So was I, ‘here’ meant Bergerac!!
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Bergerac is rather large in my reckoning… … population around 27k…
our commune has a population of only 600 and our local small towns are around 2k or 3k
thus our local shops are rather small… too… 
It is so weird, when my eldest was at lycee in Bergerac we did car pooling and I drove to Bergerac (or the man shape) every day for 3 years! I’ve become more provincial, and tend to use Mussidan / St Astier / Neuvic (depending on rugby runs often!) particularly since covid as smaller towns around seem to be less ‘scary’ - and I think people are a bit more compliant with masks etc (although not been for a while so that may well have changed!). Still need to organise a trip in though so we can have that coffee we discussed months ago!
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Well, I have indulged myself in a bit of geriatric lunacy for the Winter months - especially when compounded (now) by the almost inevitable new arm operation as the steel plate has shifted and needs to be refitted (just like a garage - well almost)
I have bought a new guitar online! Some time ago, when Christ was a Carpenter I believe, I had a ‘Skiffle Group’ (remember these?) where I and other spotty youths played (at) guitars very badly.
My physio has given guarded approval (belatedly as I only asked him after I had ordered the instrument!). So we will see.
I am already trying to organise a Course for myself from the dozens of free demo videos on Youtube - and suffering the deluge of ‘Special Offers’ that have followed.
Bit of fun at least.
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All cafés now closed!
50,000 new cases of covid recorded in France.
last went into a shop in Perigueux the day before lockdown… 16th March… so you can’t blame me for those figures… 
More importantly hospitalisations now ~2000/day which is approx 50% of the peak numbers in the spring and hospitals already reporting cancellation of non-covid activity.
Rates in France are doubling roughly every 14 days at present which gives us mid-November before admission rates and number in hospital are the same or greater than in the spring - and daily deaths will probably be at the same rate (as the spring peak) by the end of the month.
Given little impact from the measures so far the only tool available to put a brake on cases is a full lockdown - however much @anon30081639 thinks it is a crude measure (& I agree). But so much harm was done to the economy that there is very little political will to go there again - I think it inevitable but if/when it happens it will be much too late and will be all the more damaging for the delay.
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Oh really, is that new this morning? I got up and started work so haven’t had a look at the news yet!
Depends on the département, came in at midnight last Friday here in the Tarn. Enjoy the freedom whilst it lasts as full reconfinent isn’t far away now…! 
Oh OK I thought I’d missed something. Things still open here as unless things have changed we are not in an alert zone (grey on the map).
regs are changing all the time it seems…
Boilerman
We are also in Manche, on the coast south of Granville. My two sisters have just returned to Scotland after a week here with us and are now in quarantine. They loved the feeling here of being in a covid-free bubble. Apart from having to wear masks we see no difference in our daily lives whatsoever. Reading all the other posts from people in other parts of France we count our blessings. We can still pop down to the boulangerie, our supermarkets are stocked just as they were before (including firelighters with clear cellophane at Super U) , we walk the dog on the beach, find the stuff we need at the DIY shops, stock up with the cheap bubbles from Lidl. As we had to forgo our twice yearly trip in our caravan to Dorset we spent a few days in a site near Dinan and had a wonderfully relaxing time. I am not going to get involved in the politics of whether you should come here and maybe bring the virus with you. We are bordered by two departments, Calvados and Ile et Vilaine that are on the red alert scale. You should see the number of cars bearing 14 and 35 plates down on the beach carpark. Nobody told them to stay away. Now with the school holidays we also have huge numbers from Paris. I personally reckon that you should get yourself over and check on your house and have a nice time to yourselves. If you don’t feel you can, I would be more than happy to go and check on it for you to put your mind at rest. Best wishes
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Things might change in light of announcements this week
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Things will change from Thursday at midnight…
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Left it too late me thinks 
Many thanks David, I’ve sent you a message, cheers. 
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It’s clear that experiences across France are varying quite a bit… and none of us knows what the future holds… short or long term.
I do hope you either get here safely… or have your mind put at rest re your house…
Best of luck
Stella you must live in a very curious part of France; Our shops are as well stocked as ever and the incidence of the infamous rupture de stock seems to be running at its normal level.
Nothing beats getting to know your neighbours for watchful surveillance of your house. We are away, and our neighbour phoned someone she knew we knew well to say an outside light had been left on. This person didn’t have a key, but knew that we left one with a friend in next village. So phoned her, and she drove round and turned the light out, and sent us a text to reassure us. Love (most of) our neighbours!
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