According to Tourism Minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, anyone travelling from the United Kingdom to France will no longer be required to self-isolate or present proof that their voyage is necessary as of Friday morning.
The requirement for a negative COVID test 24 hours before to their visit, however, remains in place.
Those who test negative will need to be inoculated appropriately as well.
The ruling is a huge success for cross-Channel transport businesses and winter sports travel providers, especially because it comes before the important February half-term period.
The remark came as a “huge comfort” to Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu, who expressed hope that “the last border closure of the COVID situation” had occurred.
“Over the previous two years, we’ve all suffered tremendously,” he said. Workers in the healthcare industry are exhausted, and travel-related businesses have struggled to stay afloat.
“Thousands of Brittany Ferries passengers have been disrupted and millions of pounds in income has been lost as a consequence of draconian measures like border closures.”
“France is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Britons, and traditionally January is a critical month for travel operators as people start to book summer holidays,” said Abby Penlington, director of industry association Discover Ferries.
“While the ferry industry has continued to operate essential services across the Channel while the border remained closed, we’re confident that its reopening will provide a much-needed uplift in bookings.”
While the number of COVID cases in France continues to rise, with 361,719 new infections, 246 new fatalities, and 16 new ICU hospitalizations documented on Wednesday, the travel restrictions are being eased.
On December 18 of last year, France implemented a restriction on non-essential travel to and from the UK in order to combat the spread of the Omicron form.
To enter the country, people from the United Kingdom required to have “compelling grounds,” which did not include tourism or business.
Those who were allowed to enter France from the UK were had to undergo a negative test within 24 hours after departing. They had to isolate for 48 hours after arriving before doing another test.
Those who have been fully vaccinated do not need to take a test before arriving in the UK, and can instead take a lateral flow test rather than a PCR once they arrive.
