Skiing in France in Feb half term?

[winterrabbit]

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!

From what I understand after reading the French consulate update, unvaccinated minors accompanied by fully vaccinated adults will not need a compelling reason to travel but will still have to have a negative antigen test taken within 48 hrs of departure. Have I understood this correctly?

We’re skiing in France at the moment and no one has asked for covid passes at all in any restaurants or ski lifts. The signs up at the lifts say pass vaccinal mandatory 16+. Today they were checking at one lift only and probably checked 1% of people and no children inc teens were being checked.

We are also here in France skiing. We stayed in Lyon and had our passes scanned everywhere, but here hardly at all. Hotel wanted them at checkin but restaurants and bars have been hit and miss, and hardly any lifts. I've also been really surprised about the lack of masks.

We are here! So nice to be here again. No masks on lifts and our passes have not been checked in the lift queues. We had to show our passes last night in the local bar. Yesterday on the slopes it was as if covid had never happened

We've had our passes checked at the TGV out of Paris, and one restaurant. According to my ski instructor there is one patrol checking people at the ski lifts in the Trois Vallees... so, the likelihood of being checked is pretty low. The mask mandate is being mostly but not entirely followed, but again no checking or enforcement.

Also in France (Les Gets). No checks on pistes / ski school but have been checked in bars & restaurants. No masks on lifts but have to wear them in shops / pharmacy / taxis. 12 yr old has been testing in resort each day - no queues, results in 15-20 mins. All v straightforward.

Ditto for us in Avoriaz - periodic and slightly random checks in restaurants (although they seemed surprised that my tall 12 yr old has a pass too). Not checked on lifts yet but have heard reports from others in our accommodation.

We made it though! Thanks to this thread so much good advice.

Sorry I'm sure it's been asked but I can't find an answer. How late before departing for France do you need second vac for passé sanitaire?

Will two weeks before departure be ok?! Thanks x

Quelle pain in the backside.
We are returning to the UK on Saturday. 2 fully vaxxed adults and a 12 year old unvaccinated child.
I'm comfortable that adults don't need tests - but all I can gather from this page uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918#t1-Travelling-from-France-to-the-UK is that an unvaccinated 'person' does need a covid test to leave France.
Does that need to be a PCR or would a lateral flow test suffice?

Where is the official guidance published - for the life of me I cannot see it? Thank you!

Looks like it’s pretty much a C&P of the UK’s general rules as posted Uk gov, last updated 11 Feb.

“…Before you travel to England – not fully vaccinated
……you must:

take a COVID-19 test – to be taken in the 2 days before you travel to England
book and pay for a COVID-19 PCR test – to be taken after you arrive in England
complete a UK passenger locator form – to be completed in the 48 hours before you arrive in England
You will need to enter your PCR test booking reference number in the passenger locator form.”

www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19#if-you-are-not-fully-vaccinated

Thanks - we are vaccinated, it is our 12 yo who is not.
So for children returning to the UK it looks like this is the rule:
"Travelling with children
Children aged 17 and under do not have to:
-take any COVID-19 travel tests
-quarantine on arrival in England"

And we are actually flying from Switzerland where under 18s don't need a test to leave (if with vaccinated parents)

Hmm...seems too easy

@BlackSwan

Thanks - we are vaccinated, it is our 12 yo who is not. So for children returning to the UK it looks like this is the rule: "Travelling with children Children aged 17 and under do not have to: -take any COVID-19 travel tests -quarantine on arrival in England"

And we are actually flying from Switzerland where under 18s don't need a test to leave (if with vaccinated parents)

Hmm...seems too easy

That's right.

Bear in mind daily testing to get pass sanitere to access ski lifts, restaurants etc for children over 12 years and 2 months who are not fully vaccinated.

Has anyone done Eurotunnel and uploaded everything in advance? Do they still want hard copies even so? We've got the vaccination certs on our phones if needed, and the TousAntiCovid app, but hard copies of the certified statement would be a pain as we don't have a printer.

I had printed copies of everything but had also uploaded on the Eurotunnel app and had an email confirming all good - they only checked passports didn't need anything else.

Thanks. I’ve uploaded but no cheery email!

Ah, but now there is. DH appears to have looked dodgy as my health declaration was immediately accepted but an actual human looked at his.

We're all set - hurray! Now, any tips on how good the Flexi-lounge is? Is it worth using? I didn't realise it existed until last night. Freebies always welcome.

Yes flexiplus lounge is nothing super special
But definitely worth a quick stop for the loo, a coffee and see if any snacks or drinks take your fancy for the journey!

I wish I had booked flexi plus now - I have anxiety about not making our train on the way home on Saturday! First time drivers and it definitely took longer than we thought to get here!!

Big apologies if this has been asked multiple times. It's quite a long thread and would take me a long time to find the answer!

We're going skiing in France next week and have seen we need to have 'Category 1' masks.

Can anyone advise what this means? I've searched online but can't find a clear answer.

Any insights will be very much appreciated.

Just back from France and basically I think it just means surgical rather than fabric masks. TBH many people didn't bother apart from in Arrivals in France.

Thanks Rookie. A clearer explanation than I've found so far!

We are just back. Very few people were wearing masks in the resort we were in. The only exception was on the main bubble lift where there was a full range from buffs to surgical masks. There were no checks on masks. It was all quite relaxed. Only time our passes were checked was in one cafe. Our teens pass was never checked and we observed no checks on lifts.

Have fun.

I’ve checked back a couple of pages but couldn’t find the answer- sorry if it is further back! When you all talk about having “your passes checked” here and there (e.g. local bars or restaurant), if you are a triple vaxxed adult does that just mean your NHS Covid pass? That’s what I understood from the French government website.

You need to download the French tous anti covid app and then you upload your nhs QR code. The restaurants then check via the app.

Basically you just need a QR code I think but this way seems to work!

@chalkyc2 Thank you so much! Done ✅