So that's it then, France is off! Quarantine from Sunday 4.00am

As you said in your post, the guidance says

Actually reading the guidance, it’s clear, two households are allowed to meet indoors but are required (asked but it’s not law) to socially distance. I’m sorry, but I don’t understand why that’s difficult to understand.

Show me how to socially distance care for a grandchild and maybe I would understand...but sorry cant see how you can call it care without contact...Fully awarexwe can visit etc. But the phrase socially distance means just that...nonsensical maybe...but should we all decide which rules we ignore...
It may well be that we do change our decision to stick to the rules but we will know we are breaking them not try to hide it by altering their meaning.

I’m definitely with merlotgran on this one. I am shocked people didn’t see these things coming. Virus is still around so we were warned things can change within hours.

Oh Candelle thank you so much for your post, and for understanding how exhausted our doctors are. Our daughter and her husband are both doctors too, and they are absolutely on their knees with everything that’s happened, and like yours, they’ve had to keep the balls up in the air with three young children to care for and educate. Your daughter and family have also had to contend with building work ongoing as well. Our grandchildren’s school did provide key worker childcare but only reluctantly, they threatened to stop it at one point, and my daughter had an unpleasant and stressful time arguing with them via various emails, why they needed to provide the care, as instructed by the government. And then they did little in the way of teaching, arguing that their teachers had to stay at home to teach their own children (nothing like my son’s child’s school which was wonderful all through.) Consequently my daughter’s children are starting a new school in September, so all that had to be sorted out.

I didn’t know doctors are not expected to quarantine, that tells us how crucial they have been in this pandemic, but the children would be required to quarantine which would mean one parent would need to be at home with them, and they couldn’t start their new school.

Anyway, they’re going to Norway now thankfully.
I’m so sorry yours have had the further stress of finding out about the quarantine whilst they’re on holiday. Doctors have suffered more stress than most during this crisis. As I said before, they need to be well enough to look after all of us again this winter.

Celticbod depends how old GC are, ours are 7 and 12 and understand SD, here for first sleep over tonight. If they were not old enough to understand, we wouldn’t be having them.

Jax...fair point...still technically not able to give them a hug I think but ours being 1 and 3 ...3 year old is brilliant and cant wait for the "sickness to be over"...are in need of somewhat closer care maybe.
Our daughter and husband are sharing some work days to cover so not exactly fully supporting the economy which seemed to take centre stage at one time. I just have the feeling that the point of single or couples in the area of grandparents/parents and childcare has been overlooked for revision.

Maddyone I certainly do understand but it can be difficult for others to relate to, understandable, I suppose... I don't think people understand (sorry, too many 'understands' but I am not at my best today) the sheer volume of hours worked, let alone the content. I do 'bang on' here if someone raises the 'doctors are sitting all day twiddling their thumbs', type comment!

We had a family conflab early today to agree whether we should tell them (and spoil their holiday with the thought of further quarantine) or let them enjoy their holiday blissfully unaware.

We made the decision to tell them (who are we do deny them choice?) but having checked ferries it was all academic anyway as they were fully booked.

I wish your family a restful Norwegian holiday. Good choice!

Celticbod agree, the no hugs, no kiss night night will be/is very hard, same as with their Mum..no hugs, or my son, but to have these two wee souls eating their tea, shouting Grandma is magic!!

Jaxjaxy ..enjoy..

I’m glad we’ve chosen to have a holiday in this country. Couldn’t face the uncertainties of going abroad any time soon.

maddyone- so sorry I missed your reply re Italy- thanks.

We are in the same boat. Decided to go to Wales instead which is fine just hope we get some nice weather. The rates here are rising so not out of the woods yet.

DS and family are driving from Brittany as I write this, to their booked place on the 1am ferry from Calais . They were due to return Monday but it would be difficult to quarantine. Calais was the only ferry left with places available .It’s pouring with rain and DS the only driver . I’m really anxious and will be relieved when I get a message telling me they have arrived safely ?

Totally agree with you @Merlotgran!
If you need a break support hotels etc in this country. Lots of lovely places to visit.

Such stress for everyone, such a difficult time. Candelle I think you made the right choice to tell your daughter about the impending quarantine requirement, as you say, they had to make the decision about what to do, which has now become academic as you say. Difficult for you though, knowing how much they needed that holiday.

biba no problem, glad you’ve got the information, though as we all know, it can change at any moment. Having said that, despite their terrible difficulties at the height of the pandemic, the Italian Coronavirus rates are looking quite low at the moment.

Susie I hope the drive is worth it and your family arrives home safe and sound, if tired, tomorrow.

It looks like we’ll be dog sitting then whilst daughter and family are in Norway, since they were taking the dog to France but obviously can’t take her to Norway. Well I suppose I can dream of a little holiday somewhere

Long before the pandemic I was uncomfortable when I heard about the numerous breaks and holidays some people planned, from stag dos to shopping weekends in NY!
One minute we are told that travel, air travel in particular, is damaging our small planet the next minute people is it the same people? are moaning that they can't have their usual swanning off around the globe.

My DS emigrated to NZ . We haven't seen him or the DGC for 3 years.
We make do with speaking on whatsapp almost every day.
Everything we do has consequences.

We can't have everything we want it's quite a lesson to learn but a useful one and makes for a happier outlook.

I think the government had no choice but to try to save the travel industry and the airlines. It has almost fallen over backwards to keep things a I expect in their heart of hearts some of the scientists wished a complete ban on holidays abroad.

When we live here in Spain Grammaretto we don’t hire a car. We walk everywhere for weeks or use public transport (when it’s not Covid). I like to think our lifestyle choice offsets the carbon footprint that we use when in Manchester.
?
Maybe I’m delusional?

Oh Urmston I wasn't "getting at" you.
I was trying to be philosophical in the wee small hours and be a smug prig
I am missing my bus trips and find it sadly ironic that it's "safer" to drive these days.
I am sad that we have lost the joy of those first days of the lockdown when we celebrated the lack of planes flying over, the quiet roads, the abundant wildlife (remember the swans in Venice) only to have the majority wanting to resume their polluting lifestyles asap.
The new mountain of ddisposable masks etc is depressing too.

Carooline

I think it is childish of France to hit back the way they have, it’s not a game of tit for tat. Their infection rate is rising and we have to protect our people and country.
It is of course not a great surprise that they have done it, I would’ve thought however that they would be grateful economically for tourists.
Personally I feel these ‘air bridges’ have contributed greatly to the spread of the virus. Surely we can do without going abroad for one year!

When I arrived in this little corner of France from where I live in Paris there had been 1 case, now because of tourists many from other countries, there are so many more. It is not childish.

Grammaretto -I could have written your post word for word!
Such mixed feelings engendered by this whole awful situation!!

Paris and Ile de France are the worst hit areas for Coronavirus in France and I’ve seen it reported that the reason the numbers are up all over France is because the Parisians have travelled to different areas of France for their holidays. This was reported about Brittany before most of the British started their holiday get aways, but the French holiday season had already started. The rate of Coronavirus in Britain is massively lower than the rate of infection in France, and so I think that the French would do well to look in their own backyard before blaming everyone else.

SusieB50. Did your family make the 1.00 am sailing and thus beat this morning's 4.00 am deadline?

I was thinking about them!

I spoke with a French friend in Brittany this morning. She sounded pretty philosophical, c'est la vie, but did say that new measures are about to be announced in France in September. It's almost as though people had to be allowed to have their holidays or there would have been riots.
I said before that France actually had more cases and yet fewer tests than the UK, and that I felt for once our government was doing better. (The comment wasn't well received because some people just want doom and gloom.) C'est la vie.