Anyone else now going to France?

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Just wanting a quick poll on what people's thoughts are about going to France with current lockdown relaxations? - Euro tunnel, caravan 2 x hotel stop offs en route with 2 DC's .....All facilities on sites open apparently but gel, masks etc needed. Wondering will it be empty? Hard work and weird to follow rules? What would you do? x

I’ll try and find the article- it describes how the French have done their quarantine previously.

It’s basically like our lockdown. You can go out for walks and to shop for food-just not meet up with friends. But it has also been voluntary.

@Thepastcatchesupwithyou

So if its voluntary quarantine whats everyone's plans ? Will you still go and stay to yourselves as much as possible? I think we may do this, we are self contained anyway.

I don't know. I still can't decide and we're due to go tomorrow morning.

We live with my parents who were shielding and they've said that when we come back we'll have to quarantine in separate rooms from them (our bedrooms and study) and have a rota for the kitchen. So that's stressing me out, because at least just staying home for 2 weeks would only have been like lockdown without the daily exercise. But I'm not sure if I can handle being cooped up in 2 rooms.

Plus the 7 days of school missed, I might be called back from furlough at any time, I'm way behind with my studies. I really should cancel but I just want a break and I'd be £600 out of pocket, without counting the Eurotunnel which I'd have to reschedule or lose. The indecision is even annoying me and I'm the one being indecisive!

www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/UK-quarantine-France-to-impose-reciprocal-measures-on-UK

Thanks @pontypirdd thats very helpful. It sounds like we would be ok, we don't go out for meals and tend to find a quiet beach or sit by the pool. I suppose the other concern is a national lockdown. God its all so complicated. I wish I hadn't booked it now (January). Oh well let's wait on the announcement.

We’ve decided not to go to France this week for my friends wedding- too many risks and uncertainties. We’ve been friends since we were 11 - I’ve just a phone call with her to let her know - we both cried.

@Parker231
So gutted for you.
You'll have to organise something special when this is all over, whenever that may be.

Cancelling a holiday is one thing, but a close friends wedding is a whole other level

@parker231 thats awful 😞 I hope you get to do something lovely when this all over. Sending hugs xx

I wish the French would hurry up and make an announcement!

We’re due to go next Saturday, and plan to go as long as the quarantine is doable. We’ll be in a private gite in a rural area. Only problem is the overnight air bnb in Tours on the way down, but we could take food to eat in rather than need to find a takeaway. And the other thing is we’re not there for 2 weeks, but presumably the return trip is classed as essential travel.

There are so many variables and scenarios, it’s stressful working out what to do isn’t it.

So sad for people missing out on on special plans.

@EmmaCB1 same as us ! Just want to know if they are going to strictly enforce ot or not. Kids are desperate to know if they can go away. What do you think about France locking down ? Likely or not ?

I think future general lockdowns in France will be local from this:

www.thelocal.fr/20200801/frances-local-lockdowns-what-is-being-planned-if-covid-19-cases-spike

I think worst at the moment is Paris and Marseille but you would need to watch.

Just want to say how efficient centre parcs Eu are. Money refunded with just a Facebook message!

Any more france news???

I haven’t spotted an announcement today.

DH reckons there won’t be anything that gets in the way of the Tour which starts on the 29th?

Phew!

Apparently the ferry companies are lobbying the French government to not introduce quaratine in France. So keeping fingers crossed here for ferry on Friday.

@SummerNamechangeHappened

Any more france news???

We came over yesterday (Monday). No quarantine, voluntary or compulsory, no health checks at the border, just the passport control guy reminded us to wear a mask. There were a steady stream of people still travelling, although it wasn't packed.

You have to book restaurants in advance rather than just turn up on spec, and wear masks in a lot of places (outdoor city centres). Children are asked to wear masks in shops even under 11, although in the streets it's 11+, so bring a mask for the kids.

I'm having major anxiety today. No idea if I should start packing or not. I wish they would say one way or the other.

That's very reassuring thanks @Fink

I wish they would say one way or the other.

I really doubt the French Government are going to announce that they will definitely not introduce quarantine for a defined number of days or weeks, they would be daft to do so.

However as has been mentioned the last quarantine for those arriving in France from the Uk was branded as voluntary..

Fink has described the current situation accurately - there's generally a high level of compliance with the mask wearing rules - probably helped by the fact it often is literally policed.

I would not stop a planned trip to France in case they put on a voluntary quarantine as it appeared to be just that earlier in the summer. I think the main issues to consider are:
1; Travel insurance - worth upgrading to a company that covers you in countries where FCO advice is in place. Although if travelling to France you will still be covered by EHIC for medical issues.
2; Quarantine - will you be in a position to quarantine on return to the UK?

1. Mode of transport - if self-drive more options for coming back whereas if travelling by air and flight cancelled it would be harder to get back (although still possible by train or alternative flight)

We had to cancel our holiday due to the quarantine issue as could not risk our year 11 child missing the start of term. Our holiday also involved several countries which increased the risk of disruption crossing borders if cases were to rise further as the holiday went on. If we had just been going to France with younger children we would probably have gone ahead with the holiday and taken out the relevant travel insurance.

We’ve done it. Arrived today by Eurostar. It’s so quiet travelling and feels the safest place to be at the moment.

Yay! Well done @pontypridd 🙌🙌🙌 hopefully be joining you at the weekend! 🇫🇷🍷🥖🥐☀️

I hope so too. Good luck. We worried and stressed so much but it’s been so straight forward and easy and so quiet.

I wish we hadn’t stressed so much.

I am amazed at how many of you are still going - I didn't think I was overly risk averse but I was bloody relieved (if gutted) when fco changes meant we knew we were cancelling.

We would have been returning tomorrow so not worth quarantine for such a short trip.

We should have gone on Saturday and have lost around £1500. Slightly doubting whether we should have just gone. The quarantine would have been shit and kids would have missed the start of school, but...