Trip To France?

[Bessi]

Just working out the covid regulations now France is amber, I think these are:

For entry to France
A NHS Vaccination Certificate (Paper or App on phone)
A declaration of no covid symptoms (On line form I believe)

For entry back to UK
A pre departure test taken within 3 days of departure (I think this can be a lateral flow test and I guess they are available at French chemists?)
A PCR test 2 days after arrival in UK booked through a uk private company (£ Ouch)
A pre completed passenger locator form.

Wondered if anyone else is looking into this and if so have I missed anything or got anything wrong!

I appreciate there is always the possibility of France going Red whilst we are there - but if that happens presumably we could drive into Spain or Holland for 10 days and then get a ferry back from there.

 

[Spike62]

Being a tight fisted git, I would an hour (according to google maps) and go through Germany and Switzerland.
Switzerland needs the vignette then Italian stradas (which are cheaper than France) being the only costs plus using german/luxembourg fuel.

I would also be tempted to try to get into the country at 2355 hrs so that it might get you 23 hours 55 minutes less self isolation.

Enjoy the festivities

Just another thought, as I dont know the rules, can you not just go to France for 10 days then travel into Italy if the Italians accept that as having been in a "safer" country than UK ?

Suavecarve thanks. Unfortunately the tunnel is booked and my leave dates set! I originally had 5 days to make the trip assuming the Italians may lift isolation rules, they have not so I now have only 2.5 days to get there, all day on a Friday (27th), all day Saturday and must arrive sometime on the Sunday to start 5 days isolation in the villa. I'm on my own and can rise early and get going before traffic builds, just wanted to make it as easy on myself as possible and have a smattering of French only and that's about it!! Guess I am kind of worried about all the different border crossings and whether testing is required or not etc. Simplest way on this first occasion is to stick to the one country then cross way down south somewhere. I may have a re-think nearer the time though!!!!! Appreciate the advice, thanks

 

[Spike62]

Before all this COVID-19, I would of headed to Lille, Mons,Namur, Luxembourg, Metz, Nancy, Colmar, Basel then through Switzerland, kept on the Italian motorway via Milan to florence

Is that an easy route to follow? I would be self-navigating while driving on my own and ashamedly not many language skills !! How easy is it to buy the vignette? can I do it from here? Sorry for all the questions!

 

[suavecarve]

Is that an easy route to follow? I would be self-navigating while driving on my own and ashamedly not many language skills !! How easy is it to buy the vignette? can I do it from here? Sorry for all the questions!

the route is dead simple to follow with possible slight variations as you go down the Rhine as to which side of the road/country you want to be on. I think Luxembourg is signposted from early in Belgium then Metz route is dead simple with Basle signposted quite early. (probably a couple of hundred kilometers away). I would also choose the Milan route via lugano as it makes most use of the vignette versus paying for tolls (told you i was tight fisted)

Buy the vignette at the border or petrol stations beforehand. NB under 3500 its about 35 euros for the year, over 3500 it covers 10 days and someone can explain that more if necessary. Just take your V5 in there with a debit card and they will know what youre after !

No language skills required in Germany or Switzerland apart from English and "danke"

Your battle plan to remain in France makes some sense and costs versus the unlikelihood of hassle at the border when it is your son's wedding might even see me not take a gamble to save a few quid. I really cant see any hassle in borders, but thats a view (which others will have as well) and it is only one border going down France to Italy.

Saving a couple of hundred quid versus guaranteeing making your sons wedding. Tough call ! Best of luck

 

[gus-lopez]

They recommend you order the tests for day 2 of return before you go.

that's ok if you go before returning & also if you know when you are coming back? As usual it is written as though plane is the only transport

The queue was exasperated by people having to get there phones out log in to the app locate the evidence and hand it over, honestly it speeds the process up having a hard copy.

