This third week of our exploration of France, finds us in Dijon. Dijon is an old city, one of the largest in France in a farm region and geographically just west of the Alps.
We are here looking at the possibilities of relocating as we approach retirement. We are not up and leaving because we don't like the politics in the US , which we decidedly don't. We are taking a serious look ahead at our economic and health security and believe we might not be able to survive in the US. Many other countries, including France, offer not only a better economic opportunity, but more secure health care and a much more compatible political environment.
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We love where we live and our little farmette in the beautiful countryside, among fruit trees, crystal streams, mountains, and near enough to the city to drive in whenever it suits us. However, some day we will need help to get around, and there is no public transportation even by train. We are sprayed and arial chemical bombed at a rate unimaginable until we lived there full time. Although cities are blue, our state is by and large red and rural areas are no discussion zones.
Our cost of health care is at least $18,000 a year if we stay healthy. If we need prescriptions, doctor's visits or hospital, it starts at $25,000 out of pocket. It has taken a lot of history, a lot of erosion to make us even consider a move like this. Clearly our love for where we live has become, slowly, but inexorably dysfunctional and unsustainable.
This brings us rather surprisingly to France and "Les Strikes", "Les Manifestations", "Le Movement National Social".
Our first contact with Les Manifestations was before we left the US. News had it that we would not even be able to land in Paris. But direct tickets from NY and we were off. We landed at Charles de Gaulle airport and went over to the train station to catch the TGV (the fast train) to Toulouse. We traveled south towards Carcassonne and onto Toulouse. As we arrived in the station at Montpellier, it was strangely quiet.
Mr. Regina went to find the platform number for our next train, while I sat on a bench with our luggage. Why were those railway workers laughing at me? As we found out, there would be no more trains in or out that day. We were wasting valuable time. Les Manifestations. We were lucky to get one of the last available nearby hotel rooms for the night. The people around us grumbled a bit, but took it in stride.
The next day we were at the station to catch the first scheduled departure for Toulouse and about 300 souls got on the 9 am train. We did well through most stops until the last one before Toulouse, Narbonne. The train started slowing down but unlike previous smooth five minute arrivals, the slow arrival lasted half an hour. Then the transfer ended and our train sat on its tracks for one hour, followed by another. Most passengers, stayed on board the first hour, each thinking we would soon be on our way.
Word slowly spread: Les Manifestations! We began to go out to take a look: our first direct view of a protest against the raising of the retirement age from age 60 to age 62. The strategy among the strikers is to shut down the methods of transportation by preventing refineries from shipping fuel, and by stopping major train routes.
We got out and had a look. There were people with flags stretched across the tracks, chatting with police and rail workers. Travelers began canceling appointments and some found they could catch the odd train going back in the direction we came from. We waited for some direction along with many others. Mr. Regina spoke with several fellow travelers, one a spanish man, who lives in France, said, the police will not do much because they are union too.
Generally, people grumbled or complained but gave the famous shrug, and made themselves as comfortable as possible. Finally, buses were ordered and we were told via announcement to go to the front of the station to get on buses to our final destinations. We were told the police were "gently" encouraging the protesters to leave. As we pulled out, we were able to look over to the area they had been, and there was not one protester. Mission accomplished. We arrived late in Toulouse and were able to acquire our rental car and take off for our homes for the next two weeks in the Midi Pyrenees.
This week we are in Dijon to visit another area of France, the region France-Comte. We are in a vacation rental by owner, directly in the middle of the old village in the center of the city next to the 13th century cathedral, our Lady of Notre Dame. The fresh food market a block away is a wonder for its variety and local foods.
Although it seems that we are at the end of alleys and through arches, it is a very busy and popular area. Sooner or later, people come to this quarter.
Mr. Regina is a bit laid up with a bad cold, so I went to the market for dinner and Sunday meals. I came home to a snack of cheese and a lovely baguette while Mr. Regina slept.
Suddenly about 3pm there were loud speakers, music, crowds calling and responding very nearby. We dashed out to see what was happening: Les Manifestations! Here, right in front of Notre Dame. People were grouped by their membership in unions: metallurgists, chemists, transportation workers, public transportation workers from the south of France and many I could not work out. The majority were middle-aged, well dressed, but many were grey haired and kids accompanied some adults. In all there was agreement about 3000 people came by.
Each group was preceded by a small van with a loud speaker, which would lead a call for repealing the raised retirement age. I spoke with a Danish couple on vacation who felt the law had been passed, it's over. The French people obviously feel that if a law can be made it can be unmade. There were small firecrackers, which I did not expect. Then occasionally, a person carrying a metal drum, wearing ear protectors, would tell us to stand back, then detonate a rather large firework.
We were impressed with the range of ages of the marchers and their general decorum. The most astonishing thing was the number of professional groups represented. The Swedish couple said they don't have as much demonstrations as in France. They stated that children in France see their parents very active in marching about this and that, and learn to participate early in life. Unions are many here, including public workers. Mr. Regina learned from another man that if a protest is held and the police don't turn up then it is regarded as marginalized and bad pr for the protest and the unions. The police always have a presence. However, the chatting and general conviviality between the police and the protesters is easily observed.
The word that students as young as 10 years old staging protests asking where their jobs will be if older workers are staying longer, is regarded as a watershed shift in the discussion.
We see chalk words on roads in rural areas saying that Sarkozy is a Corporatist. In rural areas here, the farmers are social democrats, and liberal. They say the cozy relationship Sarkozy has with corporations is totally opposed. We hear he is already out.
The French regard demonstrating, marching, loudly protesting policies they don't agree with as a patriot's obligation not just a right. They believe they hold the government in their hands and although elites are expected to wield power, if they are not doing the peoples' business the way it should be by their opinion they will have to change their direction.
Honestly, it is refreshing to see people out and making their voices heard. We have been amazed at the numbers who seem to quickly coalesce to in Les Manifestions. They see this move as a slippery slope to ever later retirement. They don't want to go there. Conservatives here, believe that sharing social responsibility is assumed. In the US their general social agenda would have them labeled "socialists".
I hope this makes what is going on about this one topic in France a bit more understandable. We feel lucky to observe it all so closely. Thank you for reading.