- The border with Belgium reopens this Monday after three months of closure.
- A ban that left many French people frustrated for several things.
- In addition to friends and family, it is the Belgian businesses that were most missed by Northerners.
Our dear neighbors. Since mid-March, the borders have been closed to prevent the circulation of the coronavirus. And the one that separates the north of France from Belgium has not escaped the rule, to the chagrin of the border residents of the two countries, widely used to rub shoulders for all kinds of reasons. And it is precisely for these reasons that 20 Minutes became interested in asking its readers what they missed most from their Belgian neighbors.
Human relations
For Northerners, Belgium is so close that you get there a bit as if you were just crossing the street. Proximity that promotes friendly ties, but also the creation of cross-border families. As a result, when the barriers were lowered, many relationships were put on forced break, at least physically. "For me it's my daughter, my son-in-law and especially my granddaughter who I miss," says Martine, deprived of all this pan of her family for three months. "I think especially of my daughter-in-law who lives in France and her family only 15km away, in Belgium," explains Catherine.
It is said that love has no borders. But that was without counting on the coronavirus. Ingrid found her soul mate in Belgium. But once the confinement decreed, she had to do without him, each trapped in his country: "It was too hard, I'm against the borders," she laments. Stéphane's wife lives in Quiévrain: “The Belgians let us pass without problem. On the French side, they are still there, but they are understanding, ”he admits.
Cheaper tobacco
La Seita, one of the French players in the tobacco market, revealed "an exceptional increase in the sale of cigarettes in border areas during the confinement period". At the Belgian border, this increase among French tobacconists is the highest with 68.7%. La Seita also fears a resumption of "commercial evasion" from June 15. Without doubt rightly so, since this is what our readers missed the most. Cécile, Laurent, Wilson, Martine… All are impatiently waiting for Monday to go and get their supplies, legally anyway. Several times during the confinement, 20 Minutes has seen a significant number of French continue to go to shop Belgian side.
Shops in general
In addition to tobacco, Northerners are also attracted by other specialties from our neighbors. Of course, there are particularly affordable chocolates, fry shops and special beers. But, less known outside the North, there are the famous Belgian garden centers. Huge areas in which you can find all kinds of plants at prices, again, unbeatable. "What I missed the most was the Famiflora de Mouscron," insists Catherine. For Marie-Dominique, it's more like Floralux.
Some also cite another kind of trade, banned in France and tolerated on the other side of the border. Anyway, from Monday, Belgian traders will find their French customers and friends. A real breath of fresh air for many who, as this service station employee near Baisieux pointed out at 20 Minutes , work almost exclusively with Northerners.
- Borders
- Belgium
- Deconfinement
- Coronavirus
- Lille