Show Notes for Episode 116s: Getting Caught in a Terror Attack in France

Category: Health & Safety

Discussed in this Episode

• Nice Terror Attack
• Driving in France
• Terror Attacks in France
• WizEat Service
• Avignon
• Festival d'Avignon
• les Baux de Provence
• Uzes
• Pont du Gard
• Nice

Getting Caught in a Terror Attack in France Show Notes

I wanted to begin the show on a happy note, so I asked Steve and Sarah about their week in France overall. Here are some quick highlights of what they talked about.

• They tried WizEat and enjoyed it very much.
• Avignon: July is a fun time in Avignon because of the Festival d’Avignon.
• Tour in Provence: this tour included a visit to a vineyard, an olive producer,  les Baux de Provence, Nîmes, Uzès, Pont du Gard
• Then they took the train to Nice. By luck, Steve changed his hotel reservation to be closer to the old part of Nice (the east end of the city).
• In Nice they enjoyed the city, tried some Socca, went to the beach, enjoyed the new in the ground fountain where kids play. They took the elevator up the hill (look for Ascenseur du Château, it is free).
• The fireworks had drawn 30,000 people and were really nice.
• After the fireworks they joined a crowd of people who were watching a street performer, and as they walked away from that crowd they noticed people running away towards the east (most of the carnage happened where the truck first entered the promenade on the west end of the beach).
• They didn’t know what got people panicked, but they decided to try to go back to their hotel.
• A man who operates a tour company opened the door to his basement office and 30 or 40 people crowded in there.
• They weren’t sure what was happening, but stayed in-doors, in the safety of the basement office for 60 to 90 minutes.
• What was security like on that night in Nice? They saw several soldiers with machine guns and in full gear. They saw several of them before the fireworks, but not after.
• Their hotel was only 3 or 4 blocks away, but they didn’t know if there were still gunmen on the loose so they took the back streets back to their hotel.
• They stayed up all night watching French news.
• They were going to go to Monaco the next day but cancelled it because they were too tired and out of sorts.
• They went to the makeshift memorials along the beach in Nice.
• The people of Nice were very good everywhere helping people out, making sure people had what they needed.

Safety Recommendations from Steve

• Don’t stay too close to places that attract large crowds and big events.
• Keep the hotel map with you just in case.
• Wear good shoes just in case you need to take off running.
• Register with the US State Departments because they will send you updates and reports via email.
• There is risk wherever you go, there is risk back home too. Go to France, be cautious in crowds, especially during celebrations.
• France felt safe overall, but the big gatherings are a little bit scary.

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Category: Health & Safety