"It is a breath of fresh air for me to visit them": in Laval, in northwest France, young children run around shaking maracas and tambourines among elderly women singing. For the past year, a micro-creche called "Tom & Josette" has been set up opposite a retirement home, offering shared time. It's a way of building links between the generations, helping the children to grow up and at the same time making up for the loneliness of the old people's home. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES