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French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Sun 16 Aug 2020 09:27
by Peterm
Hello - I wonder if any P O residents have experience of how the French quarantine rules are applied, as they were in force for approx three weeks earlier in the summer on a reciprocal basis.
It looks almost certain they will be introduced again but I understand it could be voluntary, not enforced mandatory, as was the experience earlier in the year.
I have a second home in the region and was going to drive down next week and stay for approx four weeks. I am prepared to accept quarantine restrictions on return to Britain but would cancel my trip if I had to quarantine in France.
What does voluntary quarantine actually mean in practice ?
Any advice what be appreciated
Peter

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Sun 16 Aug 2020 16:32
by alan
Peter

We are in a similar position to you with flights booked for 1 September.

All we know at the moment is that the Junior Minister for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, tweeted in response to the UK announcement: “we regret this British decision, which will lead to a reciprocal measure [in France], while hoping for a return to normal as quickly as possible.”

This is a useful article in the Connexion:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French- ... ures-on-UK

As you will see the person who spoke to the newspaper said that "the measures could involve people being tested on arrival at airports, or giving information on where they were planning to self-isolate".

I personally wouldn't assume that the measures will involve merely a "voluntary" quarantine. There have been a number of articles about how angry the French Government is with the British Government -see this for instance:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/fra ... e-decision.

I am keeping a close eye on the internet and intend to share on this forum what I come across over the coming days.

Alan

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Sun 16 Aug 2020 20:24
by alan
I have just come across this tweet from an eminent lawyer with expertise in European law:
George Peretz QC
@GeorgePeretzQC
Aug 13
Replying to
@GeorginaEWright
Reciprocity is a very dodgy basis for imposing a quarantine under EU law (which still applies here, of course). The June position was a “voluntary” quarantine, for (I suspect) precisely that reason. Suspect same tactic will be employed again.

So fingers crossed, it will be a "voluntary" quarantine but nothing more said yet.

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Tue 18 Aug 2020 10:03
by Peterm
Thanks Alan for your replies and links.
To date I am not aware of any response from French authorities on reciprocal measures but no doubt there will be some statement soon.
I am hoping to cross the Channel on the 25th and will wait until about 24 hours before I decide

Peter

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Tue 18 Aug 2020 11:12
by alan
Hello Peter

It's really frustrating but there is nothing in the public domain.

The Facebook page of the British Embassy in Paris continues to say;

"as soon as we have an update on France's intention to introduce reciprocal quarantine measures we will update this page".

Also the Connexion journalists seem to be working hard to find out what is happening.

Alan

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Tue 18 Aug 2020 12:39
by Pighunter
I have to say I find the concept of reciprocal quarantine petty and unnecessary. The UK have imposed a quarantine as the rate of infection is much higher in France to protect their citizens, fair enough.

To impose a quarantine reciprocally without a scientific reason is just childish and indicative of how faced with the virus, nationalism is once again prevalent.

I had 2 sets of friends due to visit. One has cancelled due to the quarantine in the UK, the other is pretty much self isolating anyway and working on Skype so are going ahead regardless.

I hope common sense will prevail but am not holding my breath.

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 19 Aug 2020 09:15
by Ted & Jemima
<To impose a quarantine reciprocally without a scientific reason is just childish and indicative of how faced with the virus, nationalism is once again prevalent.>

Sorry, are we talking about the UK government here?

Yours,
Ted & Jemima
www.findinglanguedoc.com

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 19 Aug 2020 10:23
by Pighunter
No, the French government

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 19 Aug 2020 11:08
by Peterm
If the French govt wants to salvage what’s left of it’s British tourist industry for this year it should swallow it’s pride and adopt a common sense approach to quarantine, instead of “tit for tat”

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Mon 24 Aug 2020 15:58
by alan
Still nothing on the French reciprocal arrangements but due soon apparently see https://www.connexionfrance.com/French- ... n-minister

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Mon 24 Aug 2020 17:00
by Ted & Jemima
<I had 2 sets of friends due to visit...>

'Coronavirus: when the fortnight shortens the Aude holidays of the British'
https://www.lindependant.fr/2020/08/22/ ... 030353.php

Yours
Ted & Jemima
http://findinglanguedoc.com

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Thu 27 Aug 2020 12:15
by Peterm
Following my earlier post I decided to proceed with my travel plans and arrived in Calais on the 25th with no problem. There were no questions asked or forms to complete by French border officials.
As I intend to stay in France for at least four weeks I am prepared to accept the restrictions on return to UK
Peter

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Thu 27 Aug 2020 21:12
by alan
Have a great stay in France, Peter.

We have come to a different decision and will not be travelling out as we had planned next week but our situation differs from yours in that we were only going out for a week anyway.

Spending 2 weeks under virtual house arrest on our return home was not appealing. More important though is the fact that the French Government has still to announce the reciprocal measures it has threatened. Also, given the latest news, we would not wish to be detained in France under some local lock-down which might be declared while we were out.

