Now we’re down to hours – 250 to go until 46 – yet I must focus on a microcosm of struggle, in a tiny town called Limone, Piemonte.

On top of the recent floods, beyond the two roads that remain closed to Limone, one from France, the other to Italy; they’ve recorded two new cases of Covid.

Unlike Piemonte, down here, they rely on tourism. It’s such a special town, the kind of picaresque ski village that inspires all of Europe to flock to Limone – for their skiing, their spectacular setting, and compelling charm.