Should I cancel tour to France in April?

[Ridgeway]

Here's the form:

Campsites were asked yesterday to either A) not open if they are already not (many wouldn't open until Easter or 1st April anyway) or B) you can stay open if your are already. Also the aires for camping cars are still open.

I can't see any movement being possible until after Easter ie my Monday 27th April, this is the key date being talked about a lot across Europe right now.

I see our first weekend away in France being not likely until Ascension WE of 21st - 24th May

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I see our first weekend away in France being not likely until Ascension WE of 21st - 24th May

I hope you're right, seems optimistic given that 10-14 weeks to peak is being quoted in UK.

Luck!

 

[mjr]

I agree but it is sensible to be in one's own country at this time of crisis. Our language skills are limited to the basics for touring in France. We wouldn't be able to understand anything of importance and so have abandoned the idea of France unless a miracle, probably literally, occurs.

Whether touring in the UK is sensible or possible remains to be seen. Language aside the big advantage of remaining in the UK is we can pack up and go without any planning.

But for those of us who do know French, the only problem really difficult is the channel crossing once the lockdown eases. As of just now, the hostel I've booked for a stopover on the way to Belgium is still not offering postponement or refunds. I'll probably bin it and lose the money if needed (it's less than the travel insurance excess) but it seems rather irresponsible of them. I guess they feel losing so much income would bankrupt them, regardless of whatever loans gouv.fr offers because loans still must be repaid in theory.

 

[Ridgeway]

I hope you're right, seems optimistic given that 10-14 weeks to peak is being quoted in UK.

Luck!

The UK is always way behind

Italy peak is predicted for this WE

 

[briantrumpet]

Here's the form:

View attachment 508996

Campsites were asked yesterday to either A) not open if they are already not (many wouldn't open until Easter or 1st April anyway) or B) you can stay open if your are already. Also the aires for camping cars are still open.

I can't see any movement being possible until after Easter ie my Monday 27th April, this is the key date being talked about a lot across Europe right now.

I see our first weekend away in France being not likely until Ascension WE of 21st - 24th May

They changed the regulations yesterday to specifically limit exercise to walking, and not cycling. I was due to go over to my house on Monday, but I'd not even be allowed to walk as far as the nearest food shop, as it's more than 2km. And they have also got roadblocks, checking people's papers.

Here's the 'clarification':

[ #COVID19 ] ATTENTION PRÉCISIONS SUR L'EXERCICE PHYSIQUE

Dans le cadre des mesures de confinement, le gouvernement a autorisé la possibilité d'aller effectuer un exercice physique SEUL. Ce dernier doit rester bref et à proximité immédiate du domicile!

➡️ Seul un exercice à pied est autorisé 🚶‍♂️🏃‍♀️

➡️ La sortie en vélo, est depuis ce jour interdite et soutenue par la fédération française de cyclisme! 🚴‍♂️

➡️ Aucune autre activité physique que la marche ou le footing ne dérogera à la règle de confinement! Même la pêche !!! ⛔️🎣

 

[matticus]

Blimey
The Silver Lining is that the TandemWOW record breaking women managed to get through France just a couple of days ago. New world record; and what a story it will make in years to come.

 

[Blue Hills]

The UK is always way behind

Italy peak is predicted for this WE

Wait and see _ seem to remember someone on here said the peak had been passed a few days ago.

 

[mjr]

They changed the regulations yesterday to specifically limit exercise to walking, and not cycling. I was due to go over to my house on Monday, but I'd not even be allowed to walk as far as the nearest food shop, as it's more than 2km. And they have also got roadblocks, checking people's papers.

Here's the 'clarification':

[ #COVID19 ] ATTENTION PRÉCISIONS SUR L'EXERCICE PHYSIQUE

Dans le cadre des mesures de confinement, le gouvernement a autorisé la possibilité d'aller effectuer un exercice physique SEUL. Ce dernier doit rester bref et à proximité immédiate du domicile!

