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AMERICANS IN FRANCE

How people vaccinated in the USA can access the French health passport

France's health passport is required to access a number of everyday venues including cafés, trains and tourist sites - so is it possible to use an American vaccination certificate to access this?

How people vaccinated in the USA can access the French health passport
Photo: Sebastian Solom Gomis/AFP

The health passport is required in France to access venues including swimming pools, cinemas and tourist sites, bars, cafés, shopping malls and long-distance train or bus travel.

READ ALSO When, where and why you need a health passport in France

If you were vaccinated in France it is pretty simple to load your vaccination certificate onto the health passport app – here’s how. If you were vaccinated in a non-EU country other than the USA, click here.

But what about those vaccinated in the USA, either tourists or French nationals or residents who got their vaccinations while in the US?

People vaccinated in the EU have compatible vaccination certificates, while for those in England and Wales the NHS app is compatible with the French health passport app.

But for those vaccinated in the USA things are a little more complicated, especially as many states do not issue vaccination certificates with QR codes.

However, it’s not an impossible problem.

For entry into France, showing a US vaccination certificate – either on paper or in a digital format – is sufficient if you are ‘fully vaccinated’.

In travel terms that means you have had a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson) are at least two weeks after your second dose (or four weeks if you had the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine).

The US is currently on France’s green list, meaning that if you are fully vaccinated you won’t need a Covid test.

Once you are in France, you will need to show the health passport – showing either proof of vaccination, a recent negative Covid test or recent recovery from Covid – to access a number of leisure or cultural venues.

Initially, Americans were told to take their US vaccination certificates to a pharmacy in France, where staff could convert the code into a French one that would be compatible with the app.

However, since August 27th an online portal has been up and running for non-French citizens.

Who is eligible

The full requirements are;

  • You must also have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the EMA or equivalent. These are: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca (including Covishield) and Johnson & Johnson.
  • It must be four weeks after your dose if you received a one-dose injection (Johnson & Johnson);
    Seven days after the second injection for two-dose vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca);
    Seven days after the injection if you have recovered from Covid-19 (in which case, only one dose is necessary);
  • You must be over 18 (Until 30th September, under 18s do not need to show a health passport. This will be expanded to those aged 12-17 after that date)

You also need to be either in France or intending to travel ‘in the coming days’, although the site does not specify exactly how imminent your trip needs to be.

Feedback from readers of The Local suggests that it can take up to two weeks to get the code, so we would suggest applying within good time of your journey date.

How to apply

In order to receive a French certificate, you need to prepare the following documents in PDF, JPG or PNG format:

  • A vaccination certificate, demonstrating full vaccination
  • A valid passport
  • Tickets showing your dates of travel into France

Online application

Online applications were initially open only to French citizens, but since August 27th this has now been expanded to anyone who was vaccinated outside the EU – whether they are tourists planning a visit, French residents who got their vaccines elsewhere or people who have recently moved to France from a non-EU country

You can find the portal HERE.

Unless you are a student, in which case you apply HERE.

First you will need to create an account using an email address and password – or if you are a French resident you can sign in using France Connect.

You are then taken to a simple one-page form which asks you to fill in your personal details and the details of when, where and with what dose you were vaccinated. the address required is your address outside France, so your home address for tourists or previous address for people moving to France.

The form also requires you to upload supporting documents; a valid passport, a vaccination certificate and a travel ticket (this can be either a ticket for a planned trip or the way that you arrived in France if you are already here).

Once you have filled in the form click the button to Déposer le dossier.

By email

Previously, visitors were told to apply by email, but since August 27th, new applications have been met with a bounce-back telling them to apply online instead.

Applications should, however, still be processed for people who applied before that date and are still waiting for a response.

READ ALSO How unvaccinated people can use the French health passport

Talks are ongoing between the EU and USA on harmonising the technology to allow various countries’ apps to scan non-EU certificates.

What to do once you have the code

Once your application is processed you will be sent a QR code.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you can print out this code and show it at health passport venues.

If you do have a smartphone, you can then download the TousAntiCovid app and scan in your new code. You can then show that at any health passport venue in France for entry.

