France tightens travel restrictions for UK travellers

British travellers must have ‘compelling reason’ to make trip, say authorities

The restrictions on travel from the UK to France came into force on 31 May (REUTERS)

France has begun restricting travel from the UK in an attempt to prevent the spread of the “Indian” variant of coronavirus.

Entry to the country is now permitted only for EU nationals, French residents, or those travelling for essential reasons.

Travellers must provide a negative PCR or antigen test result from within the past 48 hours and make a sworn declaration that they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight.

They will then have to self-isolate for seven days from arrival. Police can issue fines starting at €1,000 (£870) to anyone who is not at their registered quarantine location.

The regulations - which were first announced last week - took effect from Monday, 31 May, and are the French equivalent of the UK's "amber list" rules.

In an announcement on the French foreign ministry website, officials said: "If you are in the UK, you can only enter France if you have pressing grounds for travel or if you are an EU national or a permanent resident in France."

The move caused dismay for the travel industry on both sides of the Channel ahead of the main summer tourist season.

A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries said: "The unwelcome move by France to tighten travel restrictions is a direct consequence of the failure of the UK to put India on the red list immediately following the emergence of the terrible and urgent health crisis unfolding in India."

France has now opened up vaccinations to anyone aged 18 and over, with more than 48 per cent of the adult population having received a first dose and more than 20 per cent having received a second.

Authorities are gradually relaxing lockdown restrictions as the number of cases and intensive care patients continue to fall since the peak in April.