When the Covid pandemic hit Europe in early 2020, Barbara was struggling with grief after the loss of her partner. “I had been living in France on and off since I was 18, but when my husband became ill five years ago we moved to Bordeaux, to an apartment that felt manageable,” she says. Sadly, he died shortly before lockdown, leaving Barbara alone in their home.
The president of the local residents’ group suggested she meet up with Susie, a fellow Briton who had recently moved there. Barbara, who is now 69, admits she was reluctant at first. “I didn’t want to have to explain my life to someone new,” she says. “I felt that I already had lots of friends.” Her sons told her she was “being mean” and suggested she go for a coffee to be polite to her new neighbour.
