Transiting through France during Covid
May 31st 2021, 6:30 am
#76
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Dépt 61
Posts: 5,254
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
For me this is probably the main theme that's emerged from this pandemic. Over and over again the issue is, Individual versus Society.
A tricky one at the best of times, and especially when the Individual in question actually has no connection whatsoever to the Society in question. So why should that person care about it - and yet they expect it to care about them.
Sorry, musta woke up in a philosophical mood this morning!
A tricky one at the best of times, and especially when the Individual in question actually has no connection whatsoever to the Society in question. So why should that person care about it - and yet they expect it to care about them.
Sorry, musta woke up in a philosophical mood this morning!
May 31st 2021, 6:56 am
#77
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
The phasing of the confinement/deconfinement rules for people living in France has so far been done at the announced dates, and if there are likely to be changes to the 9th June rules, they'll be officially announced by the PM/President beforehand. Within the country, we know what to expect, unless the Covid figures increase significantly.
These "new rules" only concern people coming from the UK as of today, who comply with the exceptions as listed on the Attestations, particularly the "compelling reasons", (which, in fact, have always existed). I'm sorry, for those wanting to transit through France, that there's been no mention on official sites of quarantine for them, but, with all due respect, as far as official announcements are concerned, whoever worded them probably didn't even think of "transiters", as there are very few in the general scheme of things.
As said above, counting on not being checked isn't the right attitude, and as many justifying documents as possible should be carried, just in case. Murphy's Law works in France, too.....
May 31st 2021, 8:30 am
#78
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 18
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
And I'm very sorry about that but understand this, it's for weeks now that the EU countries are being attacked and ridiculed because the rules between UK and EU have changed and frankly, I'm a bit tired of it. We didn't want this, we didn't vote for it and we have to apply to different rules as well.
Btw, if we were to come to the UK we need to go in quarantine as well.
We are in de middle of an pandemic and life is difficult for everyone. We just, yes JUST come out of a severe lockdown and are trying to open up a bit and the last thing we want is a new variant to be spread around ... (And you can thank your Johnson who didn't want to stop flights from India for that one !)
We try to make sense of all the different rules ... within France, between EU countries, between non EU countries and France ... and, believe me, it's hard to keep up ! Everything changes on a daily basis but hey, that's life during a pandemic.
People here are trying to help you all and frankly, deserve much more appreciation than what they are given in the post from almeirim.
And, again mr almeirim, we are only JUST coming out of lockdown !
The rules are clear : If you don't have an URGENT reason for travelling through France, it is against the rules to travel through France.
If you do have an URGENT reason, prepare all the documents you can think of to prove this and just go (like Nand said above) although, I hasten to add,
counting on not being checked is the wrong way to look at this !
One should stick to the rules : not having an URGENT reason means no traveling through France.
Btw, if we were to come to the UK we need to go in quarantine as well.
We are in de middle of an pandemic and life is difficult for everyone. We just, yes JUST come out of a severe lockdown and are trying to open up a bit and the last thing we want is a new variant to be spread around ... (And you can thank your Johnson who didn't want to stop flights from India for that one !)
We try to make sense of all the different rules ... within France, between EU countries, between non EU countries and France ... and, believe me, it's hard to keep up ! Everything changes on a daily basis but hey, that's life during a pandemic.
People here are trying to help you all and frankly, deserve much more appreciation than what they are given in the post from almeirim.
And, again mr almeirim, we are only JUST coming out of lockdown !
The rules are clear : If you don't have an URGENT reason for travelling through France, it is against the rules to travel through France.
If you do have an URGENT reason, prepare all the documents you can think of to prove this and just go (like Nand said above) although, I hasten to add,
counting on not being checked is the wrong way to look at this !
One should stick to the rules : not having an URGENT reason means no traveling through France.
Secondly, I consider myself a European British citizen who abhors Brexit and all that stands for it - so I wanted to stay in the EU. Why else would I have tried so hard to gain residency of Portugal??
Thirdly, the quarantine issue is crucial importance to the fate of my residency and also to secure a driving licence exchange. If I was to be detained in France for 7 days I would be over extending my allotted time out of Portugal and at strong risk of losing my residency rights and would lose the right to exchange my licence. The documents for this are required with IMT, the portuguese driving licence authorities by 11 June.
So I will have to be forgiven for being very unhappy with the guidance that gives zero clarity to those transiting the country and this morning the Foreign Commonwealth site in the UK at face value suggests that everyone, irrespective of their purpose, including EU nationals, has to take the PCR test AND then quarantine for 7 days. If that is true, then I am in deep trouble and everything I have worked towards is in total jeopardy
May 31st 2021, 9:58 am
#79
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,800
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
There used to be the option of having a male or female symbol beside your user name but I have just noticed that this is no longer appears to be available.