➡️ Seul un exercice à pied est autorisé 🚶‍♂️🏃‍♀️

➡️ La sortie en vélo, est depuis ce jour interdite et soutenue par la fédération française de cyclisme! 🚴‍♂️

➡️ Aucune autre activité physique que la marche ou le footing ne dérogera à la règle de confinement! Même la pêche !!! ⛔️🎣

I find that text on http://www.bonnieres-sur-seine.fr and loads of fakebook pages but not www.gouvernement.fr or its facebook page. The restrictions are harsher than here but not as posted. Is it a hoax/arnaque from someone who hates cyclists and fishers?

 

[briantrumpet]

I find that text on http://www.bonnieres-sur-seine.fr and loads of fakebook pages but not www.gouvernement.fr or its facebook page. The restrictions are harsher than here but not as posted. Is it a hoax/arnaque from someone who hates cyclists and fishers?

Might be. Still seems a little confused - maybe it's OK to cycle to work, maybe it's not. No idea if I'd get stopped for riding to get food. nouvelobs.com/societe/20200319.OBS26301/confinement-peut-on-faire-du-velo-le-gouvernement-dit-non-la-police-dit-oui.html

"Mieux encore : une journaliste de « l’Obs » a décidé de faire du sport et a pris sa bicyclette. Elle a rencontré des policiers. « Je leur ai demandé si j’avais le droit, même si je n’étais pas journaliste, ils m’ont dit que oui. Ils étaient bien conscients qu’on ne pouvait pas faire du vélo autour de notre pâté de maison. » Mais « tant qu’on reste seul sur son vélo (c’est-à-dire pas de tandem ou de personne sur son porte-bagages), ça s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’activité physique. »"

[DeepL translation: Even better: a journalist from "l'Obs" decided to do some sport and took her bicycle. She met with police officers. "I asked them if I had the right, even though I wasn't a journalist, they said yes. They were well aware that you can't ride a bike around our block. "But "as long as you're alone on your bike (i.e., no tandem or no one on your rack), it's part of the physical activity. »"]

 

[woodbutcher]

Maybe the different regions of France have equally divers regs. because here in the Lot the latest official notification is that even riding a bicycle alone , the limit is 2 km from your home. The point is just to make sure that you have this signed and dated for each day you are riding.
From my own experience l would say that you will be pushing your luck especially if you are riding in a town , if you want to risk the fine then go for it but l guess you could say you were on your way to buy food from intermarché ...bonne chance !
.

 

[mjr]

Maybe the different regions of France have equally divers regs. because here in the Lot the latest official notification is that even riding a bicycle alone , the limit is 2 km from your home.

Is this notification online, please?

I can't see how they can make that stick because it would mean all people living more than 1½ miles from a food shop without a car would be condemned to a never-ending diet of expensive delivered food. Not reasonable!

Anyway, revenons à nos moutons ! Has the confinement been extended to make tours in April definitely impossible yet? May? When to?

 

[Ridgeway]

I understood the 2km to be walking or cycling, no reasonable restriction on car travel assuming you comply to the above categories

 

[mjr]

I understood the 2km to be walking or cycling, no reasonable restriction on car travel assuming you comply to the above categories

Illiberté, inegalité, automobilité, hein ?

 

[Ridgeway]

Je ne suis pas sûr, c'était juste ce que mon voisin m'a dit, il travaille en France et est un frontarlier donc il voyage toujours la plupart du temps.

 

[mjr]

Je ne suis pas sûr, c'était juste ce que mon voisin m'a dit, il travaille en France et est un frontarlier donc il voyage toujours la plupart du temps.

(I'm not sure, it's just what a neighbour told me. He works in France and is a cross-border worker so he travels most of the time.)

Yeah, well, there's a guy down the chip shop swears he's Elvis, but that don't make it true. Would this worker travel by car, I wonder?