Fears of pharmaceutical deserts are spreading to rural areas: "Our quality of life in rural areas is at stake."

The Avaloirs pharmacy in Saint-Pierre-des-Nids, in northern Mayenne, had just opened this October morning. Early birds crowded around the counter, prescriptions in hand. Regulars, you might say. The pharmacy isn't large but it's welcoming, a remnant of the old forge. The pharmacists, Anne Turminel and Antoine Rousset, live on the premises. Anne practically grew up in the pharmacy: her mother, Evelyne, took over the business in 1966 and ran it for nearly fifty years.

On the counter, a petition catches the eye: "No to pharmacy deserts! More and more pharmacies are closing every year: one in three pharmacies is threatened! That's 6,000 towns and villages at risk of losing their pharmacy. Fewer pharmacies, less care, less support: your health is in danger." Some 800 signatures have already been collected in this village of 1,700 inhabitants.

"There are rumors going around that you might have to close, is that true?" "We're not dead yet, but it's getting more and more complicated ," admits Antoine Rousset. "With two fewer doctors, we've lost a lot of clients."