enough fruit and vegetables for the week. As a result Jean Michel went to the new Biocoop in Blois this morning.

A two week extension to the lockdown period was announced this afternoon, until 15th April at least. Figures in France keep climbing but still no deaths in Loir-et-Cher. I don’t have the number of cases because the website I’ve been using has changed it’s format.

As of today, we are no longer allowed to walk in private and public woods and forests in Loir-et-Cher so we will have to change our walking itinerary.

Le marché de samedi à Blois étant suspendu, nous sommes allés faire nos courses à la Ferme de la Touche à Chitenay qui est ouverte au public de 17 à 19 h le jeudi. Il y avait foule alors on n’a pas pu acheter suffisamment de fruits et légumes pour la semaine. Jean Michel est donc allé au nouveau Biocoop à Blois ce matin.

Cet après-midi on a annoncé un prolongement de la période de confinement de deux semaines au moins, jusqu’au 15 avril. La propagation du covid 19 continue à s’accélérer en France, toujours sans décès dans le Loir-et-Cher mais je ne connais le nombre de cas dans le département parce qu’on a changer le format du site ARS que j’utilisais.

Nous n’avons plus le droit de nous promener dans les forêts ou bois en Loir-et-Cher jusqu’à nouvel ordre. Il va falloir modifier notre circuit.

Covid Containment Day 10

Date: March 26, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, Closerie Falaiseau, covid, Flowers and gardens
Comments: 1 Reply

We bought this camellia plant several years ago but this is the first time it’s flowered. Sometimes all you need is patience …

Today’s count in Loir-et-Cher is 55 cases, still no deaths, 10 more than yesterday against 1 on 12th March (lockdown started on 17th March).

Nous avons acheté ce camélia il y a quelques années mais c’est la première fois qu’il fleurit. Parfois il faut simplement être patient ….

Le Loir-et-Cher compte désormais 55 cas, toujours aucun décès, 10 de plus qu’hiver contre un le 12 mars (le confinement a commencé le 17 mars).

Covid Confinement Day 9

Date: March 25, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, Closerie Falaiseau, covid
Comments: 1 Reply

Home deliveries are still being made but with a safe procedure: the delivery man phoned to say he was 10 minutes away so I could open the gate. I stood well back while he brought the parcel into the garden. I didn’t sign for it – he just checked my name.

Today the number of total cases in our area, Loir-et-Cher, was 45, up from 37 yesterday and 28 on day 6. No deaths. The lockdown will almost certainly be extended probably to 6 weeks altogether.

Les livraisons à domicile continuent mais selon un protocole de sécurité : le livreur m’a téléphoné dix minutes avant son arrivée pour que je puisse ouvrir le portail. Je me suis mise bien à l’écart pendant qu’il déposait le colis dans le jardin. Je n’ai pas signé, il a juste demandé mon nom.

Aujourd’hui le nombre total des cas en Loir-et-Cher était 45, contre 37 hier et 28 au 6ème jour de confinement. Pas de décès. On va sûrement prolongement la période de confinement très probablement pour une durée totale de six semaines.

Covid Confinement Day 8

Date: March 24, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, covid
Comments: 1 Reply

Restrictions are getting tighter with physical activity now limited to one hour a day staying within 1 km of your home, but you can do so with other members of your household which makes things easier. We have devised a one-hour circuit that I would say we’ll soon know by heart! A total of 37 cases in our area and no deaths.

Australia is now in lockdown but with slightly different rules. The idea is now to bend the curve rather than flatten it. No travel into or out of Australia for six months it would seem and people have to keep within their own state.

On vient de durcir les règles avec l’activité physique limitée à une heure par jour, à moins de 1 km de chez soi, mais avec les personnes regroupées dans le même domicile ce qui rend la vie plus facile. Nous avons trouvé un circuit d’une heure que nous allons bientôt connaître par cœur! Le total pour le Loir-et-Cher est 37 et aucun décès.

L’Australie a adopté le confinement mais les règles sont un peu différentes. L’idée est de fléchir la courbe plutôt que de l’aplatir. On ne pourra ni quitter ni entrer en Australie pendant six mois apparemment et il faut rester dans le même état sauf exception.

Covid Confinement Day 7

Date: March 23, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, Closerie Falaiseau, covid
Comments: 4 Replies

Today, it was announced that physical activity outside the home will now be limited to a radius of 1 km and one hour and you must note the time of departure on your declaration before you leave. Outdoor markets are banned until the mayor requests a special dispensation.

At least we have spring to compensate!

The number of cases in our area today was 33, 5 more than yesterday. No deaths here but 5 French doctors have died from covid 19 since yesterday.

Covid Confinement Day 6

Date: March 22, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, Countryscapes, covid
Comments: 4 Replies

In our neck of the woods, there have been very few cases of covid 19 but the people in our street, like this father and daughter, are respecting all the rules of lockdown. In many larger towns, a curfew has been imposed from 10 pm to 5 am while all of France’s beaches, hiking trails and forest roads are closed to the public in an endeavour to get people to avoid places that tend to get crowded.

A total of 28 cases have been declared in our administrative district (Loire et Cher). The first was declared on 10th March in a school at Pontlevoy. There have been no deaths so far.

Covid Confinement Day 5 – The Market

Date: March 21, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, covid, Market
Comments: 7 Replies

The fresh produce market in Blois was still on today. Our organic vegetable farmer was present and had carefully organized things to respect social distancing. Two people were selling while a third looked after the till. The stalls were also spaced out. Our usual vendors were there – cheese, bread, eggs, Italian produce, coffee, fruit and vegetables but no oysters or fish. Jean Michel went alone (wearing his mask), to respect the one-person-per-household-shopping rule while I stayed home and made Anzac biscuits.

He was stopped on the way by motocycle police to have his self-declaration checked. This is a government form that you print out, date and sign, indicating the reason for your presence outside the home. He had actually left without it and came back to get it before the police stopped him. There is a fine of 135 euros if you don’t have it!

He then went to the supermarket and was able to buy vegetable and flower seeds that we were not able to buy from the gardening store yesterday as they are only allowed to sell pet food for some unknown reason.

Supermarket during covid 19 lockdown – Supermarché pendant le confinement dû au covid 19

Date: March 17, 2020
Author: avril
Categories: Blois, French customs, Shops
Comments: 3 Replies

We are back in Blois having taken a very early flight from Heraklion. France went into lockdown at midday today. To go food shopping you need to take a self-declaration with you. Also we have discovered that only one person per household can enter the supermarket at the same time and the total number of people inside is severely limited. It seems it was crazy this morning. Some of the shelves are completely empty. There are no dairy products left, for example. Let’s hope it goes back to normal soon.

Nous sommes de retour de Blois ayant pris un vol très matinal à Heraklion. La France a introduit des mesures très strictes à partir de midi aujourd’hui. Pour faire des courses alimentaires il faut remplir une attestation sur l’honneur. Nous venons de découvrir également que la fréquentation est sévèrement réduite et limitée à une personne par foyer. Il semble que le magasin était pris d’assaut ce matin. Certains rayons sont dévastés comme les laitages. Espérons que cela se calme ….