France set to ease ban on UK travellers

French government says it will make UK-France travel a ‘bit easier’

(EPA)

France is set to ease its strict travel ban on the UK, according to the French authorities.

French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal confirmed on 5 January that it would soon become a “bit easier” to travel between the two nations.

A near-total ban was imposed on travellers from the UK last month in response to the growing threat of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Only French citizens and residents were allowed to enter the country from Britain, along with those who met the criteria for a slim handful of “compelling reasons”.

The French government has now said it will “widen the list of compelling reasons, notably professional”, with the exact details to be agreed upon in the coming days.

However, there is no indication of when British tourists will be allowed to enter France for the purpose of leisure travel.

The decision to widen the pool of eligible travellers from the UK follows a “supersonic” rise in the number of Covid infections in France, according to Mr Attal.

Omicron is now the country’s dominant variant, and new coronavirus cases have reached “stratospheric levels” in certain regions, including Paris and the surrounding area, the government has said.

The UK is set to ease its own restrictions for fully vaccinated inbound travellers from 7 January.

Stricter testing rules were introduced last month to try to slow the arrival of Omicron; it has since spread throughout the country and become the dominant variant.

Fully vaccinated adults and those aged under 18 will no longer have to take a pre-departure test before setting off for the UK.

From Sunday, the test travellers must take upon arrival to the UK or in the two days that follow can also be a cheaper lateral flow rather than a PCR.

Arrivals will no longer have to self-isolate until they receive the result of this “day two” test.