The weather is neither hot nor cold, this lockdown is neither extremely strict nor convenient enough to forget it’s in place, measures are neither blatantly disregarded nor fully respected and things are neither getting worse nor getting better.
Nobody really thinks restrictions will be lifted in May as promised, but no one really thinks the current situation is sustainable.
Ask people what they think about this month of April—chances are, the answer will be a shrug and a sigh.
It’s a very “meh” month in France. People are worn down and jaded, unemployed or overworked depending on the industry.
There isn’t much to do but streets are lively and social distancing went out of the window after the first spring 2020 lockdown.
Schools went on a two-week holiday, so streets are full of bored teenagers hanging out with friends and overwhelmed grand-parents doing their best to keep younger kids busy. Window shopping is popular and so is “eating out with friends,” i.e. sitting around a fountain with takeout food or coffee. Honestly, may as well reopen restaurants at this stage…
Plenty of businesses are considered essential now and those forced to shut down like clothing stores, cafés and restaurants are resorting to workarounds. “Click and collect” is popular, ordering online and picking up what you bought directly at the store. Sometimes, you can just save a click and order directly from employees and store owners who stand at the door. Same goes for bars and restaurants, delivery services work fine but so is ordering at the door and drinking or eating right in the street. Well, technically, you’re not supposed to drink alcohol in the street, so bars provide a plastic glass with a cap. If the police is around, just put the cap back on, you weren’t drinking, you were picking up beer, ah ah. Not that law enforcement actually cares, mind you—seems like they are on “meh” mode as well.
I went out with my camera around 5 p.m. today to take pictures of people in Nantes at the beginning of lockdown v 3.0, week 3.
At least, I don’t feel lonely here. Being around perfect strangers is weirdly comforting.
Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue de la Fosse, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue de la Fosse, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Royale, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue d’Orléeans, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Félix Fournier, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Félix Fournier, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Félix Fournier, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Félix Fournier, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue du Couëdic, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Fernand Soil Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, cours des 50 otages, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, cours des 50 otages, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, cours des 50 otages, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, cours des 50 otages, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, cours des 50 otages, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, cours Olivier de Clisson, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, allée Flesselles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, allée Flesselles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, allée Flesselles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, allée Flesselles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, allée Flesselles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, allée Flesselles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place du Bouffay, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue des Halles, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place du Commerce, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place du Commerce, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, passage Pommeraye, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue de la Fosse, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, rue de la Fosse, Nantes, April 20, 2021Lockdown v. 3.0, third week, place Fernand Soil Nantes, April 20, 2021
Oh, a guy with a map! I thought I was the only one! 😆
I stared at him for a few seconds, it’s so rare to see someone reading a paper map these days!