Covid-19 has become a part of our lives since March 2020.

The rules and regulations relating to the restrictions imposed change all the time and vary from area to area. These can extend from a blanket ban on all non-essential international travel, through local lockdowns, curfews and closure or non-essential shops through to almost normal life.

It is not possible to post a comprehensive list of restrictions applicable at a given point in time due to the number of these changes and the rapidity of their implementation.

If you are resident in France, consult the local press for the area in which you live and the areas you intend to visit.

If you plan to visit France, consult your travel agent.

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However, the situation at the end of June 2021 is as follows (these measures may change at short notice either at national or at local level. You should check local guidance for further information):

It is no longer required to wear a mask in outdoor public spaces, with some exceptions including gatherings, queues, markets, stadiums. From 20 June, there is no longer a curfew in place across the French territory.

New French Anti-Covid Measures

From 21 July, people attending events and cultural spaces with over 50 people will be asked to demonstrate their COVID-19 status through the “pass sanitaire”.

From 1 August, you will need this to access a range of leisure facilities (bars,restaurants, museums, cinemas), hospitals, retirement homes and modes of transport such as long distance train and bus journeys and planes.You can find more information on how to access the “pass sanitaire” (for those resident in France) or (for those visiting France) how to demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated in the Travel Advice issued by the British Embassy.

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TRAVEL TO FRANCE FROM THE UK

The UK is currently on the French amber list. You can read more about what this means here: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Attestation-de-deplacement-et-de-voyage.

Travellers who are fully vaccinated do not need an essential reason to travel to France and do not need to self-isolate on arrival. From 18 July, fully vaccinated adults no longer need to present evidence of a negative test result before travel.

Fully vaccinated travellers will need to present the following documents:

- proof of vaccination status. If you live in England, France will accept the NHS app or your NHS letter to demonstrate your COVID-19 vaccination status. If you live in Scotland or Wales, France will accept your respective NHS letter to demonstrate your COVID-19 vaccination status. Your NHS appointment card from vaccination centres is not designed to be used as proof of vaccination and should not be used to demonstrate your vaccine status;

- a completed ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight. This can be found on the French government’s website.

Those travelling to France from a country on the amber list who are not fully vaccinated will only be permitted to travel for essential reasons (full list at the link above).  They will also need:

- a completed International Travel Certificate to confirm their essential reason for travel: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel. In exceptional circumstances, the French Consulate in London may be able to assist with travel for an essential reason not listed on the International Travel Certificate.

- a completed ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight, and that they will self-isolate for seven days after arrival. This can be found on the French government’s website: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Attestation-de-deplacement-et-de-voyage.

- (for those aged 12 or over) evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, or an antigen test within 48 hours of departure. There will be random antigen testing for unvaccinated arrivals.

And they will need to self-isolate for 7 days after arrival, then take another PCR test following this period of self-isolation.

However, for your return journey to the UK, France is now on the "amber plus" list. This means that you will need to self-isolate for 10 days on your return from France, even if fully vaccinated, in addition to the requirement to take a number of Covid tests at given intervals on leaving France and when back in the UK. For more information go to our information page for planning to travel to the UK.

You can find general advice on travelling abroad from the UK here https://www.gov.uk/travel-abroad.

Children under 18 travelling unaccompanied must also follow the above requirements for travellers who are not fully vaccinated.

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To find out the latest statistics relating to Covid, you can visit the following sites:

For France (in French): https://covidtracker.fr/covidtracker-france/

For the World (in English): https://covidtracker.fr/covidtracker-world/