Travel to France

[Amarillo]

It seems that we will be all able to travel to France without facing quarantine- but the message is confused.

Coronavirus: French arrivals exempt from UK quarantine plans

The UK government says the new measures will not apply to those travelling from France.

www.bbc.co.uk

Perhaps to end the uncertainty, we should join a common travel area?

 

[Romke]

Oh no! I was SO looking forward to a Britless summer in France (Sarcasm intended)

 

[Jodalo]

Oh no! I was SO looking forward to a Britless summer in France (Sarcasm intended)

Oh look, tumbleweed and distant bells. (Sarcasm intended).

 

[hirsty]

We'll have a reciprocal arrangement with France (and Ireland) perhaps because they put us on their list first & we were too polite for once to say no.

Assume more likely it's because it works in our favour for lorry drivers - rather than holidaymakers - as we're so dependent on incoming deliveries.

 

[Velma's Dad]

We'll have a reciprocal arrangement with France (and Ireland) perhaps because they put us on their list first & we were too polite for once to say no.

Assume more likely it's because it works in our favour for lorry drivers - rather than holidaymakers - as we're so dependent on incoming deliveries.

So we could get round the quarantine by re-purposing our Calis as delivery vehicles. Carrying something portable and in high demand. Poultry, maybe...?

 

[Amarillo]

The reciprocal arrangement with France will be an interesting one to watch. Will someone from outside France be able to travel via France to the UK without quarantine?

We have an au pair/sailing instructor booked on a flight Vienna to Stansted on 9 July. If the flight is cancelled our Plan B is for me to collect her from Cologne (her parents will drop her off there on route to grandparents in Hamburg) and return to the UK via le Shittle the same day.

Plan B might be best anyway as it’s a simple household swap of one person without any need for intermediate interaction with people outside the two households.

 

[willwander]

Seems a funny one. Why not the Netherlands and Belgium? I wonder if the deal has anything to do with France refusing to Police the border for illegals.

 

[Amarillo]

Seems a funny one. Why not the Netherlands and Belgium? I wonder if the deal has anything to do with France refusing to Police the border for illegals.

I expect that when it comes to the crunch, the two weeks quarantine will only be for selected countries with high infection rates - or rates higher than the UK.

 

[hirsty]

So we could get round the quarantine by re-purposing our Calis as delivery vehicles. Carrying something portable and in high demand. Poultry, maybe...?

If you can keep the corks in, then green bottles are generally easier on the upholstery.

 

[Romke]

The reciprocal arrangement with France will be an interesting one to watch. Will someone from outside France be able to travel via France to the UK without quarantine?

No, France's outside borders are locked so nobody gets in, unless they are French nationals coming home.

 

[Amarillo]

No, France's outside borders are locked so nobody gets in, unless they are French nationals coming home.

Interesting... so France, Britain and Ireland will be in some sort of free travel zone?

 

[Velma's Dad]

Interesting... so France, Britain and Ireland will be in some sort of free travel zone?

For the time being, not even that. Because as I understand it, to enter France even from a Schengen neighbour, at present you need a special permit.

From what I read, France will review things later this week. But who knows what will then be decided. It was reported that the French were discouraged from booking summer holidays in other countries by Prime Minister Philippe. The government has extended its state of emergency until July 24.

So I think it's still too early to make any assumptions about when travel into and out of France will become possible. But maybe Romke or someone else based in France can fact-check what I've said, and/or speculate further.

 

[Romke]

But maybe Romke or someone else based in France can fact-check what I've said, and/or speculate further.

Since this affects us living in France as much I'm keeping an eye on the situation. There are now EU talks about opening borders this summer between countries that "are in a similar situation", whatever this means.

 

[Big Ron]

The reciprocal arrangement with France will be an interesting one to watch. Will someone from outside France be able to travel via France to the UK without quarantine?

