Come on, we're going out! It is like an exhilaration to say that you are braving a ban just by opening your window or by stepping on your balcony. Sylvain Tesson said nothing else when he wrote in his book In the forests of Siberia : "Use of the window: invite beauty to come in and let inspiration come out."
Even if it is framed by ornate bars, nothing like this little feeling of freedom found (without the dull anxiety linked to the wearing of the mask and the obligation to complete a certificate). Even so, here are ten activities to practice without moderation on your balcony.
● Drink your coffee
The temperatures are still cool in early April, so nothing like a hot drink to enhance your balcony getaway. And whatever the time, it will always be the perfect alibi for a quiet time or the opportunity to go listen to the birds singing loudly again in the heart of Paris.
Early in the morning, you could consider a freshly brewed black coffee (even ground coffee!), Or a “super-awakening-sweetness” tea. Up to you. Right after lunch, digestion break. There, it's a tight one that you have to prepare: your collective sports lesson starts at 2 p.m. and you have to be ready. Then comes tea time. Why not, this time, a good citrus tea with a few delicacies? In the evening, after dinner, make way for "decaf", to avoid sleeplessness. In short, you will understand, the “mug outing” is possible at any time and can even punctuate your day!
Coffee or tea break, the choice of weapons. lolostock / LoloStock - stock.adobe.com
● Balcony, a new decor
Since confinement, the window constitutes an essential new ornament in the room. After fifteen days at home, the balconies should be ready to receive vegetation. If not, start with cleaning. Spring is a good time to start planting and enriching the soil. Rather than throwing the coffee grounds in the morning, mix it with the earth, you will get an excellent fertilizer at no cost.
The easiest way is to find aromatic pots, they are on sale in many convenience stores. For the rest it will be necessary to order on the Internet. If plants really aren't your cup of tea, bring out your Christmas decorations, after all Easter is just around the corner! Be careful not to overload your railing or balcony so as not to invade the neighbor or to risk for its solidity.
Plant flowers, shrubs or spices, give free rein to your desires. Tetiana Yatsenko / Tetiana - stock.adobe.com
● Get into sport
What if the balcony becomes a gym? Nothing's easier. Here are some ideas depending on the space you have. On a small surface with a floor mat, go for a muscle strengthening session (arms, abs, glutes, thighs). You can also install an exercise bike and travel - over several days - the kilometers of a stage of the Tour de France. For a yoga session the size of the balcony must be greater. Performing the warrior, half-moon or cobra postures requires more space. And for the most enduring, we can imitate Elisha Nochomovitz who ran a marathon on her 7 meter long balcony by making about 6,000 round trips in 7 hours).
Group sports session to motivate neighbors. Stephane Mahe / REUTERS
● Simple as a phone call
Georges Brassens said "Friendship requires nothing in return, only maintenance." Before confinement, time was a luxury. Today, we benefit while relatives are kept at a distance. Let us take advantage of this comfort to fill this gap. The window is a call to the outside, an even better balcony, allows you to wander around to find inspiration. Let’s reconnect with a real “face to face” dialogue with a person who is dear to us. Maintaining friendship groups is also important for maintaining morale. Forward the giggles by calling out via video-conferences or other modes widely offered on mobiles. Of course, discreetly with your neighbors!
● Reading without counting
Reading on your balcony comes in 4 steps. Install your favorite chair (long) or small armchair, orient it according to the position of the sun, wedge a good cushion at the bottom of your back or under your head, choose the novel that you are going to savor. We are finally ready to travel back in time with the saga of the Cursed Kings by Maurice Druon or in another country with 1Q84 by Murkami.
You can also dive into a good thriller (the last Michael Connelly or Arnaldur Indridason). Or tackle the great classics Le Comte de Monte-Cristo , Anna Karénine , Bel-Ami . And on its e-reader you can devour the latest novelties, Le pays des autres by Leila Slimani, The flowers in the shade by Tatiana de Rosnay.
Catch up on reading ... LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
● Smoking a cigarette
It can be electronic (at best) or full of real nicotine, cigarettes on the balcony have the advantage of not bothering the whole family. Being able to eat (or even eat) in front of a neighbor as addicted as you, it gives the opportunity for a small friendly sign. Of course, we cannot advise you to take advantage of confinement to try a "detox", but your loyal ally can also prove to be the perfect alibi to enjoy the calm of the street, listen to the birds chirping in the spring or ogle the others balconies and everything that goes on ...
● Forward the music
Playing the flute, becoming a DJ, listening to a song on your balcony, nothing like humming a few musical notes to soften the effects of confinement. Outdoor musical initiatives are increasing in particular at the time of the applause ritual. A mini-concert by a trumpeter on Place Villiers, a new play-list every evening mixed by the designer Jul who found a new vocation, a tube broadcast at 8 p.m. on Nostalgie radio to pay tribute to caregivers (#unechansonpourlessoignants ), music is more than ever a source of communion. Sharing it on your balcony is a sign of resistance and rejoicing. So give free rein to your melodic inclinations!
Outdoor musical initiatives flourish. SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP
● Take an aperitif
A multitude of opportunities flourish on the canvas. The balcony associated with the telephone gives the illusion of not being "alone in the world". E-aperitif, at 2, 6, 8, 40… Yep, 40, Julie sent forty invitations on Facebook to an aperitif so as not to celebrate her birthday, alone. The aperitif on Thursday launches a great initiative and offers to "pay for the tour to the nursing staff". Friday's “Apéro Fenêtre” has become a must, toast with your neighbors also allows you to get to know each other. The trend: rather beers and wine during the week, in cocktail mode at weekends (drink in moderation). Attention, comments circulate by signaling the excesses of this type of demonstration which harm the neighborhood. Caregivers need rest, it must not be forgotten. As François Morel says: "Following the next aperitif."!
● Cheering
Young couples, elderly people, families ... join all these French people who, every evening, meet on their balcony at 8 p.m. to support the carers, by applauding them. Remember that they have been under severe strain for several weeks now and that this national momentum is a real sign of recognition towards them. Since the time change, note that everyone can see each other more and that the moment is favorable for the exchange, see the drag! So head to your window at 7:59 p.m., smile and ready to play the solidarity card.
The applause does not falter every evening. Jean-Christophe Marmara / JC MARMARA / LE FIGARO
● Participate in "Question for a balcony"
Confinement pushes citizens to reclaim their homes. Here a desk-dining table, there a circuit of marble-bathroom. The boundaries of the habitat are transformed while the occupants are inhabited by a creative impulse. The balcony, arms outstretched towards others, is the highlight of these innovations. The young actor-director Noam Cartozo revisits the game "Question for a champion" balcony version. To the delight of its neighbors on rue Saint-Bernard in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. A real burst of optimism which takes place after the meeting of daily applause. If the teams on the even and odd numbered side of the street clash with each other according to the questions, it is everyone who emerges victorious at the end.