Travellers UK to France: Voluntary 14-day quarantine
Travellers arriving in France from the UK - regardless of nationality - will be invited to enter a voluntary two-week quarantine upon arrival, from June 8, the French government has said.
The new rule was confirmed in a press release issued by the French ministry of foreign affairs in an effort to continue the fight against Covid-19.
The statement suggests that the quarantine will be voluntary.
This is in contrast to the UK’s rules, which will include fines of up to £1,000 (€1,115) and spot checks at quarantine addresses for people arriving in the UK.
Read more: UK clarifies 14-day quarantine rules
There has been no suggestion that France will spot check or fine visitors arriving in France at this stage.
The statement from the ministry of foreign affairs, le Quai d’Orsay, clearly states: “[Travellers from the UK] whatever their nationality [will be] invited to undertake a [14-day] quarantine [upon arrival to France].”
It will apply to travellers arriving via any means, including by air, sea, or train.
It will not apply to travellers who are entering France only to transit to another country, nor to aircraft staff, goods transporter drivers, seasonal farm workers, or medics and researchers working against Covid-19.
The decision appears to have been made in response to the UK government saying that travellers from France to the UK would be required to self-isolate for 14 days, in contrast to a previous statement between the two countries.
France said that it would impose “reciprocal measures” for any European country requiring a quarantine.
Travellers from Spain
France has also said that travellers of any nationality, coming by air only from Spain, will also be “invited” to enter quarantine, from Monday May 25.
This was also introduced after a similar rule was imposed by Madrid for travellers arriving in Spain.
Travellers from outside the EU
French borders are still closed to all travellers from outside Europe unless they are nationals or residents returning home who are also asked, from Monday, to voluntarily go into self-isolation for 14 days (this was previously announced as being meant to start on Wednesday May 20).
This includes everywhere except the countries of the European Union, the UK, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Saint-Marin, Switzerland, and the Vatican.
Borders are set to remain closed until further notice, France said.
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