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Covid: Daily updates on the situation in France

How many recorded new cases are there? Who in France can access a fourth vaccine dose? How is the vaccination campaign progressing? We explain

Your questions: Covid-19 France hotline replies

Must we put time as well as date on confinement forms? Can we drive people to airport? Can we use a Drive supermarket which is 12km away when we have a food shop 1km away? What about expiring contrôle technique ?

Taking rubbish to collective bins during confinement

We live in a small village and do not have a household rubbish collection service. We have to take our rubbish to the déchetterie about one kilometre away. There is not a section on the form which covers this task. The local gendarmerie are fining people for going out without a reason listed in the form. I sent an email to our mairie , local councillor, the local gendarmes , and the main prefecture, no answer. Several neighbours are in the same situation. Can you help?

practical

Financial aid for gîte and chambre d’hôtes owners

I'm self-employed renting my chalet in the Alps but now have no income and no prospect of any bookings being made for at least the next three months. I'm counted as a micro-bic, not auto-entrepeneur or other. Is there any financial aid available for me? If people cancel their bookings, can we claim back our lost income from the government or are we entitled to compensation from the tourist board?

How to pay chèque emploi service universel employees

I have a regular cleaner, who comes three hours per week, and whom I pay via the chèque emploi service universel (Cesu) system. She has informed me that she can't come until the confinement ends. How should I pay her for the next few weeks?

Covid-19: Vegetable plots away from home

In France many houses have separate gardens away from the main home where vegetables are grown but nowhere in the travel document does it allow me to go to my vegetable plot which is 800m away from the house. Could you find out for us as in these times every piece of food is vital to us?

Do police check how often we shop?

I have heard that gendarmes have been taking people’s names and car registration numbers in supermarket car parks and saying they will get a warning if they see the same cars there more than once a week. I live in the Lot but have heard this has happened in other departments too. Does this mean we can only go shopping once a week?

Covid-19 in France: Pool and garden help

Reader question: Can we ask our pool maintenance man to come and get our pool running?

Can I go out to pick up an order at the DIY store?

Some hardware stores such as Castorama, or Leroy Merlin have set up a drive service where you can pick up what you ordered online. However the items are limited to DIY items considered essential such as light bulbs, fuses, electric cables, screws or plumbing tools.

Car washes/jet washes during Covid-19 lockdown

Reader question: Are car washes/jet wash facilities permitted for use during the Covid-19 lockdown? We see locals using them and would like to use them ourselves but are not convinced this is ‘essential’ and we understand only essential trips out are permitted.

Can British residents drive home from Spain?

We are a British couple, currently at our holiday home in Spain, observing the lockdown. We have been residents in France since October last year and want to return to our home in Normandy as soon as possible. We drove here so do not need flights or other forms of transport. President Macron's speech mentions French people, not residents, being able to return to France so we don't know what to do. Can you help?

Covid-19: Organisations and aid to help

Reader question: I have lived in France for over 20 years but due to the fall in value of the pound and the loss of small part-time work - cooking for others - I will have difficulty with my rental payment this month. I am 82, fit and well, but am in the so-called 'vulnerable' classification. I am in the French health system and don't want to go back to UK but my situation is going to be very difficult for at least two - three months. Are there organisations that can help or advise me? I live near Nice in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Broken lawnmower: can I drive to get new one?

Reader question: Our lawnmower has broken. Can I drive to the nearest town (35kms away) which has a dealer selling machines to choose which to buy?

Covid-19: Can we travel through France to our home?

We have waited for the lockdown to end staying put in the south of France where we were when it began but now want to get back to our full-time residence in Brittany. It will take us one long day to return but we are not sure if we can travel. I have emailed our local mayor's office but no reply. Can you clarify?

Irish ambassador to France: Covid-19 Q&A

The Irish Ambassador to France, Patricia O’Brien has answered questions from readers about Covid-19 and Irish citizens and France. She tells Connexion that she hopes “we will pull through this difficult time together and that the summer, real and metaphorical, is within reach.” The questions cover travel and healthcare.

Can we play golf from May 11 in France?

Reader question: As you can walk, run or cycle from May 11 can you play golf as it is possible to do so and keep social distancing?

Would a second France lockdown be the same as the first?

It is possible that a second confinement will be announced tonight, but it could be more flexible with schools and public services remaining open

Why has France announced a lockdown two weeks after curfew?

The 21:00 curfew first introduced by the government on October 16 has quickly been rendered obsolete by a national confinement

France lockdown: Are déchetteries still open?

Rubbish tips were for mainly closed at first during the first lockdown in Spring but not this time...

France lockdown: Do curfew measures still apply?

A 21:00 curfew was in place in 54 departments for two weeks before the introduction of the confinement

France lockdown: Are DIY shops still open?

DIY shops were open during France's first lockdown in spring - and are on the list of essential business which can stay open this time too

Can I travel back to France during the lockdown?

Brexit may complicate travel to France if the lockdown is still in place over the New Year

How long will France’s national lockdown last?

France’s first national lockdown in Spring lasted between mid-March to mid-May

France lockdown: what about car contrôle technique?

Garages will remain open but the government is advising people only go for essential reasons

France lockdown: Will church services continue?

Places of worship will remain open during the lockdown

France lockdown: Can a couple go shopping together?

Anyone going out must remember to fill out an attestation and carry with them a valid ID. We look at the rules for shopping trips

France lockdown: Is hunting now banned?

