Travelling to France with 2 non-vaccinated teenagers

[SidekickSally]

We are travelling to France over October half term with 2 unvaccinated teenagers. We understand they will need to take a COVID PCR or antigen test within 24 hours of arrival and the French gov site say these tests cannot be self-administered. However they then point you to sites where you can purchase these tests and they are tests done at home and then verified by a lab. This seems to contradict "self-administered". Has anyone has experience of this recently?

I thought they needed the tests done 24 hours before they leave?

Following as I am meant to be going but thought unvaccinated were only allowed in for very specific reasons? Or am I wrong?

They will need tests before they travel.
Details are in the picture.

You will also need the pass sanitaire (easy to download the Tousanticovid app and scan your nhs QR codes in). If your teens have not been vaccinated, they will need a test no more than 72 hours ago to access the pass.

You have to show the pass at museums, exhibitions, concerts etc also at cafes and restaurants (including outdoor terraces) and other indoor public spaces, not including shops except the really huge shopping malls.

Details here: uk.ambafrance.org/Health-pass-and-vaccination-in-the-UK

Sorry, yes I meant the tests 24 hours before we leave UK to go to France.
The ambafrance website says they don't need a specific reason if they are travelling with double vaccinated parents, which we are.

My question was more around this "not self-administrated" statement - what does "not self-administered" mean? The ambafrance website states the PCR or Antigen tests cannot be self-asministered. I know you can't use the NHS tests.
Can you use the private test centres where you submit your test results to a lab? THose websites suggest they are accepted by France.

I was just looking into this. It seems you have to use one of the private covid testing centres and get the test done at their clinic rather than one of the home testing kits they sometimes send out (I don't think these would be viable anyway with the need for the test result to be less than 24 hours old). There's a long list on the government website, although I googled to find one in my area then cross-referenced on the list.

You go along to the testing centre and complete the test there. I don't know if they actually stick it up your nose or just watch you do it. Then they send you the results via email within a couple of hours. The price is variable although at my local one it was £39.

If you need to visit restaurants etc in France you will need to get regular tests there, which are available in most pharmacies. Cost of 29 EUR.

In the summer I booked LFTs supervised over a zoom call; they were accepted at the border. A friend booked non-supervised LFTs and they were also accepted as the certificate issued doesn’t distinguish between self-administered and clinic tests.
What of course is not accepted is NHS free LFTs which are self administered and no certificate is issued.

PS It’s perfectly possible to do a home antigen test as the result comes back in a matter of hours (or less) and this is acceptable for entry to France.

Thanks, it's good to hear that the home antigen test was accepted (using a gov-approved testing lab) as this is so much quicker and easier.

I paid 38€ for my return test in a rip off chemist. One tickle on the edge of one nostril 🙄

@abricotine

PS It’s perfectly possible to do a home antigen test as the result comes back in a matter of hours (or less) and this is acceptable for entry to France.

That's good to know. Can you remember which provider you used?

This site looks quite helpful to narrow down what you need and where it's available: www.covid19-testing.org/travel-testing

We’re in France just now with our as-yet-unvaccinated teen. It’s been much easier than I feared. We got the c19 antigen test for pre-travel. They turned it around very quickly, and the email certificate came back in minutes rather than hours! I then logged it in VeriFLY and our flights went smoothly. We used the certificate for up to 72 hrs here for the hotel pool, a restaurant and then entry to our campsite. Unfortunately the QR code isn’t compatible with the TousAnti-Covid app, but everyone has been happy to just look at the certificate in my emails.

If we wanted to visit any more restaurants I guess we’ll need to take her to a pharmacy, but we’ll probably stick with self-catering and takeaway to avoid the bother.

Qured was mine and C19 also worked!

Really helpful, thankyou

When you return home you all need to do a test here costing hundreds I think?

Hi we are going to France later in the week and I have booked a test in a test centre for my 12 year old so 🤞🏻 it comes back when it's supposed to- do you have to complete the certificate of international travel for your teens? Or do they just need their negative certificate and the sworn declaration for entry? Also for going to restaurants etc do you need to visit a pharmacy for a covid test? How does that work? Is it done on site with a a certificate? Thanks!

Negative certificate plus sworn declaration for entry (the same one you fill in as vaxxed adults)

For an antigen test you’ll need a pharmacie. They will charge about 25 euro and then they will ask for your phone number / email to deliver the result. It will ping into your inbox and you’ll be able to add it to Tous anti covid. It is a full EU certificate with scannable QR code you will get there, linked to a central system, not the mishmash we get palmed off with by private providers over in the U.K.

I am getting quite confused with what is required for over 12s travelling with fully vaccinated adults! Can anyone confirm that over 12s do not need to self-isolate for 7 days on arrival in France and also can they use the fit to fly test that they will do pre-departure PCR test for the 'pass sanitaire' that is needed to access museums etc in France or do they need to do another PCR test on arrival in France?

Thank you

Over 12s travelling with fully vaccinated adults need an antigen or PCR test less than 24 hours before departure (ie boarding the plane/ferry). The short time frame means an antigen test is more practical to get the results back in time. They do NOT have to quarantine on arrival in France, but need a negative test within the last (I think) 72 hours to go into restaurants, museums etc. These are readily available in French pharmacies for about €25.

So yes, their fit to fly test will cover them for the first couple of days for the pass sanitaire.

I thought it's 72 hours before departure for the antigen test, not 24 hours before?

@Pearlyqueen21 did you do the at-home C19 test? And how many hours before travel did you need to do it? DH and I have a difference of opinion whether it's 48 or 24 hours before!

It's 24.
I'm sure many people checking passe sanitaire will give you the benefit of the doubt of a recent UK antigen test. But it will not come with an EU QR code so it will not scan in Tous Anti Covid Verif. I expect most would wave you through anyway, or that's what I heard, but it's not failsafe.

It is 24 hours or less before departure. My DDs travelled to France with a vaccine certificate with no qr code in the summer. We didn't try and do anything else with them, but they were checked and accepted at passport control which was what mattered to us at the time!