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HEALTH

‘Beginning of a new life’ – How France greeted the reopening gyms, pools and indoor dining

People in France enjoyed indoor dining and gyms for the first time in months on Wednesday, as falling Covid-19 rates allowed the government to relax coronavirus rules and push the curfew back to 11pm.

Published: 9 June 2021 11:36 CEST
'Beginning of a new life' - How France greeted the reopening gyms, pools and indoor dining
Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

Wednesday marks phase 3 of France’s reopening plans, with bars, restaurants and cafés allowed to open their indoor spaces while gyms and swimming pools could also reopen.

READ ALSO What changes in France on Wednesday?

Rules for travellers from within the EU were also eased, while vaccinated travellers were allowed in again from non-EU countries including the UK, USA and Canada under the traffic light system.

EXPLAINED How France’s traffic light travel system works

The return of simple joys was welcome for some.

“It’s a pleasure to have a coffee inside. Normal life is gradually resuming,” said transport employee Hammou Mraoui, sipping a coffee in a bar in the Meudon suburb of Paris.

Bar owner Christophe Guedes said it was an adjustment to serve indoors again.

“It’s almost strange to hear a client say ‘a coffee inside please’, but it’s a huge relief,” he told AFP.

The overnight curfew will now start later – at 11pm instead of 9pm – before being dropped entirely on June 30th if the health situation permits.

The new measures also mean that spectators will be able to enjoy night sessions for the final stages of the French Open tennis in Paris.

Some fitness buffs were happy to finally be allowed inside again, including Stephanie Moscoso, who hit her local gym in central Paris at 8am.

“I was super motivated. I put on the alarm clock this morning, it was super early, I saw the sun, I said to myself: this is the beginning of a new life!” the 35-year-old said.

One sector still lacking clarity is night clubs, which remain closed until further notice, with the government set to look at the situation again on June 21st.

And in virtually all of France, masks remain obligatory even out of doors until further notice.

The new openings come as France – one of Europe’s hardest hit countries – sees a sharp drop-off of coronavirus cases after a grim winter.

The numbers in intensive care are down to 2,394 compared with 6,000 in late April.

And as of Tuesday more than 28 million people had at least one vaccine shot – about 55 percent of the adult population.

The government is on course to reach its target of 30 million people with at least one dose of the vaccine by June 15th.

President Emmanuel Macron urged caution with the reopenings, while embracing a return to normal.

“A new step will be taken” on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter.

“Life will resume across our country. It is part of our culture, of our art of living, that we are going to reacquaint ourselves with,” he said.

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HEALTH

Reader question: Do you have to pay if you call an ambulance in France?

In a medical emergency, the expense of calling an ambulance to transport you or a loved one to hospital should be the least of your concerns. Here’s what you need to know about the financials of falling ill in France.

Published: 7 February 2024 16:54 CET
Reader question: Do you have to pay if you call an ambulance in France?

In France, urgent emergency care is run centrally by the Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente, known to almost everyone as Le SAMU (pronounced sam-oo), which is a coordinated service to call in case of any serious medical emergency.  

Samu

You can call SAMU by dialling 15 – you should only do so in serious medical emergencies, such as loss of consciousness or chest pains.

Some operators speak English but if you’re worried about speaking French you can call the central European emergency number on 112. Although it’s not guaranteed, most of their operators speak English.  

Importantly, you should not worry about being sent away for financial reasons if you need emergency medical care – under French law, hospitals and emergency services must treat any patient in an emergency. 

You may, however, receive a bill later.

Calls to SAMU are free but you will be billed for their services, with prices for consultations and call-outs varying greatly according to the département you are in. 

If you are resident in France and either have, or have applied for, a carte vitale, the costs will be covered by state system and your complimentary health insurance (mutuelle), if you have one – in the same way as other medical costs (eg GP visit, prescription).

READ ALSO How to get a carte vitale in France and why you need one

Be aware, however, that, in France, a doctor must confirm you are really in need of an emergency ambulance service, otherwise the cost of the ambulance might not be reimbursed.

