France to Reopen?

[Garratt]

Does anyone have any information on when/ if France might allow us to enter the country? I’ve got the tunnel booked for the 12th and spend time each day looking for any indication that I will be able to go, but I’ve not been able to find any info. Does anyone have any idea?

 

[jumar]

Does anyone have any information on when/ if France might allow us to enter the country? I’ve got the tunnel booked for the 12th and spend time each day looking for any indication that I will be able to go, but I’ve not been able to find any info. Does anyone have any idea?

Who can tell, I imagine the Pandemic situation needs to improve greatly before any changes are made...

 

[AndyPK]

Nothing on the cards at the moment, AFAIK………

 

[Charente16]

Figures for yesterday are not good at 271,686 cases/351 Deaths and over 20k in hospital.These figures possibly include an additional 'correction figure' for the holiday period. Imho, think it highly unlikely that the gouvernment will relax its' border or internal Covid restrictions with -in the next few weeks. Probably see further 'localised' travel restrictions and Lockdowns the way things are going at the moment.

Robert

 

[The Wino]

I think it's very unlikely until the daily cases start to fall a fair bit.

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[jongood]

IMHO It will depend on the political situation. If Boris stops being difficult with their fishing licences .................

 

[Mikey RV]

I would think your out of luck for the 12th. Hope you can rebook soon after and get away.

 

[TeamBandS]

Do we really need to get into politics and blaming our Gov for the French restrictions. Can we add this sort of comment to the ban on Brexit comments. Many could easily strongly disagree with the above comment but this is not what I joined the site for!

 

[chaser]

I read in sort of news article yesterday that they have found a new varient in southern France, if it is right it doesn't sound very likely we will be over there just yet.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Do we really need to get into politics and blaming our Gov for the French restrictions. Can we add this sort of comment to the ban on Brexit comments. Many could easily strongly disagree with the above comment but this is not what I joined the site for!

And many could agree with the comment.

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[EuroTrotters]

I read in sort of news article yesterday that they have found a new varient in southern France, if it is right it doesn't sound very likely we will be over there just yet.

Health experts not alarmed by new coronavirus variant – DW – 01/07/2022

Despite its many mutations, experts are not overly concerned about IHU coronavirus variant B.1.640.2, first discovered in a traveler returning from Cameroon to France.

amp.dw.com

 

[ivorantony]

Was booked today on the tunnel but going to cancel as I have already booked on the Brittany ferries to Spain in February,
It’s anyone guess what will happen in the next month with any country in Europe,

 

[Chris]

I read in sort of news article yesterday that they have found a new varient in southern France, if it is right it doesn't sound very likely we will be over there just yet.

I think I also read though that this "new" variant actually pre - dates Omicrom and is not a dominant strain.

I might have dreamt that though

 

[Millcourt]

Germany has already lifted the ban on travel from the UK for non-essential reasons and I suspect it will not be many weeks before France follows…….. as the rate of community transmission continues to rise exponentially, the risks of Covid spread from international travel becomes increasingly less significant. However, even though the French Government is under pressure from it’s own Travel Industry (so friends living in France tell me) just like our Government they are struggling to get the best balance of containing transmission, whilst encouraging uptake of vaccination, keeping schools open, minimising destructive impact on business and the economy etc.

My best guess is that there will not be a lifting of this French travel restriction for all “Third Countries” (I.e. Non-EU) until the Omicron spread has peaked and the burden on hospital admissions is in decline……. with the close social contact of the Christmas/New Year period, I suspect this peak will be around the third week of January……. meaning it seems possible that this travel restriction to France MAY be lifted at the beginning of February.

We had a Tunnel booking for next week but I have amended this to the first week of February. Suggest you might wish to do something similar, but to do it now to avoid the possible risk of there being no availability for re-booking immediately following the restriction being lifted.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Ingwe]

I think I also read though that this "new" variant actually pre - dates Omicrom and is not a dominant strain.

I might have dreamt that though

Typical. The French always have to be first!

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[chaser]

Typical. The French always have to be first!

It's in the independent now.

New Covid variant with 46 mutations worries experts in France

So far, 12 people infected with the new variant have been identified in study

www.independent.co.uk

 

[gerry mcg]

We are meant to be driving to the on 29th Jan to .
We need to pay non refundable balance for chalet by this weekend.
We are likely to cancel

 

[Chris]

It's in the independent now.

New Covid variant with 46 mutations worries experts in France

So far, 12 people infected with the new variant have been identified in study

www.independent.co.uk

Have a look at this.

WHO Downplays Threat of Covid-19 Variant Found in France

The World Health Organization said a coronavirus variant found in France hasn’t become much of a threat since it was first identified in November.

www.bloomberg.com

The French can't even produce a decent variant.

