Day 73-Coronavirus-Post-Lockdown-Phase 1 France - the first few weeks after

Easing out of Lockdown - Opening of schools - living a new kind of life

I'm not sure if time is passing quickly or slowly these days.  We are eager to return to normal life but at the same time cautious and concerned about the spread of Coronavirus.  Since May 11 - we have had more freedom here in France but to be honest, returning to a "new" normal has taken some time. 

If you read my last post, we were eagerly awaiting for May 11 to see if the government would give the green light of lifting many of the restrictions.  And yes, - due to a very small percentage of the virus still circulating, our region of Nouvelle Aquitaine,  as with many other parts of France - the restrictions were lifted and new protocols were put in place.  Yes, life isn't exactly like it was before, but we do have more freedoms.

We can go out and about when needed without documentation & travel within 100km. Many stores and businesses reopened but with new sanitary measures put in place.  Stores reopened, most requiring masks when you enter.  Public transport - masks are also required.  Hair salons reopened - again - mask wearing is required of both the hair stylist and the client.  To walk outside, masks are not required, but social distancing is required.  Masks are required outside in areas that are more crowded - like our Pedestrian shopping street in Bordeaux - St. Catherine street.  Stores are asked to limit the number of people inside and to provide hand sanitizer at the door for people to use both coming in and going out.  It's definitely a new style of living and being more aware.  We can socialise and gather with friends, but for now it's limited to 10 people. Some parks are reopened but not playgrounds.  Beaches are reopened but in an active version - meaning one can swim, surf or run/walk along the beach but no sitting, picnicking or sunbathing.  (Trying to minimize crowds)  Restaurants, bars and cafes are not open yet, nor hotels.  It's definitely strange to go to Bordeaux but not be able to stop for a drink, or coffee.

Probably the most controversial change has been the re-opening of schools.  As I explained in my last post, they did make it optional for parents, but at the same time encouraged children to return with new health precautions put in place.  This opening was for regions of France where the virus was minimally circulating.  The elementary schools started progressively returning the week of May 11 and the 6th &7th graders at the middle schools started back the week of May 18.  They will make the decision about 8th & 9th graders and high schoolers in the beginning of June.

For schools to reopen, classes had to be limited to no more than 15, schools had to decide how the students were returning.  Many elementary schools chose to split the classes in half and each group returning 2 days/week - Mon/Tues or Thursday/Friday. (For elementary schools - there is no school on Wednesdays).  Masks were not required by elementary age students and each school could decide what worked best for their school.

For my daughter's middle school - they defined the new protocols based on 5 fundamental goals:

To maintain physical distance between all people.

To respect each other's personal space - min. 1.5 metres

To limit the flow and the crowding of students

To clean and disinfect the whole school.

To send information and communication to all families and school personnel.

The 2 entrances of the school will be divided to enter only and exit only.  

Students when arriving will go directly to the center court and find their groups (already marked out for appropriate social distancing).  

There will be hand sanitizer available in the halls & at the entrance for all.  It's recommended that students also bring their own and wearing of masks is required by all (students and staff)  in the hallways and in class.  Classes will be divided into half  (Group 1 & Group 2) -with a max of 15 students in each group.  Each group will attend school for a 1/2 day (morning or afternoon) and follow their normal school schedule.  When they are not physically in school, they will follow the distance learning curriculum.  The first week, Group 1 will do mornings and group 2 afternoons & the following week it will switch.  Each group/class will be assigned to one room and the teachers will come to this particular classroom.  The student's don't move until the end of their classes.  The groups would be escorted from the courtyard to their designated rooms and back again at the end of their classes.  They would then be dismissed by small groups to again limit the flow through the halls.  All school personnel helps to supervise the halls and flow of students for entering and exiting in addition to the courtyard.

Lunch is optional for the group that has morning class, but if they stay - the cafeteria has been arranged so students sit the appropriate distance apart.  Only cold lunches will be served.  

In addition to publishing all of these new protocols, the school, teachers, counselors and the director called all parents to review the new rules and also ask if our child was returning to school or not.

Even though how the school functions is very different and much more regimented than before - it ensures safety  and protection for students and staff.  As a parent, it's reassuring to see all that they have tried to do to help all of us begin to return to "normal" life.  

Obviously, for various reasons some parents chose to continue to keep their children home on the distant learning curriculum.  But for many others, they have sent their children back to school.  As students are restarting school essentially part time- the government has asked employers to continue to prioritize telecommuting for their employees where possible.   

