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Original poster

Skiing in France in Feb half term?

377 replies

winterrabbit · 02/01/2022 23:14

We have a provisional booking in Feb half term for me, DH, and 3 kids aged 13, 11 and 3. DH and I are double vaxxed and will have had booster by the time we go. Our 13 year old is not yet vaxxed due to potential health risks so trying to work out if he will be able to get a covid pass if he tests every day in the region. Not sure if they still allow this or if they will insist on the super covid pass like Italy. Does anyone know? There's also the issue of the travel ban on UK citizens. Is this expected to be lifted? All looking a bit too difficult really!

OP posts:
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12
workwoes123 · 05/02/2022 08:48

@notimagain

The OP ( not the original op but this one 😂) isn’t asking about negative test certificates. She’s asking about whether the TAC Verif will recognise the combo of 1st vaccination plus proof of recovery from Covid in November as being valid for the pass sanitaire for a15 yr old. Idk how the Verif app responds to U.K. proof of recovery ?

anneyc · 05/02/2022 08:58

@Mumrun41 I spoke to nhs 119 about this yesterday. My 15yr old had covid in September which wasn’t confirmed on the PCR tests because they were done at the lab that wasn’t processing correctly and got closed down, so all test were invalid. I was told that you can only get a recovery certificate through a +ve PCR test. I asked if this will change now that there is no longer a requirement for having a PCR test with a +ve LFT, he said that they were getting new information on a daily basis and things are frequently changing but at the moment, +ve PCR is the only way. It’s very annoying. I would suggest you get a PCR test done- it may still show a +ve result.

applegate79 · 05/02/2022 10:27

So as an update and it may well be different in other resorts, we’ve just spent a week in Morzine and were asked for pass sanitaire on the first day on the lift and in one restaurant - but they only asked the adults not the two teens, and haven’t been asked anywhere else.
I’m slightly frustrated to be honest as having followed the rules and spent a lot of money testing them both daily it seemed there wasn’t a recognition of this as a requirement. I wonder if they’d just realised there wasn’t capacity to check every single person (or anybody in a lot of places!) ie at the lifts in the mornings the wait would have been hugely lengthy had they checked everyone so I guess that’s why they aren’t 🤷‍♀️

notimagain · 05/02/2022 11:01

[quote workwoes123]@notimagain

The OP ( not the original op but this one 😂) isn’t asking about negative test certificates. She’s asking about whether the TAC Verif will recognise the combo of 1st vaccination plus proof of recovery from Covid in November as being valid for the pass sanitaire for a15 yr old. Idk how the Verif app responds to U.K. proof of recovery ?[/quote]
I understand all that.

The fundamental point I’m making is that from what we’ve seen over the months, with both vaccinations and then the boosters, is that the confetti blitz is simply triggered by some limited logic in the TAC app…so it’s appearance, or lack of appearance, , is not an indicator/confirmation of anything much in itself.

abricotine · 05/02/2022 11:18

@chalkyc2

Just got confetti for double vacced 12 yr old and myself. Made my day!
@chalkyc2 same for my two teens, I thought this day would never come Smile
Peanutgurgle · 05/02/2022 17:05

Thanks applegate our chalet company are being really rubbish with the information so it’s great to have intel.

Africa2go · 05/02/2022 19:43

Have heard the same Apple. I am definitely a rule follower so it'll be annoying if we're testing daily for nothing!

tocas · 05/02/2022 19:47

Sorry to ask what may be an obvious question but travelling to France with a double vaccinated 16 year old in April who will not be eligible for his third dose until the middle of the week. Am I right in thinking he will be OK because he is within the 9 months of his second dose?

freckles20 · 05/02/2022 20:47

@Africa2go we weren't asked to show our passes at all for 2 days. But then things seemed to ramp up- there were roving teams of pisteurs (sp?) who stationed themselves at main lifts (mostly bubbles) and systematically checked absolutely everyone who was going through using iPads to scan apps.

We had a close shave on one day when my son's pass was due to expire at 3.35pm, we had stayed out later than usual as my FIL needed a rest (he is an awesome skier but is 77). We managed to get through the checks with 4 minutes to spare on his pass.

We were checked intermittently at restaurants and bars. One particular British bar owner who has been very vocal about not checking then had to backtrack after a visit from the police who queried his checking processes.

I'm not advocating not having the correct passes but if things go wrong I do think that by being flexible wrt which lifts you take, and which restaurants you go to you can quite easily get around the system.

Our chalet provider tried to assure us that there was zero checking, or that teens would be spared - but that wasn't true.

workwoes123 · 06/02/2022 10:39

@Africa2go

I can only speak of my experience of France but it’s very much the case that you may well not be checked all the time - but when you do, you’d better have the correct paperwork. That’s the way many things work here: the govt sets the rules, they are impossible to check for everyone - but regular contrôles may be put in place, and if you happen to get checked you have to have the correct paperwork. People will tell you it’s rubbish, that’s the police don’t bother etc - but they may.

gardenhelpneeded · 06/02/2022 10:42

Did any of you print off/laminate the QR code for easy access? I’m wondering about doing it for my children?

notimagain · 06/02/2022 10:46

@workwoes123

Nice summary…very much agree…

freckles20 · 06/02/2022 11:19

@gardenhelpneeded

Did any of you print off/laminate the QR code for easy access? I’m wondering about doing it for my children?
@gardenhelpneeded my in-laws printed theirs off as they aren't very confident with apps etc..