Hunting is the third most popular sport in France, with over 1 million official hunters in the country

France lockdown: Are notaire offices staying open?

Notaire offices were closed during the first lockdown in Spring

France lockdown: Can I take pregnant daughter to hospital?

Anyone going out during the confinement must fill out an exemption form or risk being fined

France lockdown: Can we exercise as a couple or family?

Outdoors exercise is allowed for up to one hour and within one kilometre of your home during lockdown

France lockdown: Will on-street parking be free again?

On-street parking was free in many places during the first lockdown in Spring

France lockdown: Can artisans continue to buy materials?

There are over 1 million artisanal business in France, with the majority in the building trade

France lockdown: Can I visit my husband in hospital?

Hospital visits are permitted in some circumstances. Check with the hospital before going there in person.

France lockdown: Can I go surfing?

Professionals are allowed to continue practicing sports during confinement

France lockdown: Exemption forms without a printer or phone?

If you don’t have a printer or digital device, you can copy the attestation form by hand, and even photocopy it for future use. We explain

France lockdown: Can I take a family member to the airport?

Travelling for work-related reasons is permitted during the lockdown, but work from home is encouraged wherever possible

France lockdown: Can I move home from the UK to France?

Yes, if you are moving to what will become your main residence. You must have the right paperwork and follow Covid-19 guidelines in both countries

France lockdown: Can we return home to UK from France?

Yes. If you are in your second home in France, are British nationals, and want to return home, you can. We explain

France lockdown: Can I go to the dentist?

You can go to the dentist, as long as you have an appointment and a travel exemption form.

France lockdown: Can I use the same attestation twice?

There are different versions of exemption certificates (attestations de déplacement), including print-outs, an English copy and a digital copy

France lockdown: Can I see people in a support bubble?

People who live alone are not allowed to form support bubbles with other households in France. Other forms of support are available.

France lockdown: Are catteries and kennels still open?

Catteries and kennels have been deemed non-essential services

France lockdown: Can I visit from the UK to help my parents?

Helping elderly parents is considered a valid reason for travel in France.

France lockdown: Can gardeners work at clients' homes?

The government has published a list of which professional activities can continue to be carried out at clients' homes

France lockdown: Can we stop at hotel on drive back to UK?

People travelling from second homes back to their home country may wish to stop for a night

France lockdown: Can I go to a home/garden shop 50km away?

Shopping for essentials is permitted, with no travel or time limits

In which places does Covid-19 spread the most?

It appears to be spreading most in restaurants, gyms, cafés, bars, hotels and places of worship, a new study shows.

France lockdown: Can I visit a cemetery in another village?

Visits to cemeteries were allowed at the beginning of confinement, but the rules have changed

France lockdown: Can I collect my son from another city?

Travel for administrative appointments is permitted, but the rules about collecting a family member are less clear

France lockdown: Can I prepare the house I'm moving into?

Making preparations to move house is allowed during confinement, as long as you carry the right documentation

France lockdown: Are the English exemption forms valid?

A Connexion reader has reported that her friend was warned by police for using the English-language attestation

France lockdown: Can I get married in a different region?

Weddings can go ahead but with a limited attendance

Positive signs for France-UK Christmas travel

Changes are coming in both the UK and France which should make it easier to make family visits across the Channel

France lockdown: Can I have two attestations on one phone?

It is possible to display exemption forms (attestations de déplacement) on your mobile phone when going out during the confinement

France lockdown: Can I go to UK for hospital appointment?

Travel for medical reasons is allowed during France’s lockdown

France lockdown: Can I travel to UK to help a sick relative?

You will need to fill out exemption certificates (attestations de déplacement) if you are travelling during lockdown

Covid rules: Can I walk with friends on my daily exercise?

It is now possible to do individual daily exercise for up to three hours within a 20 kilometre radius of the home

France lockdown: Can I collect an item bought on Leboncoin?

Leboncoin is a website that allows you to buy and sell items online

France lockdown: Which attestation box for the déchetterie?

Rubbish tips ( déchetteries ) are open during the lockdown

France lockdown: Can I drive to the shops with my partner?

Anyone going shopping must fill out an attestation and carry with them a valid ID. We look at the rules for shopping trips

France lockdown: Can I shop in a nearby country?

EU borders are still open but people in France should only be crossing them for essential reasons

Covid rules: Will salles des fêtes reopen on December 15?

Function and event halls have been closed during lockdown

Covid: What forms do I need to go to France in December?

France’s lockdown is set to end on December 15, which will reopen international travel

Covid: Can my son visit his father in France at Christmas?

Travel to France is set to start again from December 15 if lockdown is lifted

Covid booster for all adults in France: Majority in favour of new rule

72% of people in France are in favour of booster jabs being rolled out to all adults, as the government confirms the measure amid other new restrictions to curb the fifth wave

Macron: France Covid lockdown will end ‘in stages’ from May 3

The president also said that the curfew, currently at 19:00, could be made later as restaurant terraces and cultural sites are set to reopen from mid-May

Covid France: Fourth wave set to peak but new autumn lockdown unlikely

Intensive care admissions are still high but hospitals have avoided total saturation, figures show. Despite a rise in cases expected in autumn, experts say it could be ‘less difficult’ this year

Merkel calls for all of EU to follow Germany and quarantine Britons

France’s current policy of allowing fully-vaccinated UK travellers to visit without an essential reason is in line with EU guidelines but there are concerns over the Delta variant