My daughter returned along with 80% of her classmates.  Her half of the class is actually 11 students.  We are now in the middle of the second week - she did mornings last week and is on afternoons this week.  Her day varies from 2 hours of instruction to 4 hours maximum.  This will schedule will continue until the school year - for France - last day of school is Friday July 3.  We are beginning to return to living life...

It's been strange to slowly return to normal.  After 2 months of being confined to the house except for necessities - to have the freedom to go out was actually strange at first.  On day one - May 11 - it actually rained all day...Mother Nature's way of reminding us to take it slow.

We still need to think about bringing a mask out with us.  The town provided all citizens with washable masks and I have made some too.  With my youngest back at school, it means washing masks almost daily - new activity for post-lockdown life.  As far as work, for most life is slowly getting back to normal.  Companies are starting up again, stores are opening and soon hopefully restaurants and cafes will be opening soon.  Yes, there will be some businesses that couldn't handle the shutdown, other companies needs to lay off personnel.  France is slowly waking back up.

It's been nice to be able to go out.  Last week, I had a strong desire to put my feet into the ocean - so my youngest and I went off to Arcachon - my favorite little seaside town - located about an hour from us.  It was great to walk in the sand - breathe the sea air, and take in one of my favorite spots.  Luckily for us, ice cream shops are open - so what a treat.  It felt normal, it felt good and it felt like we are finally moving in the right direction - returning to living life.

We wait to begin Phase 2 next week.  The First minister - Edouard Philippe will speak this afternoon and announce when & where restaurants and bars will open, discuss 8th & 9th graders along with high schoolers, & parcs, gardens and pools.  Will they lift the 100km limit of travel?  So many questions.

In any case, France is waking up slowly and carefully.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Welcome 2018 -" Au Revior" 2017 - A year full of fun, love, family & travel

Photo Review

We started off  ringing in the New Year with a quiet celebration.  Later on in the month we celebrated 2 birthdays - Turning 16 years old and adding an official teenager to the house.  These girls keep me on my toes between their activities and social life!  Our two kittens turned 6 & 7 months old - the boys have become inseparable and often sleep next to each other.

During our mild winter, we enjoyed outings in Bordeaux  (coffee is always a wonderful treat!) and it's surroundings on the weekends - Darwin - Casserne Niel is one of our favorite places to visit as a family.  Having teenagers means less time all together but it's great to find a place where they enjoy going.

In early April, my mother and I went on a river cruise up the Seine toward Normandy.  We enjoyed many of the small towns along the way, most noteable was Monet's gardens in Giverny and the city of Rouen.

Our ship sailed all the way up to Honfleur on the Northern coast and we spent a day visiting the Normandy beaches and the American Military cemetery.  Busy week, including some great weather.  After our week, my mother ventured South to spend the next 3 weeks in Bordeaux with us.

The tourist season kicked back into gear and I returned to work touring groups throughout the region.  A weekend escape in Ile de Re was beautiful and relaxing - as usual.  It's one of my favorite places to visit and only a mere two hours from Bordeaux.

April vacation brought a visit with a very dear friend from the US and her daughter.  We enjoyed showing them Bordeaux, Arcachon, the Dune du Pyla and Saint Emilion.  Loved having the opportunity to take photos of the girls!  Especially having a 16 year old who more often than not, enjoys being off with friends.

Work continued to take me around various wine vineyards - I very much enjoyed Chateau de Reignac.  Will be doing a post of this chateaux very shortly.  The end of April vacation took us on a day trip to Talmont sur Gironde - a beautiful quaint village set up on white cliffs on the East side of the Garonne River.  So quaint and adorable - this little village is pedestrian only and is a beautiful mix of shops, restaurants and art galleries.

Weekend fun also meant enjoying a soccer game between Bordeaux & Marseilles.  

The months of May & June included tour visits throughout the city plus Chateau Giruard La Rose in the Medoc.  Had the marvelous opportunity to meet Veronique of the blog "French Girl in Seattle" here in Bordeaux.  It was one of those connections that clicked from the moment we sat down to chat.  So fun to meet my French counterpart who lives in the States!  The final long weekend in May was a delightful getaway to the countryside in the Dordogne - barbecue, poolside and just plain rest and relaxing for before the girls headed into their final month of school.

