Lori

Interesting.  My guess is it will become very popular.

[quote user="Ken"] France is going to 'relax' restrictions; were there ever any!!!!!!![/quote] Agree with everything you've said.  And, no, round here people went along doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Only restrictions were that some shops were closed.  Many remained open even when they weren't supposed to be open.  Parks remained open LONG after 19h00, etc., etc.

Just got back from an appointment at the bank.  Even the receptionist was wearing a mask - on his neck and he sneezed to boot !!! I had to hold myself back from shouting.

Thank you Marie, we'll have a look at both links.

Yes, our daughter would love to have a vaccine, but she is not eligible (too young).  The entire thing is a fiasco. And no one round here masks or distances anymore.  And we are surrounded by thousdands upon thousands of people.  We took some photos while out and about a couple of days ago, but of course, I cannot post them here. It is still a shock to us (even after seeing it for so long now) to see no masks and no distancing.  It is very obvious to us why the case loads remain in the 30,000 range.  Very obvious.  Just today, I saw people sitting INSIDE a restaurant eating meals and I am quite confident they were not all employees.  Thought that was interdite.  Right... Still see huge lots of people (all ages) in the park well after 19h00, often after 20h00. Oh and Wooly, forget the idea of a ban on public transport.  Who would enforce it??  I mean, round here, no one even enforces the mask on buses. 

I know wooly.  It isn't just the car salesman either. I can be relentless.

Thank you Gardian.  I will keep that idea in mind. Thanks Cajal.  Yes, the car lease has become extremely popular in the U.S.A.  Wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.  Crazy for all kinds of reasons.  At our age, we have learned that the process of purchasing a car requires a very firm attitude and a strong knowledge of exactly what you want - and - don't want.  This we can do.

Yes Mint, I got your PM, thank you so much.  We are following up on it.  Extremely helpful source. Nomoss, that is also very helpful.  We will try to use the source when we find a car. Thank you all.

Thank you both for the feedback, much appreciated. I didn't think to ask for an extension of the one year guarantee.  Like you say, if you don't ask, you certainly won't get. In the U.S., you can pull up a car by its vehicle I.D. number (plastered on various parts of the vehicle) and determine if it has ever been in an accident or had body repairs done. Does anything like that exist here in France?  Is the dealer/seller likely to know?  If asked do you think he would tell us the truth? Do buyers ask if they can have a private garage inspect the car prior to purchase?  This is also done all the time in the U.S., but I imagine here the reply I'd get would be 'that is why we offer a guarantee.'   However, guarantees are always limited and some problems can be seen during a good inspection and can point out things you might prefer to avoid.

How crazy to ignore the weight warning.  And with vehicles that are not 'just a little' over the weight limit.  I cannot fathom how anyone could be that stupid. Nomoss, that story is so tragic. In both cases, I wonder how the truck drivers' insurance company handled the claims.

It is looking like we have found the next roof over our head.  Should be confirmed within the next 48 hours. So, if all goes as planned, we will need to buy a car.  When we lived down South, we bought a new car, so that was pretty clear cut.  Simple process, no issues.  We sold it when we left and that was also fairly clear cut with no problems. This go round, we would rather not pay the price of a new car, so we're looking at used cars.  It seems a bit safer to go with one of the larger car dealers as they offer one year guarantees (limited, I'm sure, but still) on most of their 'newer' used cars. We're looking at vehicles that are one to two years old.  Probably a Renault as that is what we had before and we were happy with it. So, how does the process work here?  Can you make an offer that is less than the dealer's asking price?  This is common place in the U.S., but I don't know about here.  I've read on here that payment can be made by wire transfer from our bank to the concessionnaire.  I presume cheques for the amount of a car are not accepted, though I have no idea.  I know cash cannot be used as the amount is over the legal limit for a cash purchase. So, can anyone offer us any tips for buying a used car? Thank you !

Yep, same as Norman.

I know how you feel Mint.  The talk of lifting restrictions next month is almost laughable.  How is it possible, well, if I didn't know where Mr. Macron lived, I'd swear it was in  my neighborhood.  Apathy and no enforcement.  It is no wonder the case loads remain in the 30,000 numbers each day.  But hey oh, today's headlines talk of a stablization of the virus..  The only happy note I can write is that the weather this week looks to be quite nice.

