Since France is moving towards lockdown to hold the spread of coronavirus, holidaymakers are causing to wonder what this means for their future trips. Here, we look into the freshest advice and how the outbreak could influence your travels.
Is it harmless to visit France?
The French government outlined new measures on 14th March to delay the spread of coronavirus. This includes the closure of all non-essential establishments open to the public until further notice (i.e. restaurants, cafes, cinemas). Food shops, pharmacies, banks and petrol stations will stay open.
Authorities have placed the closure of all non-essential services, shops, bars and restaurants including the country’s ski resorts.
Have all ski resorts closed?
On 15th March, in reply to the government’s actions, the National Union for Ski Regions and the National Association for Mayors in Regions with Ski Resorts stated that all ski resorts in France would close with immediate effect until further notice.
What to do if I have booked flights to France?
There is not yet sign of airlines bulk cutting flights to France. Nevertheless, carriers including British Airways, Ryanair and EasyJet have signalled they plan to lessen their schedule over the following weeks and months in reply to the dropping market.
Ryanair has said it could decrease its capacity by up to 80 per cent over April and May. BA, too, has said it could cut its schedule by 75 per cent, while EasyJet has announced it could ground its fleet on a rolling basis.
Air France has said it could decrease its activity by up to 90 per cent across the next two months. How will the lockdown in France be?
The Foreign Office has given more details on the criteria introduced by the French authorities:
The rules set out on the French administration website (in French) include:
- The closure of all schools, crèches and universities with effect from Monday 16th March until further notice.
- Prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people
Further instructions are:
- People over 70 years of age and those with existing health conditions to remain at home
- To avoid visiting the weak and instead stay in touch remotely.
- To work from home where practicable.
- To have a minimum distance of one metre from others as much as possible.
The French government advises those with possible coronavirus symptoms to call 112. It will help if you don’t go directly to the doctor or emergency services.
On Monday, rumours were flowing that the French government intended to impose further measures restricting the movement of people, but authorities denied it.
The lockdown means that the majority of the tourist attractions in the country, including those in Paris, such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, are closed
Do I need to self-quarantine if I visit France?
Not on arrival to the UK, no.
Keep Calm and Stay Strong! Stay up to date from our health alerts page on the novel coronavirus. Check on our Coronavirus Airline policies for more details regarding your flight bookings. Book your trip with Travel Center UK! It’s Now or Never!
