It was with a mild sense of trepidation that on Sunday 8th March 2020 we set off for Folkestone not knowing what we might encounter at the Eurotunnel terminal, regarding the spreading Coronavirus. Having organised in January for a local company to come and replace the windows in our second home, in Nièvre, on 10th March we intended to spend two maybe three weeks there, initially for the work on the windows, and then enjoying early spring in the area before returning to spend Easter with family. The work started on time and was very expertly carried out by the two installers; though it extended into the following week, finishing

on the day M. Macron addressed the nation informing them that as of midday the following day the country was entering a period of confinement.

Then began a period of thinking and assessing – we had 12 hours to make a decision:

Should we stay or should we go? Here we had the benefit of a large house and garden with lots of things to do. In England we had family…..spread the length and breadth of the country and a small semi.

Would lockdown mean we were stuck here – and if so what would happen to elderly relatives? If we got back to the UK would we have to live on stale biscuits and last year’s frozen rhubarb or be stuck in the bathroom, paperless, for days?

Initially the instinct was to flee, but we were unsure whether we would:

a) be able to travel without being fined and
b) manage to book a crossing back

The country we left on 8th March was already in a state of panic and was getting worse. Here, while the spread of the disease was more advanced, everything seemed a little more measured. In addition, the area is much less densely populated than the West Midlands.

Relatives on the other side were also saying stay put, you are better off there….. while maybe thinking ‘stay there – that’s one less person buying toilet roll and tinned tomatoes – and we could raid your house for scarce items if necessary’.

With an MOT due at the beginning of April we booked a return crossing for 6th hoping that borders wouldn’t close completely and maybe things would have massively improved. As the days and weeks passed things didn’t get better, but then the UK government gave us all a six-month reprieve on MOT’s. At that point, with family all being well looked after we decided life here was going to be infinitely better and delayed the return passage.

So here we are six weeks later; in a house and garden large enough to lose each other for a couple of hours at least – thus avoiding potential marital stress -, improving our French and hopefully adding some colour and assistance to village (all 7 of us) life. Every day, touring the garden to discover what has grown or changed, I give thanks for this place and the opportunities it offers. As well as new windows, which have made the house much warmer thankfully, we have; made an area to play boules, increased the size of the vegetable garden threefold, sown grass – and watched it grow, watched nuthatches nesting in a new birdbox, made an insect hotel and seen bees install themselves, listened to hedgehogs in the bamboo, introduced our neighbours to hot cross buns by secret delivery and seen our dead banana plant come to life again on Easter Day.

It has also given me much time for reflection, through prayer and doing whatever is possible online and on telephone.

The positives:

  • Getting to know close neighbours even better (at the appropriate social distance)
  • Practice playing boule so we are ready for the time when we can, once more, meet and play in the village
  • Having time to start projects we hadn’t before
  • Trying to finish previously started ones (though not being able to get to Brico Depot has impeded some of these)
  • Avoiding the queues and panic buying at home. To date I have only queued once to get into the local Intermarché for about 5 mins; though you do have to pick the right times. Some items are less readily available, but experimenting can be fun! Needless to say; at the Boulangerie it is pretty much business as usual, though we all queue at a distance outside

The negatives:

  • Having to fill out – and remember to take- an attestation of travel. The first time I forgot it, the second did it in English (not legal) and the third time forgot our address. It’s a good job I didn’t encounter any gendarmes. Now we have the phone App!
  • Missing family and friends in the UK – though contact would be at a distance anyway and they seem to be coping very well without us
  • Not being able to walk or bike further than 1 km from our house (except at night when it was dark and we hoped no one saw us – it was a fantastic full moon and the track up to the woods was just too inviting

When will we return? Really not sure it will depend on how things progress on both sides of the channel.

*This blog was written during Spring/Sumer 2020. The Coopers have now returned to the UK and are dreaming of the day they can travel back to their French home!