 June continued to be busy for me - including more visits to the Medoc, Sauternes & Cadillac.  Even traveled North 2 hours to Cognac touring a group through the village and taking them to the Cognac House of Remy Martin.  Always more to learn about this region and it's pure delight to share it.

 July kicked off with Soiree Blanche in Arcachon to welcome in the summer.  This fabulous public party is a "bring your own picnic" and bottle and the town provides tables, DJ and fireworks.  This is our second time we have participated in this evening and it's a blast!!  I love the Bassin & love touring my clients around the town of Arcachon and Cap Ferret. 
Additionally, we said goodbye to our little house that we rented for the past 3 years...for the summer we enjoyed an apartment in Pessac Center with a beautiful evening view from the balcony.

July included a lot of work on my part all over the region - Bordeaux, Saint Emilion, Sauternes & Chateau Margaux in the Medoc.  This month also brought a visit from good friends from Albany, NY.  We toured Saint Emilion, Bordeaux & the Dune du Pyla....enjoying lots of delicious wine and Oysters!  The girls enjoyed the month of July with their father.

I enjoyed a trip to Futuroscope with my oldest and youngest (while my middle daughter was away in the South of France with a friend) and then we headed out to the French Alps for a week of vacation where we caught up with my middle daughter.  We enjoyed an evening in Lyon on the way East.  This city is quaint and colorful and a beautiful place to spend a warm summer's evening.

Our week in the Alps was highlighted by visits to Lac Annecy & Geneva, Switzerland.  The water was so blue in the Savoie region and the mountain just called to me.  

 We drove into the Haute Savoie region for a day visit to Chamonix at the base of Mount Blanc.  Stunning views and a storybook village highlighted this area.  A ride in a gondola took us up for some peaceful sitting an beautiful views.  It was amazing to see the glacier on the side of Mount Blanc.

 Our vacation ended with my oldest going paragliding before we left the area and headed South to Nice to see family.  As we headed back to Bordeaux, we stopped in Marseilles for a night including a stunning sunset on the beach and a tour of the Velodrome the next day.  School started in early September and we finally found a new home ready for us in early October.

 September was back to school for the girls and high intensive season of work for me.  The harvest season was upon us - making for some great tours and photos.  My work also included touring groups from several Ocean liners who came to port in Bordeaux for a couple of days.

 October was a very busy month - celebrating not one but 2 birthdays - my baby turned 10 and I hit the half century mark....we also moved into our new home - which meant a lot of re-organizing and settling in.  My youngest got to enjoy coming to work with me for a couple of days in October and of course, as Americans, we celebrated Halloween with a party!  Trick or treating is slowly growing here - and the girls enjoyed ringing doorbells on the new street.

 The end of October also meant the two week Toussaint school break for the girls.  We enjoyed having friends visit from Paris -and headed out to Cap Ferret for a day. 

My visits to Cognac also included touring a small producer and the House of  Martell this month.  As we headed into November, we closed the tourist season with a final couple weeks of work.  Looking forward to beginning again in late March.

This blog has continued to be a great place to share both from our family point of view and to allow readers to see more of the region.  Bordeaux is a highly ranked tourist destination at this time and we are seeing more and more people coming to visit.  I hope from the photos that you can see why.  It's truly a spectacular region and after 6 years of living here - it still continues to amaze me with its rich history and stunning diversity.

As a blogger, I've been invited to enjoy many festivals and events. Notably this year, the food festival - Bordeaux SoGood in November and the Great Wine Capitals Awards evening which recognizes wine properties that excel in tourism.  (A blog post will be coming shortly - highlighting many of these properties).

Due to my work schedule, I wasn't able to write as many posts as I would have liked.  But new year - new resolutions - I know 2018 will be a wonderful year and continued growth for all of us.

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year - May 2018 be filled with joy, good health and prosperity.

Lac Bleu - Parc Forestier in Leognan - Gironde

Parc Forestier du Lac Bleu - Leognan

It's still school vacation and  we chose this vacation to stay around the area.  This plan has given the girls time to relax and just do whatever they felt like doing.  This has been a great motto for the week - sleeping in, taking our time getting up, no pressure to be anywhere and the freedom to choose a plan each day.  A bit of refresh and rejuvenate.

However, I'm a firm believer in getting outside and taking in the fresh air, so we tried each afternoon to find something to do. (Honestly, there were a couple of gloomy rainy days)  Perhaps it was as simple as walking to the local park/playground or just riding around the neighborhood on bikes.  Honestly, it's sometimes hard to get the teenagers out of the house!  A couple of days we ventured further out and today we choose to take a picnic to a local lake and hang out for the afternoon with friends.

