France lockdown: Can I travel back to the UK for a funeral?

Reader question: My father died this week, will it be possible to drive back to the UK and take the ferry to attend his funeral? We live in central France.

Yes, you can. Borders between the UK and France and still open, and you can travel within France in order to attend a funeral.

However, there are some details to consider.

Firstly, even though borders between the UK and France remain open, you should take with you proof of the date and place of the funeral plus the standard travel exemption form, ticking the motif familial impérieux box as your reason for travel.

Although travel between regions is generally banned in France this also does not apply if going to a funeral. As such, you can drive to a ferry port in France, even one that is far from where you live, in order to travel back to the UK for this reason.

The travel exemption form is available to print and download here (in French). There is an English version available and also an easy-read version with pictograms. There is also a digital version available via the TousAntiCovid smartphone app.

Note that visitors from France to the UK must observe a quarantine of up to 14 days when they arrive in the UK.

UK guidelines on this self-isolation period, however, state that it is acceptable to leave self-isolation temporarily to go to the funeral of a family member or person that you live with. UK guidelines specify a maximum of 30 guests at a funeral service.

There are currently no restrictions on travelling back to France from the UK.

When travelling back to your home in France it would be advisable to carry proof of the time and date of the funeral, plus a standard travel exemption form, as on your outward journey. You could also clarify by writing on it by hand Je reviens à mon domicile en France après un voyage au Royaume-Uni pour un motif familial impérieux.