Travel to France: Covid, June 2021 (Updated 8th & 18th July and 5th August 2021)
23rd June 2021, updated 8th & 18th July 2021, and 5th
August 2021
An independent guide to Val Thorens
23rd June 2021, updated 8th & 18th July 2021, and 5th
August 2021
Learn about travel to France: Covid in July 2021 Are you allowed to go? Does it make a difference if you've had both vaccinations? Will you have to self-isolate?
Unfortunately, the UK government's rules are constantly churning and changing in a panicky and chaotic way. I'm constantly updating this page because the government hasn't got a clue what it's doing.
France has a green-amber-red system, and the UK is on France's amber list at the time of writing. There are different rules depending on whether you've been vaccinated or not, set out on the UK government's Entry Requirements page.
For those who have not been vaccinated, you may only travel for essential reasons. The paperwork and other requirements are:
Note that you also need an essential reason to leave France to go to a country on its amber list, but essential reasons include going back to your own country.
For those who have been vaccinated (both injections at least 2 weeks previously for Pfizer, Moderna and Astra Zeneca), an essential reason for travel is not required. This is the paperwork:
From 20th June 2021, there is no longer a curfew in France, according to the Foreign Office travel advice. This means that if your journey will be partly in the evening or overnight, you don't have to download any forms to explain your reasons for being out of doors.
Masks are compulsory in enclosed public spaces and on public transport.
This article was first amended after Grant Shapps announced a change to the rules in the House of Commons on 8th July 2021. The changes would have meant that for fully vaccinated travellers, the requirements on return to the UK were the same for green and amber countries.
The changes were due to come into force on 19th July 2021.
Then on Friday 16th July, there was a new announcement which means that the changes do not apply to France, so even if you've had two jabs you still have to isolate upon return to England. This was based on fear of the Beta variant, which is not prevalent in France but on the Reunion Island.
On 5th August 2021, the government changed its mind again, and put France back on the normal amber list, which means that vaccinated travellers arriving from 4am on Sunday 8th August 2021 don't have to isolate.
France is on the UK's amber list at the time of writing.
The requirements when coming back to the UK are set out on the government's Entering the UK pages.
The rules set out below are for England; rules in other parts of the UK may be slightly different.
Before leaving France to the return to England, you have to:
There is the possibility of booking a third Covid Test to Release for Day 5, in order to end quarantine early.
The test you take in the 3 days before travelling back must be negative, otherwise you're not allowed to travel. The results can be in English, French or Spanish, and must be submitted at check-in or boarding.
A separate page headed Coronavirus testing before you travel to England tells you all about the types of test that are acceptable. They include PCR, LAMP, and antigen tests.
Your Covid tests have to be from a provider on the government's approved list.
Find out more about Covid Tests from UK Providers.
When back in the UK, you simply have to take a Day 2 Covid test. There is no requirement to isolate.
When back in the UK you have to quarantine at home for 10 days unless you Test to Release on or after Day 5. You also have to take the Day 2 and Day 8 tests.
Warning: the Conservative Party has stripped us of our rights and made travel to France much harder, for no good reason. Please do not vote for the Conservative Party; they are actively working against our interests.
As well as the obstacles and administrative requirements related to Covid, the Conservatives have deliberately made travel to France more inconvenient and more expensive due to their awful Brexit. See more about Brexit obstacles created by the Conservative Party.
There's a significant cost to Covid tests and prices vary, but not all of the advice you find in search results is accurate.
You need a test before you go to France, a test before you come back, and two tests after you get back. (The rules may change, of course).
Cost is not the only consideration. Be careful to choose a reliable test provider, because some of them get terrible reviews.
Read ValThorensGuide's article about Travel to France: Covid Tests.
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