France in August?

[sidepod]

As with all things COVID-19 based, confusion reigns.
Obviously these batches no longer exist as they’ve been used up so will then ever get approval? Will it matter.
Independent says EU are likely to accept these batches.

 

[Aubisque]

It’ll be a procedural thing that will get sorted despite the Torygraph’s relentless agenda to make everything a jingoistic blame opportunity

 

[Lancia037]

Check your vaccine batch IDs before travelling overseas

My view has always been to wait until it's clearly safe, responsible, the right thing for all before going to France again. We have a place there which has been unvisited (except by my neighbour) for 18 months, so we have plenty of reasons to go. Imagine the joy when I read this in the Torygraph today:

The EU Digital Covid Certificate, which launched on Thursday, is designed to allow Covid-secure travel across the continent but does not recognise a version of the AstraZeneca vaccine called Covishield, produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), because it is yet to receive approval in Europe.

Up to five million doses of this version of the vaccine have been administered in the UK and are identifiable by the vaccine batch numbers (4120Z001, 4120Z002, 4120Z003) included on recipients’ vaccine cards and in the Covid travel pass available via the NHS app.

It was like an inverse lottery win - my 1st dose? 4120Z003.

Just checked the girlfriends card who had AstraZeneca, it's the first one! I suspect it'll get accepted.

 

[Lancia037]

Just checked the girlfriends card who had AstraZeneca, it's the first one! I suspect it'll get accepted.

I'm determined to go kayaking in the Ardeche, it will happen!

 

[sidepod]

Just read this on Gov.uk related to French travel.

 

[sidepod]

 

[bob_summers]

I was interested in this exemption (I live about 20k from the border) which I take to mean I don’t need a recent PCR to, say, go to the beach in Les Landes as long as I don’t stay the night?

If you are not vaccinated:

• upon boarding, each traveller aged 11 years or older must present a negative PCR or antigenic test taken less than 72 hours before the flight.

This will not apply to:

• trips by residents of cross-border areas (border within a 30 km radius of your residence, and for a duration of less than 24 hours).

 

[bob_summers]

Also, driving towards the border yesterday, the stream of foreign plated cars coming the other way seemed not much different to early July in a normal year, wasn’t really counting but i’d say about 1 car in 5 being spanish

 

[edocali]

I had promised to post when I did my crossing… yesterday I left plague island with the Cali to go to my ancestral home in Italy.
paperwork:

Green card
Dog health certificate (British passport no longer valid)
Vaccination certificate (from the nhs app)
Lft negative certificate
French declaration
Eurotunnel silly form
Eu passenger locator form for Italy

Eurotunnel checked the forms and certificates
No issues. Terminal was nearly empty. It looked like a pandemic was raging.

no checks in France

Swiss border only cared about the motorway vignette. but I received an SMS about special restrictions for unvaccinated guests from the UK. Nepal and India.

Italy border a pass through. Now I’m self isolating.

I was amazed how the EUropeans have restarted travelling. Based on my anecdotal ocd-like interest in car plates, the only countries missing from Switzerland and Italy are the UK and the Scandinavian countries…
So much for our propaganda about being better at vaccinations… we seem to be among the least free people…

 

[bob_summers]

I had promised to post when I did my crossing… yesterday I left plague island with the Cali to go to my ancestral home in Italy.
paperwork:

Green card
Dog health certificate (British passport no longer valid)
Vaccination certificate (from the nhs app)
Lft negative certificate
French declaration
Eurotunnel silly form
Eu passenger locator form for Italy

Eurotunnel checked the forms and certificates
No issues. Terminal was nearly empty. It looked like a pandemic was raging.

no checks in France

Swiss border only cared about the motorway vignette. but I received an SMS about special restrictions for unvaccinated guests from the UK. Nepal and India.

Italy border a pass through. Now I’m self isolating.

I was amazed how the EUropeans have restarted travelling. Based on my anecdotal ocd-like interest in car plates, the only countries missing from Switzerland and Italy are the UK and the Scandinavian countries…
So much for our propaganda about being better at vaccinations… we seem to be among the least free people…

Bumped into a young lad on our campsite last week, He’d come over on the Santander ferry by bicycle and was returning to the uk via France. He said there were a couple of dozen UK campers and motorbikes on the boat, almost nothing for this time of year.