For a full explanation on how the app works, click HERE. 

At the pharmacy

Many readers of The Local reported long delays when applying on the old email system. We don’t yet know how quick and efficient the online portal is likely to be, but if you do end up waiting for a long time, the other option is to visit a pharmacy in France.

Some pharmacies are able to exchange a non-French vaccine certificate for the French code, although this is not a statutory service so pharmacies are not obliged to do this. Many readers have reported successfully making the swap at a pharmacy, but you may need to shop around to find a pharmacist willing to do this.

Get a test

The other option for people who are still waiting for a French code is to get a Covid test. The health passport can be used with a negative Covid test that is less than 72 hours old, and tests are easily accessible in France from pharmacies or pop-up testing centres – more details here.

Member comments

  1. Any extra insight on how to do this would be lovely! We are planning to head to Nice in August, but may not if we will be restricted in what we can do.

  2. I’ll be going to France in mid August, first to Normandy and then to our second home in the Luberon. I’m American and am fully vaccinated, with my CDC card.

    I have planned to take a bus or train to Caen when I arrive. It sounds like I’ll need to have electronic health passport in order to get on public transportation. Is there a pharmacy or some other facility at the CDG airport where I might get an electronic documentation? Any suggestions?

  3. My American tourist students could NOT access the Chantilly Château with American vaccination papers. One student in the Tour Eiffel : they wanted iphone code.

  4. I live in Paris, but was vaccinated in the US. I went to a local pharmacy near Place de la République in Paris, and asked if they could provide an attestation with QR code. The pharmacist knew exactly what to do. She only needed the information from my CDC card and asked for my address. I asked, and you do not need a French social security number to receive it.

  5. I checked at my local pharmacy (Aprium, 105, ave Felix Faure). They have heard about this, but after much keyboard tapping, the friendly (English-speaking) lady was not able to find anything official enough in her system to be able to offer a solution. She suggested checking back next week. Meanwhile the word on “the street” is: carry your little white CDC card and your passport (so they know the CDC card matches you).

  6. We tried many pharmacies in Paris today, asking if they could enter our US CDC card into the French system. They all said that it was not possible yet. Several said that they had double-checked this with higher-ups and it was simply not possible. (It may well be possible if you have a French Social Security number.)

    The only alternative at the moment is a 29 Euro 15-minute antigen test done *every 48 hours*. They are available at most pharmacies. Pharmacies near tourist attractions often have long lines or are fully booked, but we found one without a line.

    Reading the news, when the new restrictions was announced, the government said they would have a solution for foreigners that would be available “within a week,” but more than a week has passed.

    1. Here’s the address of the pharmacy I went to today – Pharmacie Beaurepaire, 4 Rue Beaurepaire, 75010. Had no problem getting it, and she said no social security number necessary. I did give her my carte vitale, but she said she did not use my social security number.

      1. I went here this morning and they are apparently willing but the pharmacist will not be in on the weekends.

  7. I have asked three pharmacies about creating a QRCode for my CDC paper certificate. A small one Rue Jacob, Bader on Blvd St-Michel and CityPharma. They all said they could not do it. I presented CDC card for entrance to UGC cinema (6th) and was turned away. The MK2 next door accepted it. I guess I’ll spend the day going from pharmacy to pharmacy in hopes of finding one that can provide the electronic document. Thanks to all for your info.

  8. As of 14h today the big vaccination site at Hôtel de Ville is NOT doing CDC to Pass Sanitaire conversions because they are doing vaccinations and don’t have enough staff to do both. A bunch of us exchanged all our rumors and went to the pharmacy at 1, rue Auber just next to Hotel Intercontinental (Metro Opera). They ARE doing it. Use the queue to the right of the entrance as the other one is for pharmacy customers. It’s 20 euro and they take plastic. Bonne chance!

