Once Upon A Time In France: Vaccination Nation, No Cars Go, And Brexit Boat Battles
Dreaming of Loudenvielle
I am back in France following a month in the United States. It’s only been a couple of days, but the nation feels transformed, more optimistic than when I left thanks to a vaccination program that seems to have finally found its groove.
The government just made that 20 million target under the wire. But for a country with a population of around 68 million, that’s solid progress. Large vaccination centers are open, and appointments, while still challenging, are much more readily available.
No doubt much of that buoyant feeling also comes from the pending re-opening of cafés and restaurants tomorrow (May 19). Eating at restaurants and drinking at bars was a shocking delight while I was in the United States. So I understand why the nation is giddy that such establishments might be open again for the first time since last fall. French news is full of stories about owners making hasty renovations in anticipation of being allowed to open terraces again. Those spots will likely be jam-packed with French ready to throw caution to the wind.
And indeed, this re-opening strategy comes with some serious risks. Case rates and hospitalizations are falling, but they still remain high.
But the summer holidays are approaching, and in the weeks to come, the French government is determined to push forward toward some normalcy after three national lockdowns. To that end, the government has created an incredibly detailed schedule of what will open and when. So detailed, in fact, that it became its own meme, with one journalist noting that, “The French bureaucracy has just created its masterpiece.”
That system now includes a nifty digital tool that seems to finally make the government’s long-derided Covid-tracing mobile app useful. People who have been vaccinated get a QR code that they can scan with the Covid app that confirms their vaccinated status. That will give them a pass sanitaire or health passport as travel picks up. While this has been controversial elsewhere, a poll in Le Parisien noted that 68% of the French are in favor of some kind of vaccination passport.
Now it’s a question of getting those tourists back. France has stated its determination to reclaim its crown as the world’s most visited country. But the path forward remains muddled. French nationals should be able to travel freely within France this summer, and it looks like the country will be open to most European visitors. So the government and tourist agencies have launched a marketing blitzkrieg to get those tourists to Choose France this summer.
The minister in charge of tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne held a press conference to unveil this strategy which will include a multi-million euro marketing campaign. Evoking the kind of imagery that perhaps only the French can get away with, Lemoyne said, at a press conference according to The Local: “France is kind of the world in miniature. It’s 50 shades of holidays. Everyone can choose their own.”
“We are launching the campaign for a summer blue-white-red (colors of the French flag) on the domestic and European market,” Lemoyne also tweeted. “Our professionals can’t wait to welcome you and help you discover the immense richness of our territories.”
Whether that’s going to include the U.S. remains to be seen. My return trip to France began last Thursday with a flight from Kansas City to Chicago. The flight was overbooked, with airport staff asking for volunteers to be bumped and warning there was not enough room on the plane for everyone’s carry-on bags. Basically, it felt like a typical flight pre-Covid.
In sharp contrast, there were about 35 people on my flight from Chicago to Paris. It was the international flight one dreams about, where every passenger has their own row of seats and there are only a handful of people in each cabin section. That is likely coming to an end, but it’s hard to say when.
As I boarded the plane to Paris, I heard one flight attendant grumble about the empty plane, “I guess France just doesn’t want us.”
Let me assure you: Nothing could be further from the truth.
No Cars Go
Visitors who manage to get to Paris next year should get a welcome surprise. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo continues to burnish her green credentials with a new announcement that most types of cars will be blocked from entering the city center.
It’s a complicated endeavor as it risks overloading surrounding neighborhoods with even more vehicles. And it seems some locals have mixed feelings about seeing more bikes and scooters on the streets.
Still, Paris is one of the world’s most polluted cities, and this can only improve the atrocious air quality. And just as good: Restaurant owners should be able to expand their terrace seating, improving the city’s ambiance and providing more of what people love about Paris.
Brexit Battle
While I was out of the country, it seems that war almost broke out between France and the U.K.
The issues would seem rather obscure and narrow, involving fishing rights in the waters around the island of Jersey. French fishermen have accused Jersey authorities of limiting their access to fishing areas and violating the spirit of the Brexit treaty signed with the EU. They staged a blockade of British fishing vessels, which prompted the British government to send in a couple of military ships.
Most spectacularly of all, this inspired the British tabloids to engage in their favorite sport of chest-beating nationalism mixed with a healthy dose of French bashing.
While temperatures have cooled, this is likely just a preview of the ongoing squabbling we can expect as Britain looks to blame everyone else for the self-inflicted wounds caused by Brexit in the years ahead.
Dreaming Of France
Loudenvielle was the first place we visited in the Pyrénées and it remains one of our favorites. The town is located in the Vallée du Louron in the Hautes Pyrénées Departement. It’s the perfect gateway for exploring the mountains via hikes in the warmer months. At the center is Lake Génos-Loudenvielle, which offers various boating rentals or just a lovely path for a family stroll. And Loudenvielle is home to Balnea, probably the best thermal bath in the Pyrénées thanks to its variety of baths (Roman and Japanenese) and water temperatures.
Great Reads
Now that I’m back in France, I’m doing a lot of catching up on the news and big stories I missed. For instance, the 200th anniversary of Napolean’s death found the country once again wrestling with his legacy.
Sounding a more recent note of bellicosity, a group of ex-military officials penned some official letters warning that France was on the brink of civil war due to cultural issues and immigration. This was trumpeted by extreme right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen as more evidence of support for her campaign.
Speaking of which, there seems to be a serious effort by the French media to normalize Le Pen, a dynamic that bears a chilling likeness to the way the U.S. media treated Trump in 2016. As The New York Times reported, the French media are writing stories about her love of cats and other personal stuff that is softening her image and gradually pulling in mainstream conservative voters to her cause. It’s going to be a long year until the presidential election.
For some more lighthearted reading, the BBC offers this overview of suddenly popular French TV shows. Added bonus: Read the story to learn the meaning of “hot bunny.” (Side note: France has a new TV phenomenon called “HPI” for Haut potential intellectual about a cleaning woman with a 160 IQ who is drafted into helping police solve crimes. The show, whose premiere set new viewing records, stars Audrey Fleurot who is required by French law to appear in every French TV series.)
Don’t miss David Hockney in The Guardian talking about the joys of lockdown painting in France. There’s the Belgium farmer who moved a stone on his land and inadvertently changed the French-Belgium border. A Paris teenager is unexpectedly in line for the non-existent Italian throne.
Finally, intrepid reporter Peter Yeung braves the wilds of Paris in search of the best croissant for a baking contest. Writing in National Geographic, Yeung taunts you:
The first mouthful begins with a billowy crunch that’s like biting into a tiny, oven-baked cloud. Next, the comforting, yeasty aroma fills my nostrils as the glorious, golden flakes dissolve on my tongue. Then the sweetness of the caramelised crumb arrives, before the subtle saltiness of the butter takes over.
Chris O’Brien
Toulouse, France