 

[edocali]

Bumped into a young lad on our campsite last week, He’d come over on the Santander ferry by bicycle and was returning to the uk via France. He said there were a couple of dozen UK campers and motorbikes on the boat, almost nothing for this time of year.

That’s why I was amazed at the amount of mixed continental traffic through and . Like 2019 definitely not like 2020 !
But so few brits at the eurotunnel. Our vaccination-better-than-neighbours propaganda hasn’t bought us freedom

 

[Swiss Cheese]

To also back up the ease of travel in EU - we drove over from CH into Austria at the weekend for a hotel stay. Border checkpoint was unmanned both times (it was a minor crossing point though, on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon). On checkin at hotel we had to show the paper certificates issued by the health authorities / signed by doctor, but that was it. No masks in the hotel at all. Other guest were Germans, Swiss and Austrians.

 

[kave]

Lots of danish, german and french tourists in Sweden. No masks anywhere. Normally Norwegians are flocking here too but they will neve be let out with their zero covid strategy.

 

[subthree]

Looks like we can travel to Switzerland this summer after all. A few weeks ago it was saying we needed to self isolate for a few days even though we will have been in France for the week before. Really good and simple interactive checking tool.

Travelcheck

travelcheck.admin.ch

 

[Swiss Cheese]

Looks like we can travel to Switzerland this summer after all. A few weeks ago it was saying we needed to self isolate for a few days even though we will have been in France for the week before.

I think currently you still need to quarantine for 10 days on return to the UK. Maybe that will change soon, at least only the PCR Day 2 & 8 tests might be needed which still makes it expensive. What about 'fit to travel' tests when leaving the UK - are they mandatory currently or off after 19 July?

 

[subthree]

I think currently you still need to quarantine for 10 days on return to the UK. Maybe that will change soon, at least only the PCR Day 2 & 8 tests might be needed which still makes it expensive. What about 'fit to travel' tests when leaving the UK - are they mandatory currently or off after 19 July?

Yes, we still (currently) have the nonsense of self isolating upon return to the UK, plus the tests, even though we are "fully vaccinated". However a couple of weeks ago we (UK) were not permitted to enter Switzerland. Interestingly if we were flying the interactive tool stills says we will be restricted but as we are not flying it indicates we are allowed.

When we go to France we will need a negative test, but no such test at the Swiss border.

 

[sidepod]

Not sure this “squeezy mayo” is gonna last.
Thankfully we should be able to re-stock soon. First stop, Super U.

 

[Mickyb123]

Silly error forgetting to press send on passenger locator form and not getting the QR code, got turned away by BA at the gate with not enough time to sort out another code. Quick revised journey sorted out code got on Ryanair with passengers who arrived at stansted with no QR code but managed to bore in Toulouse.
Now got fun and games with 2 8 day and 5 day test to release £180.

french PCR test very efficient.

PLF confusing questions though

 

[Duetveil]

Just read this on Gov.uk related to French travel.
View attachment 80983

Very helpful thank you!

 

[subthree]

 

[Duetveil]

View attachment 81130

Hope the France will be as accommodating...with the current figures I can see them saying Non merci!

 

[Wongo]

Depends if the Boris facilitated Mohdi variant has already arrived in France in numbers, i just want away for a week or so in a knuckle dragger free zone.

 

[subthree]

Hope the France will be as accommodating...with the current figures I can see them saying Non merci!

Double vaccinated adults can currently travel to France for "non-essential" reasons on production of a negative test. Kids under 11 are allowed to travels with the adults.

The problem is kids 11-18 who unless vaccinated cannot travel for non essential reasons.

 

[Daisymaisy]

Double vaccinated adults can currently travel to France for "non-essential" reasons on production of a negative test. Kids under 11 are allowed to travels with the adults.

The problem is kids 11-18 who unless vaccinated cannot travel for non essential reasons.

Below is FCO advice for entry to France

 

[subthree]

Below is FCO advice for entry to France

View attachment 81181

Thank you. That has changed from a week ago. Good news for many families.