  9. What about correcting mistakes on *French* vaccination paperwork? Suggestions welcome.
    My teen daughter had her first vaccination in Paris & immediately afterwards I saw on the signed letter that the doctor entered her year of birth wrong. Still at the vaccination centre I asked them to correct the error. They said they could not & told me to deal with it online. But we are new in France, not yet settled in a particular home & not yet registered on amili.fr. The centre also did not provide any document with a QR code & told me likewise to get that via ameli online. Can I legitimately *insist,* when we go for my teen’s 2nd jab, that we be given documentation with a QR code to be sure she can have her pass sanitaire? Or can a pharmacist or another service help us?

  10. I’m in Paris and I just took my USA vaccine documents (i received my vaccination in the USA) to the local pharmacy near where I am staying and within 10 minutes they downloaded the French Health Pass certificate with the bar code that I scanned into the French Health Pass App (Tous AntiCovid) on my iPhone. Voilà and I am ready to go. Just wish things were so simple in the UK.

    1. Gary can you tell us the location of that pharmacy. I also am having trouble finding a pharmacy that can download the French QR code from a US CDC vaccination record. Thank you!

  11. Does anyone know of a pharmacy in Nice that is doing the French vaccine passport for Americans?

  12. Will the pharmacies at CDG give vaccine passports to incoming tourists? I have a long layover at Roissy and would love to get my CDC certificate converted before I get on my train….

  13. Does anyone have a link in French to provide to the pharmacists, I have tried 4 and they all have no idea what I am talking about

  14. Does anyone know of a willing pharmacy in or near 16e arrondissement? We tried 7 or 8 yesterday and all of them said it was not possible or they did not know how. I showed the the article but they said it is not so.

  15. It would be very helpful to continue to note any pharmacies that can enter a USA vaccination certificate into the system. Thanks for all the comments

  16. I have been asked which pharmacy I went to to get my Health Passport. The place I went to is a pharmacy near Rue Saint-Maur called Pharmacy Gardette at Avenue Parmentier and Rue Général Renault. A friend of mine here in France who just also got his in Nice told me that pharmacies were instructed to no longer accept the USA vaccination document for the French Health Passport. I don’t know if that is the case. Perhaps I and my friend were lucky and got ours before the window closed.

  17. Between July 25 – 28th our family was able to enter places like the Louve with the orginal CDC card and an ID

      1. Thanks for confirming you were able to use paper record We arrive on August 2 Hope we can use our paper CDC vaccination card everywhere it is required

  18. If all else fails, you should be able to get the QR code by testing every 2 days. We were able to get a test for our return to the U.S. for 25 euros in a pharmacy that we were passing by and received our results in 30 minutes, enough time to get a quick bite to eat and return for the paperwork. The QR code from a negative test is good for 48 hours. It’s not ideal but it will do and it’s easier to get a test in France for an American than it is for an American in America.

  19. I was able to get an official pass sanitaire on 24 July at the British-American pharmacy at 1 rue Auber next to the Hotel Intercontinental near Opera for €20. They only needed my US passport and my CDC card. I don’t know if they are still doing it.
    Although the official pass sanitaire* is supposedly required (since 21 July) for museums, movie theaters, monuments (Eiffel Tower) and the like, enforcement seems to be spotty. Some people have reported getting admitted with the CDC card only, others have reported being turned away. Your mileage may vary.
    The requirement to have an official pass sanitaire* to enter restaurants (including outdoor terraces) and bars seems to have been delayed from 1 August to 9 August.
    An in-person stop at the official Paris Visitors Bureau at Hôtel de Ville (Paris city hall) is a good resource.
    Hope this helps.
    *Note: A negative PCR or antigen test no more than 48 hours old also works, and there are a couple of more esoteric exceptions as well.

  20. On July 27, I entered a pharmacie in Reims and asked if i could receive a Pass Sanitaire using my American vaccine card. They said yes and while processing asked for my phone number, email and local address, and nothing more, no fee. Ten minutes later they printed a paper pass with a QR code for me, that I used to create a digital pass on the TousAntiCovid app. I’d be surprised if the country reversed that decision in the last couple days. I recommend people try, and try again at another pharmacie if necessary.

  21. I followed these instructions and it worked perfectly. Such a relief! Thanks to the Local team for getting this out there.