Planks then .Must be the same ones who usually fly & having walked up & down the zig zags arrive at the person checking & proceed to do the same. Fortunately now,at Alicante at least , they just tell them staright off " over there,find it, Wait until I speak to you". It is sheer ignorance.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DebsD]

Which pharmacy please? The big square with the carpark opposite or the square with lots of trees ?

The big one with the car park

 

[royw]

well another txt to say tests should be here today

 

[Landy Andy]

Got our Expert medical results yesterday. All clear

 

[SD j]

Thankfully our trip out to the Alps ( last Friday) was stress free, the tunnel was lacking in MHs but seemed busy with cars , almost as if everyone had decided to travel immediately the uk quarantine thing ended .
The resorts are busy with Europeans
but we see more English arriving by the day.
It’s hot even up here at altitude.
Great to see the restaurants busy and people enjoying themselves, almost brings a tear to the eye .
A few pics from the last two days

 

[royw]

got our expert medical test kits yesterday and put used kits in post box around 5:30pm in Folkestone will post timing for results

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Spike62]

I wouldn't worry too much about whats required for either Switzerland or Italy we have been on the road since 4th June (currently in Cote d'azur) but have been criss crossing Italy, Austria, Hungary, Germany Switzerland (twice) and back into Italy again last week and have not been asked for anything at any border crossings anywhere the whole time, and i haven't seen anyone else being stopped either, its just a casual wave on through every border crossing we have made so as regards Switzerland and Italy just come on down ......

Ahoy shipmate!! Can I ask, did you have the “Honour letters” for each border you are crossing? Or was it, or at least currently is, a requirement for entering France from the UK only??

 

[Offagain]

We are heading to France, Italy and Greece soon, leaving via tunnel in the early hours of 28th August.
For France we need just our proof of vaccinations and attestation of health and the same for Italy, as long as we transit within 36hrs, after 30 August. Unfortunately to enter Greece we will need a -ve pcr test within 72hrs so will need to find somewhere in Mid or southern France which does that.

 

[CaptainPaul]

Ahoy shipmate!! Can I ask, did you have the “Honour letters” for each border you are crossing? Or was it, or at least currently is, a requirement for entering France from the UK only??

Well Hello Sailor!....lol
To be honest with you and i have to stress this is only my own personal opinion based on my own personal experiences but all this honour letters etc is a lot of nonsense... as i said we've been on the road all over Europe since leaving UK on 4th June and all we have with us is our little cardboard appointment cards with both vaccines recorded on them but even these haven't been called out to show anywhere, we simply have not been asked for any proof of anything or any letters etc, maybe we've been lucky but i honestly believe the only hard part of touring around Europe at the minute is getting out of UK! Everywhere else seems to be chilled right out about it all, face masks in shops is about the height of it, if its any help i spoke to an English couple yesterday in La Rochelle they parked next to us and had just arrived a few days previous and i believe they had the same experience, nobody asking for anything official or otherwise, like i said maybe we have just been lucky but since 4th of June we've crossed France into Italy, Italy into Austria, Austria to Slovenia, Slovenia back into Austria enroute to Hungary, out of Hungary into Slovakia, back into Austria then into Germany, into Switzerland to Lichtenstein, back into Switzerland, back into Italy, back into France where we are now and in all those border crossings we havent even been stopped to say allo allo....so we've had a lot of luck!

 

[Spike62]

We are heading to France, Italy and Greece soon, leaving via tunnel in the early hours of 28th August.
For France we need just our proof of vaccinations and attestation of health and the same for Italy, as long as we transit within 36hrs, after 30 August. Unfortunately to enter Greece we will need a -ve pcr test within 72hrs so will need to find somewhere in Mid or southern France which does that.

I will be 24hrs in front of you enroute to Florence!! I am taking antigen tests with me from C19testing.co.uk. They arrived day after buying and all seems easy to do, upload and get certificate. I think we need a test to enter Italy, re-enter France to then enter UK again. But as you are transmitting it’s slightly different. What is your route to Italy??

