215 September 2020 Digital edition

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215 September 2020 Digital edition
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Brittany Ferries: 50,000 bookings cancelled, one channel route suspended

Tens of thousands of Brittany Ferries customers have had their bookings cancelled after the company announced it is laying up two ships, reducing the number of trips and suspending its Portsmouth to Saint-Malo route. The firm said it has been hit hard by the UK’s quarantine measures which require that all ferry passengers - even those only driving through France - quarantine on their return to Britain.

Read our coverage of how coronavirus has affected Brittany Ferries, as well as the airline industry, on the front page and continued on page 2.

Brexit: Voting trends show support for Tories has collapsed

Support for the Conservative Party among Britons living abroad in the EU was shown to have decreased to 6% in 2019 compared with 19.4% in 2015, contradicting the traditional image of ‘ex-pats’ voting Conservative. We also look at the risks if a replacement for the Ehic card is not negotiated, the rising interest in property in France and a new charity helping Britons in France with residency and rights around Brexit.

Learn more about the impact of Brexit for residents and second homeowners with our coverage on pages 4 and 5. Plus, get updated information online in our Brexit section as it is released.

Churchill’s grandson on his family’s long love affair with France

Sir Winston Churchill first went to France in Christmas 1891 at age 17 to improve his French to get into Sandhurst Military Academy. Thus began his 'heroic love affair’ with the country that would endure throughout his life - as well as the lives of his children and grandchildren.

Learn more about the Churchill family connection with France in our interview with Sir Nicholas Soames on pages 8 and 9.

Back to school with Covid-19

What does back-to-school look like for children in France this September? Rentrée measures in place include masks for pupils older than 11, daily disinfection of classrooms and school facilities, and mandatory hand washing.

Find out how to prepare your kids for the rentrée this September on page 20.

Mask rules have changed our lives in extraordinary ways

“New social mores are rapidly developing: ones that challenge and disturb in equal measure,” writes Nabila Ramdani on the compulsory wearing of masks across France.

Read more in our comment section on pages 14 and 15.

Readers' questions: Are there grants to help pay for a solar panel installation?

While there is no tax credit for installing solar photovoltaic panels, there is a state grant available if you plan to use part of the electricity produced for your own use, and sell part of it back to the national grid, known as vente en surplus.

Find out the answer and more advice for readers on page 18.

How about your own swimming pool?

A guide for anyone who, after this year’s heatwave, is thinking about fitting a pool at their house for next summer.

Find out the costs, tips for maintenance and local rules before you take the plunge on page 39.

Also in the September edition:

Practical: Making sense of... Prefects and Prefectures and why all British residents will be visiting one soon
Money: Homeowners eligible for a new €150 grant to reduce energy bills
Property: What can your money buy you in the Alpes-Maritimes area?
Health: Hopes for a coronavirus vaccine this year
Gardens: Village jardin is a blooming marvel
Events: What’s on France’s cultural calendar for September
History: The wild story of the world’s first private detective

Plus: Bilingual crosswords + quiz + books + films + lots more…