At least we gave the World the Alpha version.

 

[Jenka]

Do we really need to get into politics and blaming our Gov for the French restrictions. Can we add this sort of comment to the ban on Brexit comments. Many could easily strongly disagree with the above comment but this is not what I joined the site for!

Well said also for the UK bashers France is the new plague island/country more cases than the uk .

 

[georgio]

Good morning,

ITs anybodys guess and my guess will be easing towards end of jan and full lifting end of march

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[gus-lopez]

I read in sort of news article yesterday that they have found a new varient in southern France, if it is right it doesn't sound very likely we will be over there just yet.

yes but nothing to worry about according to them

I think I also read though that this "new" variant actually pre - dates Omicrom and is not a dominant strain.

I might have dreamt that though

They'll tell you anyting. "No bse here " I remember whilst watching them burying cattles with jcb's

 

[Rosemary1]

We are meant to be driving to the on 29th Jan t
We need to pay non refundable balance for chalet by this weekend.
We are likely to cancel

I don’t think you can have much option with a non refundable payment we are not actually going away until the summer but have made sure everything is fully refundable or transferable (cost extra of course)

 

[Lenny HB]

I can't see much change until the end of Jan.
We were looking at heading down to Spain mid Feb, probably going to put it off until April now.

 

[Jim]

I don’t think you can have much option with a non refundable payment we are not actually going away until the summer but have made sure everything is fully refundable or transferable

That is sensible, even when we open up later, we are only one variant away from borders closing again for months on end.

 

[Garratt]

Thank you for the replies. It wasn't my intention to stir up political issues in posting, and I'd appreciate it if this thread wasn't used to vent about the relationship between the two countries.

I also noted that Germany lifted the ban yesterday, and hoped that France may follow suit fairly quickly, given that the rapid rise in Omicron cases in the UK was cited as the reason for the French restrictions, and it now feels like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted given the prevalence of Omicron in France now. What I'm finding frustrating is the difficulty in finding any mention of when France may review this decision - I know that the French travel industry are lobbying hard for this to be lifted - in some French ski resorts, UK nationals make up over 60% of the non domestic visitors, so this ban is hurting them hard.

I know that we have members on here who are resident in France, and wonder whether this issue is even being discussed in the French media?

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[gerry mcg]

I don’t think you can have much option with a non refundable payment we are not actually going away until the summer but have made sure everything is fully refundable or transferable (cost extra of course)

Yeah...that is our thought.
We were driving, and our tunnel ticket is fully refundable so at the moment we only stand to lose our chalet deposit of €150 but we had always considered this as sacrificial.
We have booked a week in the van at Dalraddy Campsite at Aviemore https://www.campinginaviemore.co.uk/ and we will do some winter walking / cross country skiing etc instead

 

[suavecarve]

Having spent about 6 months monitoring the infection rate, daily, of more or less every country we are likely to travel to and publishing those figures each day, monitoring the trends and looking at EU policy, individual country policy and statements from the previous year about opening up for travel, I can quite categorically state it will be a political decision when the time is right. This is not a bias to or against any particular party or Government, merely what has happened so far.

Unfortunately for us, Macron and Boris appear to like penis measuring contests. If one does something, the other will retaliate.

Forecasting from the science or infections, or hospitalisations, or deaths is a game for fools (Late February is my guess )

Garratt
Monitoring the French tourism minister on twitter would be a good shout for better information, also monitoring France24 daily (on internet) would be good sources closer to the time. The French (and European countries) tend to pick a date a week to a fortnight in advance and stick to it, HMG tend to drop heavy hints in the Telegraph and then change their minds and keep putting it back.

 

[Jim]

I know that the French travel industry are lobbying hard for this to be lifted - in some French ski resorts, UK nationals make up over 60% of the non domestic visitors, so this ban is hurting them hard.

Yes, hopefully the pressure they can bring to bear will be considerable. Brits are by far the largest contingent of tourists to France. So the tourist industry everyone, from airlines, ferries, hospitality, car hire, ski resorts, Gîte, and hotel rentals etc are suffering. Even in winter, the losses to business and the French economy must be colossal

 

[gerry mcg]

I know that we have members on here who are resident in France, and wonder whether this issue is even being discussed in the French media?

I'll ask my Sister in law. She lives in

 

[Littlewheels]

Does anyone have any information on when/ if France might allow us to enter the country? I’ve got the tunnel booked for the 12th and spend time each day looking for any indication that I will be able to go, but I’ve not been able to find any info. Does anyone have any idea?

l suggest you signup for notifications for France travel via this link you will then be upto speed via emails when changes happen.

Entry requirements - France travel advice

FCDO travel advice for France. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.

www.gov.uk

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