We do hope though to get out later in the year depending on how things develop.

Alan

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Fri 28 Aug 2020 10:10
by SteveB
Does anyone know the best place to get up-to-date information on this? I am booked to fly to Perpignan on Sunday as quarantine on returning to the UK isn't particularly a problem, but if similar measures are imposed in France that would make it not worthwhile for me to come. I read somewhere that an announcement is expected today.

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Fri 28 Aug 2020 11:44
by alan
Steve

I've been keeping an eye on various sites.

Here is the latest in the Connexion:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French- ... K-arrivals

Also the British Embassy in Paris has promised to report any announcement made on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ukinfrance/

And of course there will be an update on the French Government site:

https://www.facebook.com/ukinfrance/

There is a massive interest so as soon as something is announced I am sure we will get to know about it very quickly.

Enjoy your stay if you do travel out on Sunday.

Alan

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Tue 15 Sep 2020 17:16
by alan
Here are a couple of newspaper articles indicating what might be coming in France and across the EU after the precise details of the new traffic light system have been agreed at the EU Council of Ministers meeting on October 15th:


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/0 ... uarantine/

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-sty ... -1.4355353

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 16 Sep 2020 11:40
by alan
Backing from European airlines for EU's new traffic light system:

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-09-eur ... chaos.html

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Fri 18 Sep 2020 11:56
by alan
This has now been reported today in Connexion:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French- ... K-arrivals

I think the position will change after the EU Council of Ministers meet on 15 October

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 07 Oct 2020 20:20
by alan
Here is an extract from an article published today:

https://www.thejournal.ie/green-list-tr ... 0-Oct2020/

“An EU-wide policy, which is to be agreed upon by the EU Council of Ministers on 13 October, will use a traffic light system to mark countries as green, orange, or red depending on their rate of Covid-19 cases.
It’s envisaged that this plan would use two metrics to judge whether people can travel to a specific county, 14-day incidence rates per 100,000 people and test positivity rates. 
As per the proposals, an EU country would only fail to make the EU’s safe travel list if a country’s incidence rate was both above 50 per 100,000 and the positivity rate was above 3%. 
If the traffic light system were to be introduced today, 16 different countries would be on the list”. 

Currently the UK would be marked orange so no movement restrictions / quarantine.

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Mon 12 Oct 2020 00:52
by alan
Here is an article on the European Traffic Light System written from the Irish perspective:

https://www.thejournal.ie/eu-traffic-li ... 6-Oct2020/

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 14 Oct 2020 00:24
by alan
The EU has now agreed the Traffic Light System:

https://www.euronews.com/2020/10/13/cor ... econd-wave

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Mon 09 Nov 2020 22:16
by alan
The French Government published the following today, 9 November:

"I am travelling to France. Will I be subject to quarantine upon arrival?
You will have to adhere to current national confinement rules.
If you do not have a negative result of a test carried out in the 72 hours before your departure and if your test at the airport is positive, or if you have COVID-19 symptoms, the authorities can require that you self-isolate.
Travellers are asked to show civic responsibility and to follow the health precautions recommended by the authorities".

See https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/comin ... in-france/

Nothing about the European Traffic Light System.

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Tue 17 Nov 2020 15:14
by alan
Not having seen anything recently about the new European traffic light system, I did a Google search and came up with an article in the Independent on 9 November - https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 19654.html

It seems that almost all countries are on red and...
“For orange and red areas, the EU says that, in principle, entry should not be refused to travellers . But it accepts that requirements such as Covid-19 testing before or after arrival, as well as quarantine, could be stipulated. 'Measures should be proportionate and respect differences in the epidemiological situation of orange and red areas,' says the EU!”.

With regard to travelling to Spain, the Telegraph is reporting today
“Britons who visit Spain or its islands after November 23 must arrive with evidence of a negative PCR test result, potentially adding hundreds of pounds to the cost of a family holiday. The test must be taken no more than 72 hours before arrival, and only private tests – which cost from around £150 per person – will be accepted”. 

So this makes it difficult to use Barcelona airport, hiring a car there and driving over the Border as a means of getting to the Region.

Getting a private test before departure from the UK is one thing but I would have no idea how to go about getting one in France before making the return journey. Does anyone know?

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 18 Nov 2020 10:00
by Ted & Jemima
Hi Alan

Tests are free, results are supplied in writing the next day and the map of testing sites is here:
https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-corona ... et-donnees
Click 'sites de prelevement'. The system is frighteningly efficient! 19 million tests to date.
(Evidently there is no reason the UK could not have a similar public system except that its government insists on giving public funds only to its private sector chums.)

This week we have additionally seen pop-up tents outside many village pharmacies, offering walk-in free testing.

Yours,
Ted & Jemima (tested negative)
http://findinglanguedoc.com

Re: French Quarantine Restrictions

Posted: Wed 18 Nov 2020 12:27
by alan
Thank you both for that information.

I also recently had a test as part of a UK research project. It arrived and was collected by courier and I too tested negative.

Alan