Everything you need to know before you go to France on the Eurostar in 2022
We’re off to Paris for my birthday (!) and here’s everything you need to know about travelling to France in 2022. Follow these four steps to make sure you’ve got all the boxes ticked for travel during Covid, and make your trip a breeze.
Step 1: Get your negative Covid test to get into France.
If you’re planning a trip to France, you won’t really know whether or not you’re going until 24 hours before, thanks to the nail-biting need for a last-minute Covid-test.
At time of writing, you don’t require a full PCR (possibly because we’re fully vaccinated but don’t quote me on that), so we’ve booked a “Fit-to-Fly” antigen test which works just like a Lateral Flow. For obvious reasons, you need to purchase this privately and not use an NHS-supplied test.
We used the brand affiliated with the Eurostar, which cost £19 for each test (we missed the deadline for returning to the UK, meaning we need an additional Day 2 test as well). It was an easy site to navigate and the tests arrived overnight/next working day.
Make sure you check all the components are there within your test pack though, in case you need to order another one!
Step 2: Arriving in France
Travelling to France post-Brexit
Of course, with all the clamour about Covid, the realities of post-Brexit travel have slipped into the background.
For short-stay leisure travel, there’s nothing complicated about it except you better make sure you’ve got three months left on your passport (most people will say 6, which I would advise to stay on the safe side, but officially it’s three months) and proof of a return journey.
You may also be asked for proof of accommodation. It’s nothing that seasoned world travellers will be unfamiliar with, it’s just an unusual consideration for our nearest neighbours.
Arriving in France in 2022
When you arrive, you’ll be asked to present your “Declaration of Honour”, an A4 document with somewhat archaic linguistic flourishes that makes you feel like you’re declaring your Covid-free status to your medieval feudal Lord.
It’s easy to print out from the French government’s website (the Eurostar has user-friendly checklists to make sure you’re getting all the right documentation together); just make sure you print and sign it, and keep it with the rest of your travel documents.
Step 3: Out & about in Paris/France
Once you’re in the country, you need to fall into step with French regulations, which feel quite a lot more stringent than ours in recent months here in the UK. Here are the key things to be aware of:
What masks should I wear in France?
Mask-wearing is still strictly enforced, but not all masks are created equal…
The French health ministry has been very clear that handmade (typically cotton) masks are not considered sufficient to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Therefore, they require people to wear “Category 1” masks, and public venues (think: museums, public transport, even some bars and restaurants) are proactive about enforcing this.
We took a box of surgical masks and I’ll let you know how we get on with these.
Proof of vaccination for France:
France requires its tourists to be fully vaccinated, and this includes having a booster shot. At time of writing, the government looks set to introduce an “expiry date” on the booster, so I will update this when I return.
When you’re out and about, you’ll be required to show your “Pass Vaccinal” (proof of vaccination) which replaced the “Pass Sanitaire” on January 24th. You’ll be asked for this (as opposed to a proof of a negative test) at all public venues. We will be showing our NHS App and as above, I’ll let you know if we have any trouble.
What else should I know about travelling in France during Covid?
I’m preparing for it to be a bit like London several months ago. Social distancing is being more strictly enforced than it currently is in the UK, and the authorities/public venues are being highly proactive, largely as a result of the government’s domestic push to get its citizens fully vaccinated.
Standing in bars is currently prohibited until the 16th February, but to tell you a secret, I’ve really loved the recent move towards table service - it feels so much more hospitable, not to mention it spares your feet when you’re wearing heels ;)
The final thing to bear in mind is that museums ranging from the Louvre to the Musee d’Orsay are requiring that you book time slots to visit, which is much the same in London. The stakes are of course somewhat higher when you’re only there for a few days, as you can’t just pop back at your convenience if you find you can’t get in.
But, it’s Paris, and if our museum plans are scuppered, I’m sure we’ll while away our time in some delicious corner of the city or another
Step 4: Returning Home (to the UK)
Do I need to take another test?
As of 11th February, international arrivals will no longer require an additional test two days after they return from their travels. We just missed that cut-off date, so we’ll be taking a test and crossing our fingers that all is well!
Should you travel to France during Covid in 2022?
Short answer: travel is certainly more of a hassle these days, with bread-and-butter destinations like our European neighbours being reminiscent of the hoop-jumping you need to do for far-flung nations with complex visa processes and even more complicated disease profiles.
But, if you are prepared to put in a little effort, the rewards of soaking up some much-loved and much-missed culture are absolutely worth it.