We have an au pair/sailing instructor booked on a flight Vienna to Stansted on 9 July. If the flight is cancelled our Plan B is for me to collect her from Cologne (her parents will drop her off there on route to grandparents in Hamburg) and return to the UK via le Shittle the same day.

Plan B might be best anyway as it’s a simple household swap of one person without any need for intermediate interaction with people outside the two households.

Yeah...I’ve got the same problem with the Butler’s Chef. So many difficulties dealing with Staff.

I know I’ll get Nanny to deal with it, she’s always handled my Manservant wonderfully.

 

[Karlos]

The reciprocal arrangement with France will be an interesting one to watch. Will someone from outside France be able to travel via France to the UK without quarantine?

We have an au pair/sailing instructor booked on a flight Vienna to Stansted on 9 July. If the flight is cancelled our Plan B is for me to collect her from Cologne (her parents will drop her off there on route to grandparents in Hamburg) and return to the UK via le Shittle the same day.

Plan B might be best anyway as it’s a simple household swap of one person without any need for intermediate interaction with people outside the two households.

Well if your too busy to pick her up Amarillo, I am sure I could find the time.

 

[Mickyb123]

Pretty sure you can only enter and travel in France if you are a French National. If not french National then you can enter if you can demonstrate that that you are returning to your main residence or medical purpose. The 14 day isolation is no longer in place however as far as I am aware

 

[Amarillo]

Well if your too busy to pick her up Amarillo, I am sure I could find the time.

 

[campandfly]

Can you pass through France en route to another EU country?

 

[Amarillo]

Can you pass through France en route to another EU country?

From the French Consulate website FAQ:

=====

I’m a European national. Can I transit through France?

In view of the health situation and containment measures decided in France and the UK, it is essential for non-essential national and international travel to be restricted to what is absolutely necessary.
Nationals of European Union or Schengen Area countries may transit through France to reach their country of origin on presentation of a proof of address in their country of origin.

=====

 

[SailSki]

Hi @campandfly, yes you can - I did exactly that on Easter Monday from the UK back to Geneva. The French passport guy at the Eurotunnel terminal started asking questions about what I was going to do in France, but once he realized I was going through and leaving France again he was absolutely fine.
You should still have one of the French authorization papers that you fill in yourself stating your reason for travelling, but the process was painless.

 

[Loz]

We have an au pair/sailing instructor booked on a flight Vienna to Stansted on 9 July. If the flight is cancelled our Plan B is for me to collect her from Cologne (her parents will drop her off there on route to grandparents in Hamburg) and return to the UK via le Shittle the same day.

Is the eurostar an option?

 

[Wongo]

It seems that we will be all able to travel to France without facing quarantine- but the message is confused.

Coronavirus: French arrivals exempt from UK quarantine plans

The UK government says the new measures will not apply to those travelling from France.

www.bbc.co.uk

Perhaps to end the uncertainty, we should join a common travel area?

What a great idea, everything to gain

 

[Amarillo]

Is the eurostar an option?

I don't know. It is still eight weeks away, so much may have changed by then - but I rather like the idea of escaping from my family and a day return in the Cali to Cologne.

The plan, when we made it, was for me to spend the first four weeks of the summer holiday with the boys by Chichester Harbour, Clare joining us for weekends, and then three weeks, just the family, camping in southern France and northern Spain. I now don't even know if any of that will be possible - we might end up stuck in London all summer! Finding an au pair who could sail, and had experience of teaching 5 and 6 year olds to sail Optimists was a real find (though how she'll find the transition from sailing on an endorheic lake where a 1cm rise in water level is an extreme event to a natural harbour with a tidal range of up to 5m is yet to be seen) so I'd hate to lose her.

 

[Romke]

Pretty sure you can only enter and travel in France if you are a French National.

Correction: French resident. Nothing to do with citizenship.

 

[babble]

Correction: French resident. Nothing to do with citizenship.

Either one or the other I think. Looking at the form you need to fill in to cross into france, having french nationality is a category of it's own, with no sub-reasons needed.