Thank you GG. We spend the better part of each day searching and inquiring. Unfortunately for us, it is now a huge sellers market in almost all of the southern areas of France.  Husband has had enough of renting, so wants to buy.  We'll have to rent at first as buying will take time.  Short of the 7h00 pick up of a boulangerie order on 24 and 25 Dec., a quick trip to the doctor for our vaccine prescriptions and entry to the vaccination center for our shots, we have not been in a four walled shop since last October.  Too many people remove their masks when in the shops and only Auchan has a security guard.  He will require people to wear a mask on entry, but he cannot police the entire store once people get inside. Living here (in this specific area) is a reminder that there are FAR too many people on this earth.  When you are living in a high population density area, like we are, you are reminded that this is the case.  Too many people, too close together.  Tends to bring out the absolute worst in people.

Thanks Mint. It has always shocked me the level of apathy round here.  Even our own landlord has refused to mask or distance, from the very beginning (a year ago). Come hell or high water, we will be out of here before year end.

[quote user="NickP"]Oh come on Lori, I can't believe you're suggesting there is a Chinese variant, I thought all the varients came from Brazil, Africa or Britain. ???[/quote] China would expect you believe exactly that !  It certainly didn't come from China...

I agree with Wooly and so hope that is what happens. I had to tolerate one nutter as a President, I'd hate to have to endure yet another.

[quote user="mint"]The vast majority of customers and traders were wearing masks.  No cafés open so nowhere for people to get drinks and sit around as usually happens.[/quote] Sadly, round here market day is like it has been forever.  All vendors are set up, including the rug seller and clothes sellers.  Some vendors wear masks, many do not (including the vendor selling the masks !). As to the customers it has progressively gotten worse. This week, I'd say less than 50% of customers were wearing masks, many on their necks.  No one ever distances at the market, so unless I need to buy some fish (which is where I usually get it), then I avoid the market, but I can see it as I pass by from the side streets.  If I do go for my fish purchase, I rise at 7h00 and get to the market when they are still setting out their goods.  Then, none of the vendors are masked.  They only put them on when customers start arriving. Plenty of cafés are open for take out here, so on any given day at any given time, you will see half a dozen or more people standing outside ordering beers, coffees, etc. and standing in the streets drinking them - no distancing.  Up to this point, I haven't seen anyone picking up any to go food, though I'm sure that must be going on.  This bit is far worse on market day when dozens of people can be seen hovering outside all the cafés drinking and smoking.

I hope the truth does emerge at some point.  The Chinese seem to have an amazing strong arm over the control of free speech in their country.  It is amazing to me that so many thousands of people lost loved ones and are suppressed from discussing anything about it for fear of landing in jail or disappearing from the face of the earth. https://www.futura-sciences.com/sante/breves/coronavirus-coronavirus-encore-inconnus-potentiellement-tres-dangereux-decouverts-wuhan-4186/#xtor%3DAL-80-1%5BACTU%5D-4186%5BDes-coronavirus-encore-inconnus-potentiellement---tres-dangereux---decouverts-a-Wuhan%5D

Always been that way round here Wooly.  If I could post photos here I would.  Folks gather in huge numbers all over the place here.  Danse gatherings in the park (20 or more no masks/distancing), large lunch groups set up in the park (no idea what that is about, but they are catered groups in closed tents / tables nearly touching each other), large groups of late teens hanging about no masks, no distancing.  Huge families (at least they appear to be families) gathering in the parks no masks, no distancing.  I see less and less masks as time passes and I saw few in the beginning. The parks are supposed to close at curfew (19h00) and as one of them is visible from my kitchen window, I can see when it gets closed as I prepare dinner.  The park is always packed with people at 19h00.  The car comes around to close it anywhere from 19h20 to 20h00.  Those remaining in the park (and there are always quite a few) have to climb over the fence to get out, passing baby strollers, trolleys and toddlers over the fence to go home.  There is never any enforcement, other than closing the gates on the parks - eventually. The numbers here are terrible, but from all I can see, the only people who care (and this is a presumption) are the ones dying - or those that probably would if they get it.

