France lockdown: You can now go beyond 10km for (some) sport reasons

Some sports practices are now a valid reason for travelling more than 10km away from home in France despite the lockdown, the sports ministry has said - but individual sport such as jogging does not count.

The sports ministry this week published a new set of rules for sports practice under lockdown, including when the 10km rule can be breached.

The new rules distinguish between “sports practice in public or in public spaces” and “sports practice undertaken in open-air sports centres”.

• Allowed up to 30km from home: Sports in an official open-air centre, such as a club or pitch

• Not allowed further than 10km away from home: Any sports done in public, including roads, trails, lakes, parks, mountains, forests, beaches, sea, rivers

• Gatherings of up to six people only: Any sports in a public place, within 10km of home. Physical distancing applies.

• Gatherings of more than six people: Only allowed within official open-air sports centres up to 30km away from home. Physical distancing applies.

The curfew rules from 19:00 to 06:00 still apply in all cases. For all trips within 10km of your home, carrying a proof of address is enough. For all trips over 10km, an attestation form is still needed, even for permitted sports activities.

If my club is running open-air sports activities further than 10km away from home, can I go?

It depends on whether the activity is “in public” or “in a public space” or not.

If your club is holding activities in public further than 10km away from your home, you cannot go.

But, if the activities are being held within a designated club space in the open air, you can go if it is within 30km of your home.

For example, if your football club is running training on an open-air pitch that is within the club “walls”, and which is 23km away from your home, you can go.

But if your running club is organising a race on public mountain paths, which take you 23km away from your home, you cannot go.

Can I now go jogging or cycling further than 10km away from home?

No. Any sport in public or public spaces must still not exceed 10km from your home. This includes on roads, trails, lakes, parks, mountains, forests, beaches, etc.

This includes walkers, hikers, joggers and cyclists.

For sport practices within 10km of home, carrying a simple proof of address - rather than an attestation form - is required.

Can I go to play tennis with a friend more than 10km away from home?

Yes, if the tennis court is open-air, and an “official court” within a club or centre. Open-air golf is also allowed within a club, for the same reason.

Can I get more than six people together to do sports?

It depends. If the sport is taking place in a public place - as mentioned above - then gatherings are limited to six people, and social distancing rules still apply.

Yet, if the sporting activity is taking place within an official open-air sports centre, then more than six people are allowed (although social distancing still applies).

Can I go swimming?

Yes, but not in public places further than 10km away from home.

For swimming further than 10km away from home, the “official sports site in the open air” rule applies, meaning you are only allowed to swim in official open-air swimming pools at a designated site.

Can I go to do sports in the sea if it is more than 10km away from home?

No. The sea and beaches are considered to be part of the public space, so you cannot do sports there (or go at all) if they are more than 10km away from home.

What about indoor sports?

This is still not allowed anywhere for amateurs.

Only very high-level athletes, professionals, sportspeople in training, as well as other priority groups (people with a medical prescription, or people with a recognised disability) are authorised to do any sports indoors.

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