The quays of Garonne, in Bordeaux, on the first day of deconfinement. - UGO AMEZ / SIPA

  • In Bordeaux, the bars were closed, singles chose the Garonne docks to flirt "without pressure".
  • Among them, young men released from the stress of the school yard or quadras who prefer to walk and "without having to think about who will foot the bill".
  • Right bank, we watch sportsmen and girls passing by, left bank, more tree-lined, we kiss out of sight.

The four of them are there watching the girls go by. They squat on the wall of the skate park and carry Maxime, who has just blushed, after a young woman gave him a "destabilizing" look. Witness of the scene, we advance, we question and we note: in Bordeaux, the quays of Garonne became the new high place of cruising during the progressive deconfinement.

Maxime, 17, is delighted. “Frankly, the bars closed, it is happiness for me. I've never talked to girls so much. We just sit quietly with friends and all it takes is a glance. It's stylish and downright less stressful than in high school, "says the young man who since May 11" chains the girls ". Further, Amir found "love, the true". A first for the 19-year-old Bordeaux. "I dared, calm down. She walked past me, I made her a joke, not even a funny one, and she stopped. I'm borderline uneasy because when I come back here with my friends I realize that it could still work with someone else. The Covid, did he make the girls more relaxed or what? "

"Stuck on a terrace between two people coughing"

We leave Amir, Soufiane and the others to their business. In the distance, we watch them call out to a group of “dynamic” young women. Released since May 11, the quays of Garonne became “dynamic” a week later, on the same model as that of the beaches a week later. Bordelais flocked there at noon to picnic, run or walk. Until July 10, they will have to avoid lingering there because the Covid-19 is still dragging. "Me, it was rather the love virus that I caught," says Clement. This Monday evening, the young man came from Floirac to meet Elodie. They first saw each other on the docks three weeks ago. "Direct out of containment." We couldn't take it anymore, explains the 24-year-old woman. Even if the bars reopen tomorrow, we will continue on this model because it does not tempt me to find myself stuck on a terrace between two people who are coughing. "

Elise, she found in the quays an "enveloping neutral ground". The young woman who "exchanged with several men on dating sites during confinement" made a schedule of "dates" as of May 11. “I gave an appointment on the quays, right bank each time, in the same place and at the same time. It has become a ritual. I am confident and it is not far from home. If it does not go as planned, I go, and if it goes, there is something to kiss out of sight, "details the thirty-something freshly single. “I don't see myself going back to bars for these first dates. Walking is softer and you can see less that you are reaching someone you don't know, ”added the woman who met with Damien this Sunday evening.

"We can see the person move, be alive"

Return to the right bank, Monday evening. Fanny and her friends insistently eyeing the side of a group of guys doing push-ups (well, we think). Fanny, 16, explains that she has come to the reflecting pool every evening at the same time since Tuesday, hoping to see the sportsmen on the quays. Each time, the good friends were there as backup. "You never know, you can also get hit on," says Manon, hilarious. "We never came here before the Covid, we thought there were only heavy heavy, advance a girlfriend who prefers to remain discreet on his first name. In fact, there are lots of cool guys. Tomorrow, we have to see a group with whom we played soccer last week. "

Read our file on deconfinement

Any advice for the guys next door? Drop the pull-ups and come and talk to the determined young women. We would almost want to go and coach them, but that's without counting Jeremy, who interrupts the momentum of Cupid. The ami quadra has just finished its "date", the third on the quays since May 11. “It's the perfect setting. We walk around, we can see the person move, be alive, analyze the romantic. We are in the exchange without having to think about who will pay the bill, what drink to order, etc. I, who am very stressed, these docks without pressure, they take me away from the doubt. This evening, Jérémy seems to have met a woman who loves people who doubt.

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  • Covid 19
  • Aquitaine
  • Coronavirus
  • Sexuality
  • Deconfinement
  • Video
  • Bordeaux