Travelling to France - help

[itsjuly]

I’m hoping to book a holiday in France soon, with my DH and toddler DC. DH and I are fully vaccinated and we’re hoping to travel via the Eurostar.

Are UK citizens currently allowed into France and is there anything special we have to do, like quarantine or PCR tests? Or can we just go as we normally would have done in pre-Covid times?

Also, would you risk booking a holiday at the moment given the situation may change and France could ban UK travellers at short notice?

All this information is freely available on multiple websites including the government one (although I have to say it is all very confusing because of the constant changes of rules).

I googled "travel to France":
www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

That's helpful, thanks!

Would you risk booking a holiday right now or is the situation still too changeable? I don't want to be left out of pocket!

I wouldn't travel to France at the moment because if anyone's COVID tests come back positive in uk or France then that's the holiday buggered up- you probably won't get all your money back or you'll end up spending extra on new tickets or accommodation. you will get stuck in France if you test positive there.

@OnlyFlans would you stick to the UK only then?

I'm not a big fan of uk holidays - we've done a few UK short breaks which were ok - but I'm saving my money to spend on an overseas trip when hopefully the rules are relaxed a bit.

We recently returned from France. DH and I doubled vaccinated, 10yo DD exempt from PCR. DH and I had to show vivid passports to use a pool, but otherwise nothing.

We drove from Spain, not sure if our inter-country restriction/necessary tests would be the same as UK, I presume so.

For travel to France this site is more authoritative and official than anything put out on by the UK gov.

uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918

The flow diagram there should help make things clear.

FWIW for your return to the UK most tests can be done in/by a local pharmacy.

Hope that helps.

We just came back from Paris, travelled on Eurostar.
Going to France if you're double-vaccinated is easy - there's a declaration to fill in (which they won't look at), and you need the French app TousAntiCovid which you can sync with the NHS one to show your vaccination status.
You will need the app to eat out in restaurants, and to go into attractions, we got asked every time, even for a boat trip. There's also still a lot more mandatory face-mask wearing over there.

It's getting back into the UK that's the faff. 48 hours before returning you need to to an antigen test (you can do it at a pharmacy, we paid €48 each). You also need to fill in the government's Passenger Locator form, and you will need to put in the code for your Day 2 PCR test which you will have needed to pre-book before leaving the UK.

Eurostar was great, apart from having to check in earlier to get through all the extra admin and security. Paris was fab, not many Brits, lots of other Europeans and a sprinkling of Americans. Good atmosphere, life going on etc.

Testing positive in the Paris test would have been a major inconvenience - would have had to isolate for 10 days in a hotel or something - and I have to say, it wasn't something I'd really considered might happen until I had the swab up my nose.

It's getting back into the UK that's the faff. 48 hours before returning you need to to an antigen test (you can do it at a pharmacy, we paid €48 each). You also need to fill in the government's Passenger Locator form, and you will need to put in the code for your Day 2 PCR test which you will have needed to pre-book before leaving the UK.

@MissSueFlay oh, what a pain! Thanks for the very helpful and detailed information though.

and you will need to put in the code for your Day 2 PCR test which you will have needed to pre-book before leaving the UK.

@MissSueFlay sorry, when do you need to do the Day 2 PCR?

You can order lateral flow tests to take with you to save you having to find a pharmacy in France. C-19 are widely regarded as very good and less than £30.

You will need the reference for your day 2 pcr before you return but again this isn’t a hassle - most providers will email you the reference immediately so you can complete the passenger locator form. You then do the test on or before day 2 when you arrive back. It’s honestly made to sound far more complicated than it actually is.

We came back about 2 weeks ago. Travelled on Eurotunnel.
So before we went we downloaded the French Tous Anti Covid App and scanned in our proof of vaccine obtained from the NHS site. Also printed hard copies of them too.
Completed and signed hard copies of the French Statement of Honour.
Booked day 2 return tests
With 72 hours of return took French Covid tests - the French app has links to Pharmacies near where we were staying. Had antigen tests - they cost €25 and results were back in 2 hours and we linked them into the French App.
Completed passenger locator form using the French test results and the 2 day return tests.
Eurotunnel was quiet both ways and would definitely do it again.