We spent a lovely afternoon exploring this new area.  This is lac Bleu - a small lake located in Leognan just west of Bordeaux.  It was a mere 20 minute drive from my house.  Of course this is "off season" but it was still a nice area to explore and just sit. It's a park that's advertised as a relaxing place to picnic and walk around.  Fishing is even permitted in season.

We choose to have our picnic lunch right next to the lake, there was just something about being close to the shoreline.   There was a picnic area, complete with tables located on the East side of the lake, but it was further from the water. Once we settled our picnic spot, we were joined by many ducks who were of course, looking for a hand-out.  I'm sure if we started throwing bread at them, we would have had many more visit.

After we had our lunch, my friend and I decided to walk the perimeter trail of the lac.  A short walk around but it was nice and peaceful.  The girls were just having a great time playing and talking to each other.

As we returned back to the main side, we chose to enjoy a coffee at the café/restaurant located right next to the lake.  A nice way to end the meal.  The girls decided to hang on the patio and talk while my friend and I enjoyed our coffee in the enclosed terrace.  I'm sure in nice weather, this whole area has a beautiful open-aire feel and attracts many to stop and enjoy the view.  The restaurant serves lunch daily. 

 So after enjoying a nice picnic, a causal stroll and a coffee, it was time to head back home.  It's definitely an area that I would head back to, in nice weather.  A bonus that it's a mere 20 minutes from the house - a great place to take an afternoon or evening walk.  A nice place to take in some serenity and escape a little from the city life.  A welcome oasis located just outside of the Bordeaux.

Parc Forestier du Lac Bleu

Chemin des Terres Rousses 33850 LEOGNAN

The Citadel at Blaye - Just North of Bordeaux & Blog update

The Citadel of Blaye - a solid and strategic defense fortress.

Good morning everyone and Happy 2017,

They say the hardest part with keeping up with a blog is writing on a regular basis.  Yes, this is my first post in many months, life just sometimes takes over and the blog unfortunately took a back-burner to juggling work, kids, activities and the everyday adventures of living in France. Believe me, even after 5 years there are still surprises about living in France as an expat.

I'm currently on Winter hiatus from regular work of tour guiding for the river cruises on the Garonne.  Hopefully this time will enable me finish the many draft posts I have started over the past year.  A couple things for my regular readers, who may only know me through this blog or who may be following me on facebook, twitter or Instagram. For the past couple years, I have been separated from my husband and we are currently in the midst of working through our divorce.  Yes, I'm choosing to stay in France for many reasons, so yes, this blog will continue, it's been and will continue to be a great way to share our life and show off this beautiful region.  Perhaps one day, when all is done, I'll write a post of how to get divorced in France -needles to say, I'm learning a lot.

I thought that for today the Citadel of Blaye would be a great place to share. (Perhaps it's my inner voice of battle and defense...lol)   The girls and I go there from time to time to walk around - it's located about 45 minutes Northeast of Bordeaux at the beginning of  the Garonne River.  The Citadel of Blaye is a Military complex  built between 1685-1689 and sits overlooking the Gironde estuary.  It was designed to control navigation from the Ocean heading to Bordeaux other points further upstream.and it complimented by forts on Block Island in the middle of the Estuary and Fort Medoc located directly across on the West bank.

The design and construction of this citadel was supervised by the famous military architect, Vauban and is an example of his well-know and recognizable star-shaped walls surrounding the fortress.  Inside is very much a "city within" with a church, various buildings, barracks, garrison and even remains of an old medieval castle.  Since 2008, this site as been classifies under UNESCO and is definitely a must see when you come to the area.

It's a beautiful place to wander around by yourself, with someone special or as a family.  You might even get lucky enough to time your visit with one of several festivals that are hosted inside the walls.  It's free to enter and on a nice day, one sees people relaxing on the grounds, or even picnicking on a blanket.  You can pay for a guided tour to understand more of its history and fun facts - or you can just wander around breathing in the countryside and beautiful views of the river.

Inside the cloisters of the church.  It's truly a city within itself and a fascinating part of history.

The final photo is taken from the citadel walls looking toward the village of Blaye.  I highly recommend spending some time here as it's located  so close to the Bordeaux.  Wishing everyone a wonderful day and hope you come back to read more.  Would love to hear from any of my readers, feel free to comment.