10:30 am Thursday 16th December 2021
France is set to tighten controls on travellers arriving from Britain. This follows a steep rise in UK infections linked to the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The measures include reducing the validity of antigen and PCR tests to 24 hours from 48 hours for arriving travellers and limiting reasons to travel from Britain to France. Leisure travel has effectively been suspended.
“We are going to put in place a control….even more drastic than what is currently in place,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal told BFM television. “Tourism and business travel for people who are not French nationals nor Europeans, people who are not French residents will be limited,” he said.
Travellers from Britain arriving in France will have to self-isolate for seven days, though isolation will be lifted after 48 hours if a test conducted in France is negative. “Our goal is to limit as much as possible the spread of Omicron across our territory,” Attal said, adding there were currently 240 confirmed Omicron cases in France. In some areas of the UK Omicron is now the dominant variant of coronavirus.
This news will be a devastating blow for skiers, snowboarders and other holidaymakers planning to visit France over the coming weeks. It is also likely to have a significant impact on tour operators in the winter sports sector.
Anyone who has booked a holiday departing over the next few days is advised to refer to their travel organiser for details relating to their specific arrangements.
