Sunday March 29th

The news of the day so far is that I ventured out of the house for the 1st time in 12 days. The objective was 1 hour exercise within the 1 km radius limit. So we went south along the river then turned west and north towards  the André Chenier square and then back home.

This post will be updating during the day if new information is available

►Requests: Recipes

Do not forget to send in you favorite recipes (text, photo, handwritten etc). I shall format and upload them. The current list can be found following this link.

►Information: Further to Vibeke’s question asking if it is ok to walk along the river, I checked carefully the Municipal decree issued on March 15th which states:

►Information: Press conference on Saturday

The authorities hope to see “the first impacts” of the containment measures “next weekend” announced M. Edouard Philippe (Prime Minister) and Olivier Véran (Health Minister). I hope we can start observing a downward trend soon. They also gave a detailed status of the situation as well as the supply news on the badly needed equipment like protection gear, breathing apparatus, beds etc.

Of course there are the usual negative political attacks and critics. I am decided to stop watching continuous news channel like BFM TV, C News etc which talk absolute crap.

►Information: Entertainment. Looking for something to watch?

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In no particular order, some Feel-good-films about France

👍👍Amelie: Despite being caught in her imaginative world, Amelie, a young waitress in Paris, decides to help people find happiness. Her quest to spread joy leads her on a journey where she finds true love. It’s funny, whimsical and fabulously French.

100 foot journey: The Kadam family from India move to France and set up a restaurant opposite a well-established French haute cuisine restaurant. An intense professional rivalry breaks out between the restaurateurs. Brilliant acting, lovely scenery (set in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val) and properly feel good!

Midnight in Paris: Gil arrives with his fiancée and her family in Paris for a vacation, even as he tries to finish his debut novel. He is beguiled by the city, which takes him to a time past, away from his fiancée. Seriously magical, especially the scenes of yesteryear…

👍👍👍Jean de Florette and Manon des sources: Jean de Florette is a French cinema cult film. A period drama based in Provence, two local farmers plot to trick a newcomer out of his newly inherited property in the 1920s. It’s not feel good but it is incredibly beautiful and the acting is wonderful. The sequel Manon des Sources carries on the tale, equally beautiful to watch. Have tissues handy for both films though…

👍👍Bienvenue Chez les Ch’tis: The highest-grossing film of all time at the box office in France. A postal worker from the sunny south is sent to work in the rainy north as a “punishment” for misbehaving at work. It’s wonderfully written, seriously funny (I still laugh out loud when I watch it and I’ve seen it 5 times), witty, quirky and fabulous. I live in the area and I can promise you, the people really are that fun!

French Kiss: So many people said this is their favourite film about France. Kate (Meg Ryan) rushes to Paris to confront her cheating fiancée who’s at a conference there.  On her way she meets Luc, a French thief, who hides a stolen necklace in her bag. Her life changes when she falls in love with Luc.

👍Chocolat: A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a conservative village in France, much to the villagers’ disapproval. Over time, they win the people’s hearts and also help them with their troubles. Romantic and feel good…

👍👍👍A Good Year: London-based investment banker Max Skinner learns that his Uncle Henry has died and left him a chateau and vineyard in Provence. He travels to France in order to sell off the property. Romantic and sweet plus gorgeous scenery – it doesn’t get much more feel good than this…

La Vie en Rose: Edith Piaf fans will adore this tale of her rise from rags to riches. Tissues required, as it’s bittersweet tale…

👍👍Intouchables: An unusual friendship develops when a street smart immigrant is hired to take care of a disabled French nobleman. So many people said they loved this feel-good comedy based on a true story…

► Fun:

► International Statistics: Top 10 countries according to the deaths count.

Saturday 28th March

Friday 27th March

Thursday 26th March

► Percentage increase of deaths from one day to the other: The UK has now taken the top spot for the percentage increase of deaths from one day to the other.

► Regional Statistics: Occitanie & Aude  

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