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Covid

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Original poster

Would you cancel weekend in France?

57 replies

SSOYS · 02/12/2021 10:51

I'm taking DD to Lille for the Christmas market later this month. The trip has been planned for months and was intended to be a treat after her school trip to Lille was covided off.

Would you cancel, given Omicron? I am double jabbed and she has had a single but had covid recently. We don't mind taking tests and wearing masks. I keep thinking it's a bad idea to travel but can't actually work out why.

OP posts:

luckylavender · 02/12/2021 10:57

Don't you have to take a test to get into France now? If so it may be more complicated as well as the isolating on the way back.

MissAmbrosia · 02/12/2021 11:03

What cancellation terms do you have? The situation is generally getting worse. At least the market is still going ahead - with Covid pass and masks - many of the Belgian ones have been cancelled this year.

Madmog · 02/12/2021 11:05

I wouldn't cancel due to Omicron itself, but I'd be put off by the cost of tests and possibly things changing at last minute which means you could suddenly find yourself rushing to get back due to quarantine restrictions coming in here.

User63896578 · 02/12/2021 11:10

I wouldn't go, not because of catching Covid but because further restrictions could be brought in making it costly or difficult to get home. Could you go to a Christmas market here instead and make it part of a weekend break

Original poster

SSOYS · 02/12/2021 11:21

Thank you. Really struggling to know what to do. DD has to test before we go but that's not new. Perhaps it's the risk of rules changing while we are out there that's bothering me.

OP posts:

MrsArchchancellorRidcully · 02/12/2021 11:22

I would absolutely go. You now need a PCR to get into france but otherwise france is open. Go live your life.

kalidasa · 02/12/2021 11:25

I'm in France (Paris). Numbers are going up here but that means they are now comparable to the UK, not loads higher. My sense at the moment is that a lot of people are going out while they can, mindful of likely further restrictions soon. If you're not in a high risk category (and not eg caring for someone who is) I would probably go to be honest. You do need your health pass though even to sit down in a cafe so make sure you've got that sorted.

usernotfound0000 · 02/12/2021 11:28

I wouldn't be put off by Covid, but I would be put off by restrictions that might be in place in France that may mean you would not be able to do what you were planning to do.

Original poster

SSOYS · 02/12/2021 11:32

Thank you. @kalidasa (or anyone who knows)- I have set up my passe sanitaire. DD will have proof of a UK official antigen test - am I right in thinking we can get this turned into a passe sanitaire at a pharmacy?

OP posts:

HavfrueDenizKisi · 02/12/2021 11:42

France has just announced all non EU visitors will be required to show a negative covid test even if they are double vaccinated.

So that includes people from the UK now (Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving).

It was announced yesterday I think so you should check this out.

Otherwise, if you can be bothered with the fuss of testing, I wouldn't cancel just because of omicron.

kalidasa · 02/12/2021 11:43

@SSOYS I'm not sure I'm afraid. We have the Tousanticovid app which will recognise the NHS barcode so generates a valid French passe sanitaire for you though you can't scan one app with the other on the same device so need to use two devices or save the NHS one as a pdf or something like that. In practice though places are fine if you get out your paper vaccine certificate -- I had to do this a lot right at the start as the French app didn't recognise the NHS certificates for the first couple of weeks. They just want to see something really though it's annoying to have to keep explaining if you don't have the standard app (especially if you/your daughter are not v confident linguistically). You may well be right that pharmacies can help now. There are zillions of pharmacies in France so you'll have no prob finding one. For a while I noticed that a lot of cafes here had actually stopped asking to see the pass but it's picked up again now with rising numbers.

rookiemere · 02/12/2021 11:43

I wouldn't go, DH and I were in Barcelona last weekend and the rules changing mid stay and the uncertainty around what was required spoiled any enjoyment for me.
Unfortunately this weekend looks to be ever more changing in terms of here and France and sadly I'd be reluctant to head over there in case you got stuck or had to do a long quarantine when you came back.

kalidasa · 02/12/2021 11:45

Oh and yes as @HavfrueDenizKisi says you need a negative PCR for entry now anyway regardless of vaccine status. We are hoping to return to the uk for Christmas so trying to keep on top of the rules!

Capferret · 02/12/2021 11:47

@kalidasa I have my df's NHS app and have put him on Tous Covid.
Same phone, no problem.

Original poster

SSOYS · 02/12/2021 12:02

Thanks, everyone. Think I must be looking at an out of date website re the pre travel checks- which look into it.

OP posts:

kalidasa · 02/12/2021 12:20

Oh it's quite a while since I set mine up @Capferret so it's probably improved now. But in any case in my experience cafes etc will accept a paper certificate if necessary.

ferretface · 02/12/2021 17:41

It doesn't have to be a PCR to enter France; antigen is also ok

www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000044394836

PrivateHall · 02/12/2021 18:06

I personally wouldn't be booking anything outside of the UK right now due to the risk of restrictions causing havoc mid trip.

3luckystars · 02/12/2021 18:07

Yes I would cancel. I cancelled a trip this week because I was really stressed with the changing rules and was worried I would get stuck somewhere. The good was gone out of it so I cancelled.

SpinningWheelOfFortune · 02/12/2021 22:31

We've got a trip to Paris planned in a couple of weeks and still planning to go. I think we need a LFT or PCR to enter France, and obviously now a PCR on return. It did cross my mind that things could change while we're there but I want to live my life, it's been on hold for too long now so if I'm allowed, I'll go, even if it means testing etc.

Languagethoughts · 02/12/2021 23:02

@ferretface Thank you for posting a link to the legislation. I've been trying to find out whether a lateral flow meets the new requirement to test before entering France, but most information sources haven't been updated yet. How did you work out what test is required from the link you've posted? I can see it refers to a test of the type required in para 1 of Art 2-2, but I couldn't find the Art 2-2 it was referring to!

jeffersonsam · 03/12/2021 05:56

Yes, covid situation makes hard to travel from one country to another. I also postponed my travel during this Christmas day.

MarshaBradyo · 03/12/2021 06:06

I wouldn’t cancel, if I can do the stuff I’ve booked tests wouldn’t put me off

CovidCorvid · 03/12/2021 06:26

Don’t you now need a pcr 2 days after when you come back and have to isolate until you get the result? It would put me off.

purplesequins · 03/12/2021 06:30

with an unvaccinated teen (1 vaccine doesn't count in most of europe) I would read up on requirements for shops/restaurants/markets.

many countries (not sure of france) require 2g (vaccinated or recovered) for those.

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