French open up

Travellers from the UK vaccinated against Covid-19 will no longer need a compelling reason to enter France or self-isolate when they arrive.

However, a negative Covid-19 test, taken 24 hours before leaving the UK, will be required, vaccinated or not.  France brought in the restrictions on 18 December in an attempt to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

However, the country is still battling a surge in Covid-19 infections.  Last Thursday, there were a record 368,817 new cases and 341 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.   

Non-vaccinated travellers will still need a compelling reason to enter France, and must still isolate for ten days upon arrival.  This will affect sports people who have not had the jab and are not prepared to quarantine.

Following confirmation of the decision, Julia Simpson, Chief Executive, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), said: “We welcome the reopening of French borders to UK travellers.

“Once a variant is endemic closing borders is pointless and only damages livelihoods especially in travel and tourism one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic.

“France is one of the biggest markets for UK tourists who, according to our 2021 Economic Impact Report, account for 14% of overseas visitors.”

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

https://wttc.org

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