Rosemary
Last edited by Rosemary; May 31st 2021 at 10:07 am.
May 31st 2021, 11:47 am
#80
M.O.V.E.D. !
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Charente Maritime
Posts: 9,346
May 31st 2021, 2:58 pm
#81
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 18
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
I have quoted you but this is for other members too as I have also fallen foul of addressing people by the incorrect gender. No-one knows whether you are male or female unless your name is very obviously a certain gender or if you mention your husband/wife in a lot of your posts.
There used to be the option of having a male or female symbol beside your user name but I have just noticed that this is no longer appears to be available.
Rosemary
There used to be the option of having a male or female symbol beside your user name but I have just noticed that this is no longer appears to be available.
Rosemary
May 31st 2021, 3:01 pm
#82
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 18
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
Jun 2nd 2021, 6:24 am
#86
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
almeirim
I hope you are now well on your way through France !
Please keep us informed about your travel experience.
Bon voyage !
I hope you are now well on your way through France !
Please keep us informed about your travel experience.
Bon voyage !
good or bad, for the benefit of future travellers!
And good luck for your imminent bureaucratic activities...
Jun 4th 2021, 11:19 am
#87
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
New French regulations concerning international travel will come in force on 9th June. I won't repeat the details given today for those arriving from the UK (and USA), since they might change between now and then. Watch this space....
Jun 4th 2021, 7:27 pm
#88
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 18
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
Hello all and thanks for the kind wishes
I am at my home in Portugal. It was a very,,,very..long journey but the whole thing was uninterrupted other than petrol and to check on Tedros the cat. The paperwork organising and re-shuffling as well as the anxiety about what might happen as soon as we arrived at customs, or indeed driving through France and into Spain and Portugal etc with their borders turned out to be the most testing aspect of the whole trip. At the Eurotunnel we had a very nice lady in pet reception who gave us some good tips if we needed them (about taking pet food through customs) and checking his AHC was a matter of 5 mintues - the rest was pleasant conversation.
Then on to the first of two border controls. The English border control was a quick check of passports and that we had completed the Eurotunnel travelling form and then it was onto the French border control who merely asked us why we wanted to head to Portugal. A quick cursory look at the residency form and the PCR tests and that was it. He wasn't interested in any of the other French forms....
We had a wait for the train, but that was a chance to watch the sun come up - and then we boarded.
Within 45 minutes we on French soil and the long drive began. On we went, not a gendarme to be seen - just lots of motorway. The tags for the tolls we had bought from the Eurotunnel site were brilliant - approach the barrier and immediately off we went once more..
Spectacular Pyrenean countryside suddenly led to a 'border' - a EU Spain roadsign but otherwise it was the same and we just drove on through Spain till late evening and then it was the same thing heading across the Portuguese border and despite thereafter nearly take a wrong turn and doing a u-turn on the wrong side of the road. Two bemused cars went passed, but otherwise it was thankfully more of the same drive in isolation
Ironically it was the very end part of the journey where total fatigue took over and in the dark we couldn't recognise the myriad of little lanes that have familiar land marks during the day and we spent 45 mins getting tied in knots going round in circles till finally the penny dropped and we recognised the turning to the track that leads up to our farm. All in pitch black but enough to know that finally we were home
I am at my home in Portugal. It was a very,,,very..long journey but the whole thing was uninterrupted other than petrol and to check on Tedros the cat. The paperwork organising and re-shuffling as well as the anxiety about what might happen as soon as we arrived at customs, or indeed driving through France and into Spain and Portugal etc with their borders turned out to be the most testing aspect of the whole trip. At the Eurotunnel we had a very nice lady in pet reception who gave us some good tips if we needed them (about taking pet food through customs) and checking his AHC was a matter of 5 mintues - the rest was pleasant conversation.
Then on to the first of two border controls. The English border control was a quick check of passports and that we had completed the Eurotunnel travelling form and then it was onto the French border control who merely asked us why we wanted to head to Portugal. A quick cursory look at the residency form and the PCR tests and that was it. He wasn't interested in any of the other French forms....
We had a wait for the train, but that was a chance to watch the sun come up - and then we boarded.
Within 45 minutes we on French soil and the long drive began. On we went, not a gendarme to be seen - just lots of motorway. The tags for the tolls we had bought from the Eurotunnel site were brilliant - approach the barrier and immediately off we went once more..
