France is tightening Covid restrictions for travellers arriving from the UK, as the government in Paris tries to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
The French prime minister’s office said that from Saturday travellers would have to give a compelling reason for coming to France.
All arrivals will have to provide a negative Covid test less than 24 hours old and isolate for at least two days.
If you have booked a skiing holiday, for example, you will not be able to come. That’s clear - all holidaying is out. If you are a UK citizen wishing to spend Christmas with your retired parents who live in France, it doesn’t look good either. The list appears to state that the only Britons allowed in are those with registered homes in France, plus transport workers and some students.
The full article is here, but as always please consult the UK and French government websites for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
I’m in the USA and had hope to travel to France soon (after spending a month in Portugal and Spain). I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before the US numbers skyrocket and France and others clamp down on us, too. We will as well, no doubt. Poor world.
Since Brexit, and because of Brexit, Macron is going to keep on punishing us ‘rostbifs’ , when ALL THE SCIENCE points to the fact that stopping international travel is NOT the answer to slowing down C19. The answer is vaccination.
Thanks, @CreatureCuddler, that’s my hope, to get into Portugal before things clamp down completely and I’ll wing it from there. Fingers crossed, but mainly for everyone’s health and safety. Much appreciate your input.
We just canceled our house sit to start January 23 in France. We wanted the HO to have enough time to find someone else, just in case France doesn’t lift their restrictions. We have been in the UK since September, so we aren’t allowed to enter France, even though we have 3 jabs and are Americans. They state any one coming from the UK without a compelling reason. I checked out going to Spain first, but that isn’t possible, as France checks everyone at their border. We will be heading home when our London sit is over. No Paris this trip!
It is actually very complicated and stressful to follow the new rules considering travelling between France and UK. Rules are changing very quickly.
Yesterday we took a long time to check all these with the OH we are now staying at.
Here are the new rules (Up to date 21st of december) :
This is coming form French diplomacy official webpage.
To sum up about compelling reasons :
UK citizens living in France, being French resident, can travel to UK with no other reason than being UK citizen (they can travel to their origin country any time)
UK citizens being french residents with a NEW carte de séjour (stating about Les accords de retrait post-Brexit : This have to be written on the back of your Carte de séjour) are allowed to come back to France with no other reason.
UK citizens being UK residents can NOT come to France actually
French citizens being French residents can NOT travel to France.
Petsitting is NOT a compelling reason sadly !
Any traveller from UK coming into France must quarantine for 10 days (you are allow to go out between 10-12 for essential shopping or medical reason only - walking a dog is not a reason to leave your quarantine place). You can have a test after 48 h ; if it goes negative you are allowed to a light quarantaine meaning wearing the mask EVERYWHERE (as a French citizen I would add : who’s gonna check that ??? - but that is the actual rule)
There are lots of forms to fill in and tests to go through (before and after travelling).
A good advice would be to print all these document in french : because as far as I know customers are not completely aware of all these new procedures and it takes very long at the airport to go through custom !
Hope this helps.
Joyeux noël à tous UK citizens, french residents, global pet-sitters : happy Christmas to ALL of you : keep safe.