The lift checking team and a bar in our village refused the paper copies and requested to scan the app.

I think there is some suspicion of paper copies because it introduces the possibility of forgery, or sharing, or using a code that has become invalid since printing. I'm not sure how feasible any of these things are, but that seems to be the rationale behind it.

abricotine · 06/02/2022 13:19

@tocas there are two separate sets of rules. First, those to enter the country (looks like he will be fine) and second, he will need to qualify for passe vaccinal to use lifts and restaurants etc. I believe boosters are not required for this age group. I recommend reading the two articles from Morzine source magazine so you can be clear on the rules and how they apply to your circumstances. They have been linked above:
www.morzinesourcemagazine.com/travel-to-france-from-the-uk/ (for travel)
www.morzinesourcemagazine.com/covid-19-and-your-holiday-in-morzine-les-gets-or-avoriaz-this-winter/ (For resort)
The rules are the same throughout France. But FWIW looks like double jab is ok for 16+ so long as he has the NHS app and QR

StickChildNumberTwo · 06/02/2022 17:38

I'm so glad to see from this thread that people are actually making it to France! We were due to go at the start of Jan so obviously couldn't, and rearranged for March. Kids are young enough that we're not worrying about testing etc - I don't envy those of you trying to work all that out.

I have a question about the form you have to sign to get into France. It asks you to confirm that:

I hereby declare on my honour that I have no knowledge of having been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 during the last fourteen days prior to departure.

How are people interpreting 'having been in contact with a confirmed case'? With two kids at primary school, I'm sure we've had at least one letter a week this term telling us someone in the class has tested positive, but they're considered low risk contacts and short of maybe doing an LFT if you feel like it (I paraphrase but that's the gist) you don't have to do anything. Is that sufficient contact that we shouldn't be signing the French form? (And if so I'm wondering what our insurance company's take on that would be).

gardenhelpneeded · 06/02/2022 18:03

Interpreting it as a close contact.

gardenhelpneeded · 06/02/2022 18:03

Otherwise barely anyone would be able to sign it. Nonsense really given the high rates in France anyway.

Africa2go · 06/02/2022 20:49

We will be testing every day - I won't be comfortable with trying to get round the system. It's just so stressful!

anneyc · 07/02/2022 15:52

Just checked our entry to France requirements on the UK Gov website- it now says we need to have a -ve PCR test taken within 48hrs pre-departure- I thought it was 24hrs when I checked before but may have got that wrong. In which case, does any one know if it gives a valid health pass for a single vaxxed 15yr old for 48 hrs? This would help enormously for our journey driving through France with a stop over.

freckles20 · 07/02/2022 16:02

@anneyc

Just checked our entry to France requirements on the UK Gov website- it now says we need to have a -ve PCR test taken within 48hrs pre-departure- I thought it was 24hrs when I checked before but may have got that wrong. In which case, does any one know if it gives a valid health pass for a single vaxxed 15yr old for 48 hrs? This would help enormously for our journey driving through France with a stop over.
@anneyc I can't comment on the 24 or 48 hour window- it was certainly 24 hours when we went 2 weeks ago but it may have changed.

We found that my son's negative PCR pre-flight test could not be used on the Tous AntiCovid app. It just wasn't recognised by the app at all- so IMO it can't be used as proof of a negative test for a pass sanitere unfortunately. He would need a test in France...

workwoes123 · 07/02/2022 16:37

Hello

The negative test for entry changed very recently from 24 to 48 hours before departure.

I don't think anything changed for the pass sanitaire. Negative tests are only valid for 24 hours in the pass sanitaire.

Africa2go · 07/02/2022 16:59

The antigen / PCR tests that you need for travel are not valid for the Pass Sanitaire - you need to test in France (via a pharmacie) for that.

anneyc · 07/02/2022 18:18

Thanks everyone, that’s helpful. Just had a message from P&O saying it’s 24hrs pre departure so one of them is out of date! Suspect P&O 🙄

SkiTurtle · 07/02/2022 18:42

We returned from France yesterday after a week of skiing. Flew into Geneva and crossed the border. No teenagers.
We walked to the French side of the airport to collect our car and only had to show our boarding card and passport - no Covid docs.
We were asked to show the NHS Covid pass to access the ski lifts on only 1 day. I'm guessing they must only do spot checks rather than consistently check every day which would cause big queues.
Some bars and food places let us in without any checks at all although they were strict on mask wearing (except our regular bar which seemed to have no knowledge of a pandemic judging by the lack of masks on staff and customers). I'd say it was a 50/50 split of checks/no checks.

Peanutgurgle · 07/02/2022 20:03

P and O is out of date anneyc. It’s now 48hrs. We can get an antigen test rather than a PCR can’t we?!? I’ve ordered ours from chronomics.

SkiTurtle, I feel like I have already asked this but what masks where people wearing? Thank you x