Spectacular Pyrenean countryside suddenly led to a 'border' - a EU Spain roadsign but otherwise it was the same and we just drove on through Spain till late evening and then it was the same thing heading across the Portuguese border and despite thereafter nearly take a wrong turn and doing a u-turn on the wrong side of the road. Two bemused cars went passed, but otherwise it was thankfully more of the same drive in isolation
Ironically it was the very end part of the journey where total fatigue took over and in the dark we couldn't recognise the myriad of little lanes that have familiar land marks during the day and we spent 45 mins getting tied in knots going round in circles till finally the penny dropped and we recognised the turning to the track that leads up to our farm. All in pitch black but enough to know that finally we were home
Jun 5th 2021, 6:22 am
#89
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
Hello all and thanks for the kind wishes
I am at my home in Portugal. It was a very,,,very..long journey but the whole thing was uninterrupted other than petrol and to check on Tedros the cat. The paperwork organising and re-shuffling as well as the anxiety about what might happen as soon as we arrived at customs, or indeed driving through France and into Spain and Portugal etc with their borders turned out to be the most testing aspect of the whole trip. At the Eurotunnel we had a very nice lady in pet reception who gave us some good tips if we needed them (about taking pet food through customs) and checking his AHC was a matter of 5 mintues - the rest was pleasant conversation.
Then on to the first of two border controls. The English border control was a quick check of passports and that we had completed the Eurotunnel travelling form and then it was onto the French border control who merely asked us why we wanted to head to Portugal. A quick cursory look at the residency form and the PCR tests and that was it. He wasn't interested in any of the other French forms....
We had a wait for the train, but that was a chance to watch the sun come up - and then we boarded.
Within 45 minutes we on French soil and the long drive began. On we went, not a gendarme to be seen - just lots of motorway. The tags for the tolls we had bought from the Eurotunnel site were brilliant - approach the barrier and immediately off we went once more..
Spectacular Pyrenean countryside suddenly led to a 'border' - a EU Spain roadsign but otherwise it was the same and we just drove on through Spain till late evening and then it was the same thing heading across the Portuguese border and despite thereafter nearly take a wrong turn and doing a u-turn on the wrong side of the road. Two bemused cars went passed, but otherwise it was thankfully more of the same drive in isolation
Ironically it was the very end part of the journey where total fatigue took over and in the dark we couldn't recognise the myriad of little lanes that have familiar land marks during the day and we spent 45 mins getting tied in knots going round in circles till finally the penny dropped and we recognised the turning to the track that leads up to our farm. All in pitch black but enough to know that finally we were home
I am at my home in Portugal. It was a very,,,very..long journey but the whole thing was uninterrupted other than petrol and to check on Tedros the cat. The paperwork organising and re-shuffling as well as the anxiety about what might happen as soon as we arrived at customs, or indeed driving through France and into Spain and Portugal etc with their borders turned out to be the most testing aspect of the whole trip. At the Eurotunnel we had a very nice lady in pet reception who gave us some good tips if we needed them (about taking pet food through customs) and checking his AHC was a matter of 5 mintues - the rest was pleasant conversation.
Then on to the first of two border controls. The English border control was a quick check of passports and that we had completed the Eurotunnel travelling form and then it was onto the French border control who merely asked us why we wanted to head to Portugal. A quick cursory look at the residency form and the PCR tests and that was it. He wasn't interested in any of the other French forms....
We had a wait for the train, but that was a chance to watch the sun come up - and then we boarded.
Within 45 minutes we on French soil and the long drive began. On we went, not a gendarme to be seen - just lots of motorway. The tags for the tolls we had bought from the Eurotunnel site were brilliant - approach the barrier and immediately off we went once more..
Spectacular Pyrenean countryside suddenly led to a 'border' - a EU Spain roadsign but otherwise it was the same and we just drove on through Spain till late evening and then it was the same thing heading across the Portuguese border and despite thereafter nearly take a wrong turn and doing a u-turn on the wrong side of the road. Two bemused cars went passed, but otherwise it was thankfully more of the same drive in isolation
Ironically it was the very end part of the journey where total fatigue took over and in the dark we couldn't recognise the myriad of little lanes that have familiar land marks during the day and we spent 45 mins getting tied in knots going round in circles till finally the penny dropped and we recognised the turning to the track that leads up to our farm. All in pitch black but enough to know that finally we were home
BRAVO!!
Jun 5th 2021, 7:28 am
#90
BE Positive
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,980
Re: Transiting through France during Covid
A handy diagram here... (Scroll down a bit)
https://www.france24.com/en/france/2...ith-conditions
But of course, things can change...
Jon
https://www.france24.com/en/france/2...ith-conditions
But of course, things can change...
Jon