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

bezzi you are not the thread police, firstly, and secondly of course the whole point of the thread is the worry of the second wave! Otherwise we would all in France by now!!! Jeez.

@madbirdlady22

bezzi you are not the thread police, firstly, and secondly of course the whole point of the thread is the worry of the second wave! Otherwise we would all in France by now!!! Jeez.

lol

Reading this thread with interest. We are due to drive to France (eurotunnel) on 19th August. I'm feel pretty sure we are just as safe there as here, virus wise. But just concerned about the possibility of having to quarantine as we cant do that.. interested to know what others are doing.

Due to go 2 weeks today, we have a house in St Tropez so wouldn't lose money on that but flights and car hire were booked last year. We're going to go. We are in a secluded location, one huge shop in the supermarket and then we'll stick by the pool and the odd trip to the beach. Usually we would be out and about at the local markets, beach clubs, restaurants etc but we won't bother this year.

People need to stop thinking that the only risk is the risk of catching the virus and 'it's safer there than here'. You also need to consider the risk on sudden lockdown or reintroduction of tight conditions in the country you are visiting, European countries previously locked down very short notice and it was very strict. How would you and your family cope with this as there is a possibility this could happen again. Then there is the risk of quarantine here on your return. If you consider these things worth the risk then go ahead.

@BackInTime you're right. It's the risk of a sudden lockdown at our destination (not being able to go to beach if it was closed or for bike rides ie normal holiday activities) that would stop it being worth it for us. Quarantine when back here not a problem.

Yes sudden lockdowns, and proper contingencies if someone is ill or seriously ill whilst you are away or god forbid you both are, that happened to many of us on MN in April. Who can care for the dc? Is there adequate support? Can you or do you have help in place if it all goes T* up? This stuff doesn't always just happen to everyone else.

If we truly have a second wave coming, then you need to be prepared and some, particularly if you have dependents.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/29/britain-ditches-overseas-travel-coronavirus-spanish-covid-19

This makes for an interesting read ^

This has been a useful thread. We booked our trip last year in August and are due to drive on 14th August this year. As we are going where we've been before we know the set up and have assessed the risks from that point of view (self catering gite, remote & large site, few people, easy to socially distance). We also (luckily) have insurance which was in place last year which does cover us for various scenarios related to Covid (apparently...I'm sure there will be a get out clause somewhere but we have spoken to them).
We are playing the wait and see game. We have friends who drove to France yesterday and who come back just before we are due to go so are keeping in close contact with them.

The horse bolted long ago . How is driving to France any different to driving to Bournemouth? The virus will be here to stay for many years to come . This is the risk we have to take now with travel I suppose.

Checking in. We booked to go to centre parks at the beginning of September, which we can cancel with full refund a week before. It's just about drivable to the Euro tunnel in 5 hours. Don't want to lose any days of our holiday. Would we be thrown out the park?

We are due to get the ferry from Portsmouth on14 August and have 2 weeks - one in the Vendée and one in Finistere in Brittany.

At the moment we would lose all of our money if we cancel. It’s all been booked for about a year.

We are super antisocial on holiday at the best of times and will only be at the beach, except for a couple of supermarket trips. Bit worried about being stuck there - not fussed about quarantine on return as both DH and I can (and are) wfh for the foreseeable future.

Think we’d get our money back if the foreign office advice changes so I think we will probably play it all by ear.

We have moved our campsite chalet booking to next August 2021. Surfing in Cornwall instead (self catering accommodation).

If we hadn't managed to get a refund, we would have gone, and quarantined when we got back if necessary. A UK holiday just won't be the same! We'll hopefully go next summer instead.

And I've really enjoyed the thread, and the tone. The focus on should we/shouldn't we, and the practicalities of holidaying in France this year have been helpful.

We are scheduled to go in a few weeks but will wait and see. Self drive / self catering. Some helpful points on here- thank you. If we do go I might bring more supplies from here just to make sure we can last without too much contact.

I just can't decide what's best!!
We've only got until tomorrow to pay or lose the money paid so far 😬 we travel on 13th.
Anyone got a magic 8 ball? 😭

We're going and will take the same precautions as we do here. I've also had it so feel a bit less concerned rightly or wrongly.

We are booked for the tunnel on the 10th. We're staying at my Mum's house on the west coast...she isn't there so it would be just us.

With 1300 new cases in France today, local lockdowns could happen. We also risk quarantine if numbers increase. We can't afford the time for lockdown so I'm thinking we probably won't go.
I don't want to be stuck in a small French village under French lock down rules or not allowed to travel certain distances.

@BringBackDoves do you feel differently about your week in Vendee compared to Finistere? We have two weeks in F, 8-22 Aug and if it wasn't for its 'orange' status I think I'd feel a lot more relaxed.

We're also booked for 2 weeks on the Vendée leaving next Friday 7th. Booked last year. Driving and in campsites. At the moment we're still planning to go but I am worried about the quarantine on return. Been watching the thread with interest to see what others are doing.

See I just came on to say I'd decided to cancel and then I see you PP are planning to still go and I'm undecided again 😂

Matt Hancock seemed to say on R4 this morning that more countries needing quarantine on return would be known this weekend...

Yes, we are also on the brink of cancelling. Our campsite (la Ribeyre) have said they will give us a credit note to use next year, and we can also move our eurotunnel booking, so wont actually be out of pocket. Im gutted, as actually I think it might be fine, but I cant bear this obsessive checking of the news each day until we go, plus the worry while we are there!

Also obsessed in checking the news. My Kids were so excited to be getting a holiday after our Easter trip was cancelled. Ds was at an all time low this week when his driving test was also cancelled for the second time

We've cancelled. I'm devoed but keeping things in perspective while I'm drinking a glass of french wine 😭 People have been through much worse this year.

One of our hotels on the way down isn't opening yet and I think our ferry route has been cancelled (although I can't actually get them to confirm either way,) it was too unknown the whole thing. Plus the uneasiness about a local lock down while we're there. Thought it best to cancel while there was still a chance of clawing back some money!

Worst thing is there's a pasta sauce I can only buy in France and every year when we go I buy a years supply. I've only got 2 left and now I'll have to survive til Aug 2021 without any 😭 (lighthearted before anyone jumps on me for being insensitive)