Update on Travel to France- November 3, 2020

 
 
 

The situation in France continues to evolve over time as it relates to COVID and we hope this post will provide some clarification in regards to travel to France as well as an update on current restrictions.

Updated November 3, 2020

 

France has re-entered lockdown - Fall 2020

As of October 30, 2020, France has gone back into lockdown. This lockdown is currently scheduled to last through December 1, 2020, but could last longer if the number of new Covid cases does not drop below 5 000 per day. Details of this lockdown include:

  • Travel: All non-necessary travel outside the region where a person is registered will be strictly prohibited after the weekend of October 31/November 1. This means that people are not allowed to travel to either secondary or holiday homes outside of their regions.

  • Masks: These remain compulsory in all public spaces, including in enclosed spaces, such as in supermarkets and pharmacies.

  • Shops, restaurants and bars: Non-essential shops and venues, such as bars, cafés and sit-down restaurants, will remain shut, while take-away providers, food shops and supermarkets, pharmacies, tobacco shops, petrol stations, fruit and vegetable markets and suchlike deemed essential will stay open.

  • Hotels: Hotels will stay open to accommodate professionals and essential travellers, but food and drink will only be available via room service.

  • Private gatherings: Just like last time, the French will not be able to host private gatherings, including birthday parties and other festivities, in their homes.

  • Public gatherings: Meetings among people of any kind, aside from authorised industrial actions, are not permitted.

  • Local transport: Buses, métros and other forms of local transport will be kept in operation throughout the period, albeit with more limited services.

  • Forms: As with the first lockdown, the French will need to be equipped with a signed form for any type of activity that requires them to leave their homes. This includes travelling to work, food shopping, accessing essential services and, of course, to carry out their daily exercise hour. Without such a form, first-time offenders risk a fine of €135.

Update on Travel to France

FOR NON-EU NATIONALS

  • On July 1, 2020, France gradually began to reopen its borders to countries outside the Schengen zone in harmony with the rest of the EU. The EU has created a list of approved countries based on epidemiological criteria and the status of the Covid-19 epidemic in the countries in question. Criteria for inclusion on the list includes having no more than 16 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days, stable numbers, or a drop in cases. The list is set to be re-evaluated every two weeks.

  • Countries on the current approved list include: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Uruguay. China will also be included on the condition that it allow EU visitors to travel there, which it currently does not.

  • This list will be reviewed every 14 days with additional countries potentially being added, or the current countries being dropped from the approved list.

FOR EU-NATIONALS

  • France lifted all travel restrictions at its European internal borders on the morning of June 15th. From June 15, people from European countries (Member States of the European Union as well as Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican) will be able to enter French territory without restrictions related to the fight against COVID-19, as was the case before March 18, 2020. These travelers will in particular no longer be required to carry an international travel certificate to enter France.

FOR THOSE FROM THE UK & SPAIN

  • The UK’s quarantine requirement was lifted on July 10, 2020, but was reinstated on August 15th at 4:00 am BST. Anyone returning to the UK after this time will be subject to a mandatory 14 day quarantine. France has imposed reciprocal quarantine measures on arrivals from the United Kingdom.

  • Spain’s quarantine requirement was lifted on June 21, 2020.

RE-OPEN EU

  • This interactive tool provides you with the information that you need to confidently plan your European travel and holidays, while staying healthy and safe. The information is frequently updated and available in 24 languages for your convenience.

Update on lifting of Spring 2020 lockdown

Beginning on June 15th, the whole of mainland France will become a ‘green zone’ for coronavirus restrictions. This means that bars, cafes and restaurants in the Paris region will be able to reopen their indoor areas as long as they follow strict hygiene measures. Theaters, museums, and other tourist attracts will also be able to reopen in the Paris region. See below for an update on reopenings.

As of Monday, July 20, anyone over the age of 11 is now required to wear a face mask in any indoor public space. This includes shops, banks, libraries, retail centres, covered markets, government buildings and offices, museums and tourist sites - in short any establishment that receives members of the public. The list also includes places of worship, hotels (in communal areas), covered sports facilities and temporary structures such as marquees.

The government has not made masks compulsory on the street, but several local authorities have imposed their own extra rules on masks on the street and in outdoor markets.

HOTELS

  • Hotels were never forced to close their doors during containment, but the vast majority did so for lack of customers. With the lifting of travel restrictions and the authorization of catering activities, most hotels have reopened, with strict sanitary protocols put in place.

RESTAURANTS, BARS, CAFES

  • Restaurants, bars, and cafes are authorized to reopen as long as strict health and safety protocols are followed, including only allowing a maximum of 10 people per table, providing a minimum distance of 1 meter between each table, and banning the consumption of food and drink while standing. Masks will be required for staff as well as for guests when they move around the establishment. Previously only the outdoor terraces were able to reopen for establishments in the Paris region. As of June 15th, bars, cafes and restaurants in the Paris region will be able to reopen their indoor areas as long as they follow strict hygiene measures.

STORES

  • All shops were allowed to reopen on May 11. The wearing of a mask is recommended, but not required. Individual shops have the right to require masks and prohibit access to customers not wearing one.

TRANSPORT

  • Train travel has been gradually reopening since May 11, 2020. As of June 2, 2020, all train travel will be allowed with schedules expected to return to normal. Travelers cannot occupy more than one seat in two unless they are part of the same family, and must wear a mask at all times including at the station and aboard the train. Reservations are compulsory and onboard services including food and drink remain suspended for the time being. The ticket cancellation and free exchange policy is extended until August 31.

  • Taxi journeys are authorized, but the wearing of a mask is compulsory for both drivers and travelers if the vehicle does not have Plexiglas protection.

CULTURE

  • All museums and monuments are authorized to reopen. Wearing a mask is mandatory.

  • Theaters and performance halls have reopened, with strict distancing rules including limited seating and flow management in place. Wearing a mask is mandatory. Theaters in the Paris region are allowed to begin reopening on June 15th.

  • Leisure activities and outdoor event spaces have reopened with a maximum of 5,000 people allowed. This change took effect on June 15th in the Paris region.

  • All major events including festivals and fairs that attract more than 5,000 people will remain prohibited until further notice.

  • Sporting events will remain prohibited until at least June 22. As of now, the French Open has been postponed to September 20 to October 4, 2020.

PUBLIC SPACES

  • Parks and gardens have been accessible since May 11 in regions classified as green, but had remained closed in the other regions. As of May 30, all parks are able to reopen all over the country. The wearing of a mask may be imposed at the request of mayors.

  • Beaches, lakes and other bodies of water have reopened.

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Timothy Olson