A Letter During Covid
Hi Jen,
Many people are asking what life is really like, here in France, at the moment. Of course, I post all of the beautiful pictures and Yes!, there are some sweet days. Unfortunately they are few and far between. We are still living through many restrictions and currently we have a curfew of 6:00. This curfew has been in place since December. For us, it hasn’t been too big of a deal because Pia usually gets back from school at 6:00 anyway, and it was winter so the nights were dark. Now, we’re into March and the days are getting longer and the weather is getting nicer. It suddenly feels more like confinement again.
Living in the South of France, we have spent the whole of February welcoming all the vacationers from all over the country to our area. This has made me feel a bit claustrophobic as I am not interested in being around big groups of people. We are supposed to be limited to 6 but most people do not respect this. So, even in the big open areas, there are some paths to go through which makes it feel too close for comfort at times, for me. As I write this, I can hear myself and accept that I have become a bit of a hermit. There are so many people here that really don’t care about the virus and I am sure that many of those people think that I am ridiculous but with just a couple months to go before getting the vaccine, I really don’t want to take any chances. In fact this past week we have been forced to stay at home as Pia was given word that 2 of her good friends tested positive and she was with them last weekend. They were sharing drinks and everything so we have had to spend the second half of her vacation week, stuck in the apartment. I am going nuts. Tomorrow (Monday) we will have a test and hopefully we can move on from this. Here’s hoping it’s all negative.
As far as discoveries in France. When I have been able to get out I would say that life in this area is pretty nice. When I first arrived in July, everything was open and Aix was doing its best to keep things alive. There were music festivals and concerts all around. The markets were in full swing and it was clear that this region of Provence is just bursting with activity and sites to see. There is absolutely no excuse to be bored here. There is music, art, hiking, beaches, restaurants, wineries. Everything you would come to France for is here in Provence. I also like it because although it is a highly travelled area, there are many French people here too. Unlike the Cote d’Azur, it appears to attract a more local, cultured crowd. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Cote d’Azur but it’s very international and in the summer months doesn’t even feel like France (to me).
Would I want to live here? I think I could. Actually, I know that I could. but not on my own. If I were to stay, I think I would be more interested in being close to the sea. Although it is not far, it is far enough that I need to make a day of it. 45 minutes or so. I’d like to be able to walk out my door and go for a walk along the beach.