 

[Offagain]

I will be 24hrs in front of you enroute to Florence!! I am taking antigen tests with me from C19testing.co.uk. They arrived day after buying and all seems easy to do, upload and get certificate. I think we need a test to enter Italy, re-enter France to then enter UK again. But as you are transmitting it’s slightly different. What is your route to Italy??

We don’t need to have a -ve test to enter Italy as we will be entering after 30 august and transiting within 36hrs.
Usually we (loosely) go Calais, Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Bourg en Bresse, Aosta, Milan , Bologna, Rimini, Ancona. Depending on how much time we’ve got we may go main roads or side roads in France. We prefer to wild camp or use out if the way aires so I start looking for potential places to stay the night from around lunchtime. Sometimes we use ones we’ve used before, sometimes we go to new places.
Stick to the main roads in Italy as minor roads aren’t brilliant.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Offagain]

! I am taking antigen tests with me from C19testing.co.uk. They arrived day after buying and all seems easy to do, upload and get certificate

Sorry, I neglected to thank you for the tip. I’ve ordered two.

 

[Spike62]

We don’t need to have a -ve test to enter Italy as we will be entering after 30 august and transiting within 36hrs.
Usually we (loosely) go Calais, Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Bourg en Bresse, Aosta, Milan , Bologna, Rimini, Ancona. Depending on how much time we’ve got we may go main roads or side roads in France. We prefer to wild camp or use out if the way aires so I start looking for potential places to stay the night from around lunchtime. Sometimes we use ones we’ve used before, sometimes we go to new places.
Stick to the main roads in Italy as minor roads aren’t brilliant.

Hi again Offagain!, Yep understood on -ve test etc, I have to be in Certaldo on the Sunday to isolate for 5 days before sons wedding on the Thursday, so will enter before 30th and staying put. Luckily the “bubble” villa we are all staying at has pool and winery…. What more do I need !!!!
I had planned a similar route via Troyes, Dijon, then possibly Chambery, Turin, Florence and drop down south-west to Certaldo that way. As very short of time due to 5 day rule remaining I only have 2.5 days to do it. My plan sounds same as yours, up early and get 4/5 hours drive in, then start thinking where am I and how much further can I and the motorhome go before we really must stop. Look for an aire or off-toll wild place. I’m not sightseeing due to time constraints, just need to get somewhere fast(ish!)
Thanks for the route tip, hope your tests arrive as quick as mine via DPD. Lots of emails kept me updated on progress. Have a good trip.

 

[Offagain]

Hi again Offagain!, Yep understood on -ve test etc, I have to be in Certaldo on the Sunday to isolate for 5 days before sons wedding on the Thursday, so will enter before 30th and staying put. Luckily the “bubble” villa we are all staying at has pool and winery…. What more do I need !!!!
I had planned a similar route via Troyes, Dijon, then possibly Chambery, Turin, Florence and drop down south-west to Certaldo that way. As very short of time due to 5 day rule remaining I only have 2.5 days to do it. My plan sounds same as yours, up early and get 4/5 hours drive in, then start thinking where am I and how much further can I and the motorhome go before we really must stop. Look for an aire or off-toll wild place. I’m not sightseeing due to time constraints, just need to get somewhere fast(ish!)
Thanks for the route tip, hope your tests arrive as quick as mine via DPD. Lots of emails kept me updated on progress. Have a good trip.

Actually that’s the winter and/or fast route.
I expect we will vary the route this time as we’ve got more time than usual - ferry from Ancona isn’t until 3rd - and would prefer to go over the top in the summer, rather than through a tunnel, but I can’t remember off the top of my head which overground route we’ve taken in the past.
I’ve just had it confirmed by someone on a Facebook page sending me a link to the official Greek site, that we don’t actually need the tests after all but they were only £58 and it’ll be handy to have them in case anything changes, which I‘m sure it will!
Hope you have a good trip too, and the wedding goes well.

 

[royw]

day two test results arrived via email 5:46 today all three of us negative thursday 5:30 we had posted them