In urgent situations, prescriptions for transport costs can be written afterwards. 

If you’re visiting France you will receive the bill the same bill for the cost of the ambulance, and will then have to claim back the cost from either your EHIC or GHIC card (for EU or UK residents) or via your own health insurance or travel insurance.

Sapeurs Pompiers (fire brigade)

This takes some getting used to for new arrivals, but, in France the sapeurs pompiers (fire brigade) can also be called out (dial 18) to medical emergencies, including traffic accidents and accidents in the home.

They receive extensive medical training and are more than simply ‘first-aiders’, but if the situation is very serious the pompiers may request help from the SAMU or the SMUR – these last are highly-trained medics whose role is to provide urgent care on the ground if the patient is in a life-threatening condition.

It is free to call the French fire brigade from any number, including for visitors and tourists. But unlike SAMU, you will not be billed for their services – unless, that is, you abuse the system.  

READ ALSO What to do if you have a medical emergency in France

Firefighters will bill anyone who makes a false call anywhere between €200 and €1,000 – and there’s no option to claim this cost back from anywhere.

In hospital

If your condition is serious, either the SAMU or the pompiers may take you to the nearest hospital for treatment.

In 2022, France introduced a new flat fee of €18 for treatment at hospital emergency departments known as the forfait patient urgences (FPU). This applies whether you are taken to the emergency department by emergency services or whether you get yourself to the hospital.

It applies to most people – there are exceptions – who receives treatment at an emergency room in a French hospital who does not then need to be admitted to hospital. 

Everyone is liable, whether they are French or not, whether they’re residents or tourists.

Anyone resident in France who has a mutuelle should be covered for this fee, but it is not reimbursable via the carte vitale.

READ ALSO What you need to know about France’s fees for emergency medical treatment

If your condition is serious enough that you are admitted to the hospital for further treatment, the bill depends on what treatment you receive and how long you stay.

Transport

What if you just need transporting to hospital for non-emergency appointments? Some patients are entitled to have the cost of transport covered by social security, including public transport, taxis, or ambulance – but in this case you would need to be living in France and registered in the French system.

Each area also has its own ambulance service – in most places these are white vehicles with a blue star and the name of the local authority that they are controlled by.

You may also be able to claim back fuel costs if you use your own vehicle.

The first step, in this instance, is to get your GP to fill out a prescription converting transport costs. This should also state what means of transport you should use.

You can be reimbursed for:

  • Trips to and from hospital out-patient care;
  • Care for a recognised long-term condition if you cannot get to the appointment by yourself;
  • If you have a serious condition where you need to be under surveillance or lying down during the journey;
  • Care linked to a work accident or work-related illness.

You will need approval from your local CPAM if your medical needs require the following:

  • Long-distance transport (more than 150km each way);
  • For treatment which requires at least four trips of more than 50km each way, in a two-month period;
  • If treatment requires you to travel a flight or boat trip.

Retain all receipts to send them, with a copy of the prescription authorising transportation to your local CPAM office for reimbursement of up to 55 percent of the total cost. 

READ ALSO Prescription fees and sick notes: What’s in France’s 2024 budget

Be aware that taxis you use must be ‘conventionné’ – ie licensed to transport patients. They will have a blue ‘C’ sticker in the back window.

Full reimbursement

The full cost of transportation is covered for the following: 

  • Pregnant women (six months or more);
  • Newborns less than 30 days old;
  • People who have suffered a work accident or occupational disease;
  • People suffering from a long-term illness (Affection longue durée or ALD);
  • Children and adolescents in centres d’action médico-sociale précoce (CAMSP) and centres médico-psycho-pédagogiques (CMPP);
  • Anyone entitled to complementary health insurance (Complémentaire santé solidaire or CSS) or state medical aid (Aide médicale de l’État or AME).

READ ALSO Explained: Who has to pay France’s annual healthcare charge

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