dmu

The recent update in the Transit thread only covers travel restrictions.
In case any one missed it, Prés. Macron's statement yesterday also announced a partial deconfinement starting this weekend (28th November), when non-essential shops and services can re-open (complying with the health regulations) and the Economy/Finance Minister has announced that he was favourable to Sunday opening between then and Christmas. Up to 30 people can attend church/mosque/synagogue/temple, etc... services. The duration and distance for physical activity has been increased to 3 hours and 20 km from the home, per day. Attestations must still be carried whenever you leave your home, i.e. corresponding to what's on the list, not for any other reason.

As from 15th December, and depending on the Covid figures, travel will be unrestricted (with a curfew from 21h00 to 7h00), cinemas, theatres, museums, etc... will re-open. Indoor gatherings for Christmas and New year must be in "reasonable" numbers. Gatherings out-of-doors prohibited.
BUT no restaurants/cafés/bars, no gyms, no ski stations, no Universities, until well into January. Those with children in Lycée will know when full-time "presence" will be allowed.

We'll have a limited "freedom of movement", hoping that the continuing restrictions will reduce the circulation of the virus and relieve the hospitals. The President calls upon our personal responsibility to make this so.
Don't hesitate to add anything which I've forgotten!

EuroTrash

Thanks dmu, good to have the info summed up so neatly.

G-J-B

Thanks for the summary DMU, I knew he was giving the talk but completely forgot about it yesterday evening.
You say travel is unrestricted from the 15th December - does that mean we can travel across the country through different departments or not (outside of curfew hours), and can it be done without the attestations?

dmu

You're welcome!
I'm so relieved that I can meet up with my two daughters, but I'm wondering whether it's "prudent" for us to visit in-laws, not actually at Christmas, but just beforehand. Apart from the issue of curfew, there would be 7 of us, two of whom actually suffered from Covid in October, from 5 different households. "Est-ce bien raisonnable?"...

dmu

No attestations from 15th December and you can go anywhere in France, outside of curfew hours!

G-J-B

That's good news. I'm not planning to meet up with anybody, but I do need to travel across half the country. Thank you again.

dmu

They are emphasizing on the radio that the deconfinement announced for 15th December will depend on the Covid figures between now and then. It has gone into the conditional, so we'll have to be patient....

G-J-B

Duly noted; fingers crossed then as my wife needs to book the time off work and juggle that with her colleagues wanting time off around Christmas too.

Tweedpipe

DMU: Thanks for the updated summary. We both watched Macron's speech last night, and with the exception of bars/restaurants remaining closed, his announcements were generally as expected.

Here are interesting graphs showing the overall situation in France. https://www.worldometers.info/corona...ountry/france/
The daily new Covid cases (down from a peak of 88,790 to 9,155) and daily new deaths (down from a Nov peak of 932 to 592) looks promising and appears to prove the efficiency of this 2nd confinement. The graph of active cases/affected people is still alarming, but the curve appears to be flattening out and this is a parameter being closely watched by the health experts and the government for deconfinement from 15th Dec.

Nand

Proof that confinements do work.

I imagine this curfew is going to flatten the curve in my area, such a lot of night life here. I'm happy with the latest regs. I am reading that Thanksgiving in the USA may raise cases for Christmas over there.

So did we learn that indoor get togethers are to be avoided in France?
I hope people can reduce and resist travel and gatherings over the holiday, it would narrow the difficulties of many falling ill during the colder months January and February. Who knows? Always so uncertain what will happen in France.

I didn't realize the university level students were off school, not many have moved home yet from our building. Odd.

Take safety precautions all yous. 💛 🍂 🌸

dmu

- we're asked to be reasonable and prudent, wearing masks, etc... I'm meeting up with my far-flung daughters and, as far as Covid is concerned, we're complete strangers so must take precautions. Still wondering whether to visit in-law "strangers", but common sense should prevail.... If every one takes precautions, then a third wave should be avoided...
- not really odd, as they've been doing classes at home via internet, during both confinements, and not all have been able to "go home" to do this.

The PM is giving a press conference this morning at 11h00, to go into details.

dmu

He didn't add much, except to emphasize that everything proposed depends on the Covid figures and is therefore in the conditional.
He specified that the 20 km/3 hours outing for physical activity doesn't mean visits to friends and family.
The number of customers in a store will be monitored (capacity of 8 m² per customer allowed).
Also, "recommendations" for the numbers at family reunions at Christmas and New Year will be given nearer the time.
P.S. Those with school-age children will be informed of the resumption of their out-of-school activities.

KJMW

Like everyone I hope this latest easing stays in place and that from the 15th December it relaxes even more, subject to a rise in infections. There lies the rub!!! I'm not a pessimist by nature but in general I don't think people can be trusted! The holiday season showed exactly what happens when you give people the opportunity to travel and meet up. Here in the Pays Basque we had very little infection rates but following the holiday season it now has one of the highest. French people I talk to here also agree that following Xmas and the New Year we could all end up in confinement again, I hope that isn't the case. I'm a fitness fanatic and I'm utterly fed up being confined to a kilometre!!!! I will be happy if the current 20K stays in place and nothing else, selfish I know!!!

dmu

- Just a reminder that, from 15th December, the confinement will be replaced by a curfew from 21h00 to 7h00 (except for the réveillons of 24th and 31st). Cinema and theatre times will be organised accordingly.
- Every one I know here says the same, and I agree. Two of my in-laws are also very wary of our possible meet-up, for the same reason. We obviously can't dine outside in the cold and dark, and indoors is too small for the 7 of us together. Not to mention the limits imposed by the curfew. So, for our own protection and for the common good, I think it'll be just the DDs and me, and we'll take the same precautions as in July when they came "home" for a holiday.

dmu

I've just heard that, similarly to other European countries, the Government is "recommending" that no more than 6 adults should gather together for the two Christmas and New Year celebrations (children not being counted) and that the usual precautions should be taken, esp. if there are aged relatives present. This obviously also applies to friends meeting up....