Chessie - I posted how my first vaccine appointment at our local vaccination center went on the 55+ thread.  You cannot make an appointment for two people (at least not on the sites we used).  You mut make them one at a time.  When you are able to get a RDV, you are advised what type of vaccine(s) that particular location is giving.  Some have more than one choice and you can make your choice.  Some only offer one option. Husband got his appointment for a specific day.  I walked with him to the vaccination center and I did ask if they could take me then too.  Of course, it was a no, each person  must have a confirmed appointment.  It just so happened that when I tried for an appointment (at the same center) the day after my husband got his shot, I snagged a RDV - for the following day.  So back I went for my own shot. You must keep trying frequently throughout each day and at multiple vaccination centers.  That is how we eventually got our appointments.  We received the Moderna vaccine.  That was all this center was giving.  We go back the first week of May for our second vaccine. Here is the post from the 55+ thread that I made. It was all very organized where we went.  I did not ask if the people we encountered were volunteers.  There were Gendarmes controlling the entry to the parking lot of the building (this included pedestrians, like us in addition to those arriving in vehicles). Then, there was another man at the entry door to the building who was confirming your name with his appointment list.  Hand sanitizer required for entry.  From there you are pointed to the secretary who again confirms your name/no. portable, birth date to what she has on file.  She asks for your carte vitale and your Titre de Sejour.  Once all confirmed (about 1 minute), she give you a piece of paper, returns your cards and points you to an aisle to wait.  I go there and stand for about 1 minute, then a young woman sanitizes the chair in front of her cubicle desk and calls me over.  I sit down, she takes the form I was given and begins to ask me the questions on the form.  She writes down my answers.  The one about 'are you or could you be pregnant' gave us both a good laugh.  As she said, its on the form I am obliged to ask you. Form completed, questions about what medications I take, then told to move to the right where another seat is being sanitized for me.  This is where the nurse and doctor person are.  Doctor asks to see my prescription, asks about my health and any allergies.  Nurse prepares dose and asks if I am right handed or left handed..  droitier I am, so in the left arm goes the dose.  Felt nothing.  Told nurse, who seemed pleased. Was given instructions about  what to do if I had any severe reactions and what most people were experiencing.  Told to wait in the final distanced chair waiting area for 15 minutes.  After which time, if feeling fine, could leave. So, that's how it went for me.

And another person's viewpoint. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/14/politics/covid-19-vaccine-biden-trump/index.html

Don't know for sure Idun.  It was all very organized where we went.  I did not ask if the people we encountered were volunteers.  There were Gendarmes controlling the entry to the parking lot of the building (this included pedestrians, like us in addition to those arriving in vehicles). Then, there was another man at the entry door to the building who was confirming your name with his appointment list.  Hand sanitizer required for entry.  From there you are pointed to the secretary who again confirms your name/no. portable, birth date to what she has on file.  She asks for your carte vitale and your Titre de Sejour.  Once all confirmed (about 1 minute), she give you a piece of paper, returns your cards and points you to an aisle to wait.  I go there and stand for about 1 minute, then a young woman sanitizes the chair in front of her cubicle desk and calls me over.  I sit down, she takes the form I was given and begins to ask me the questions on the form.  She writes down my answers.  The one about 'are you or could you be pregnant' gave us both a good laugh.  As she said, its on the form I am obliged to ask you. Form completed, questions about what medications I take, then told to move to the right where another seat is being sanitized for me.  This is where the nurse and doctor person are.  Doctor asks to see my prescription, asks about my health and any allergies.  Nurse prepares dose and asks if I am right handed or left handed..  droitier I am, so in the left arm goes the dose.  Felt nothing.  Told nurse, who seemed pleased. Was given instructions about  what to do if I had any severe reactions and what most people were experiencing.  Told to wait in the final distanced chair waiting area for 15 minutes.  After which time, if feeling fine, could leave. So, that's how it went for me.

Yes, we have both managed to get our first doses.  So, there is hope. Only sore arms so far.  Moderna.

"Les gendarmes d'Orange ont ouvert une enquête pour délit de chasse sur un terrain privé à proximité d'habitations alors que la chasse est interdite." I doubt they'll spend much time on that case.  We'd frequently have hunters on the farm land immediately surrounding our house in Bédoin (Vaucluse).  Gun in one hand, jug a wine thrown over back in a rucksac.  One was shooting directly over our property.  Kids were outside !  I called the gendarmes.  Their reply was what do you expect us to do about it.  They refused to come out. Farmer neighbor went out with his own gun to 'ask' him to leave.  Farmer actually had to do this frequently.