  22. In Paris at the Hotel Dieu, they are setup to convert the American CDC card into the French QR code and form. I suggest anyone in Paris to go by there and get it done, was about a 15 minute wait yesterday morning. Just go into the entrance on the south side facing the square in front of Notre Dame and they do it in a room to the side of the entrance.

  23. I was successful (after some initial resistance) at a large pharmacy in Nice, and I do not have a social security number. My brother went 2 days later to the same pharmacy and they said the system wouldn’t allow it without a social security number. I think it is a real gamble about who you get on the day. Friends of mine who own a small restaurant are panicked as most of their custom comes from Americans and they are concerned about fines if they accept the paper cards. In general, everyone could benefit from a bit more clarity but we’re getting there slowly.

  24. I am in Pau and was vaccinated on New York NO PHARMACY in the area is able to do anything for me. My Doctor here tried he is unable to do anything without a french Social Security number. I went to the vaccination center they could do nothing. This afternoon I went to the french social security insurance offices here they said they have no way to convert or issue me a QR code that will function in France.

    This afternoon I showed my USA CDC vaccination card in a cafe and the guy said fine. I’m not sure if when ( and if ) I am
    Controlled by the police they will agree!!!!

    I imagine at the weekly Farmers market there will be police checking all the cafes. I’ll post something over the weekend as to whether or not I was allowed and or fined !!!

    1. I am in Pau too and had the same experience! Please let me know if you figure this thing out soon. I am traveling by train to Bordeaux in a few weeks. I was vaccinated in New York and am American.

      1. Im going to try the American consulate online tomorrow one of my friends on Paris was successful on line I’ll
        Let you know

      2. Tess I got the forms online tonight ( Thursday ) and emailed on the required form with documents I got a reply that it was received. Probably in a day or two I hope to have a QR CODE that works
        If you need the form let me know I dont see a way to add a PDF here.

        1. Hi
          Yes I got the form and emailed it in a couple of days ago. It was received, but I haven’t gotten the code as of yet. Hopefully it will be soon. Thanks for your help!

        2. Hi Jean,
          Just wondering if you got the QR code? I sent mine last Wednesday and still have not received it.
          Tess

          1. Tess no I havent received it yet 🙁 have your tried using your USA vaccine card anywhere yet ?? I haven’t gone anywhere other than my local cafe and grand frais since my COVID test QR code expired And now quartier libre, carrefour and Leclerc Tempo require a health pass

          2. Hi
            No I haven’t tried to go out to eat yet but I am tomorrow. I think we are both in Pau? Carrefour??? I go to the carrefour city by Les Halles all the time and they never ask for the health pass. I am traveling to Bordeaux by train on the 28th. Hoping it’s all sorted by then 🙁

          3. Yes I’m
            Actually in Jurancon but it’s the big shopping centers not the carrefour city or Monoprix ( place Clemenceau ) do you have a car here or are tou in Pau center ?

          4. You should be fine until
            Your pass arrives there’s no supermarket or place big enough in town to require health pass BUT restaurants and cafes are the big issue 🙁

          5. Yes, I’ve been here for a few weeks now. Going to try using my CDC card tomorrow for dinner. I will let you know how it goes lol. I will have food to cook in the apartment just in case.

          6. Update : one week after filing my request no pass so I followed a link from the local which led me to démarches-simplifiées.fr. And filled out another request in doing so I created an account and re- uploaded all requested documents this time they didn’t ask for a airline ticket
            It’s so damned confusing as they are totally unorganized as this site says one can request a conversion if you are a European vaccinated abroad OR a tourist permanent resident in another country.
            As I have a carte de séjour i put that on with my us passport and a copy
            Of proof of my American residency ( gas bill For My Apartment ) then my passport And one side
            Of my Vaccine card there was no way to post both sides.
            Even after over 40
            Years loving 1/2 here and 1/2 in the USA I am still dumbfounded by the ridiculousness of french bureaucracy!!!
            Tess I hope You were able
            To have dinner tonight !!

      3. They now have a form to email in with proof of plane ticket , passport and completed form from the government website
        Let me know if you need more help

        1. Hi, can you help me with filling out the form?
          Mon Tigre de transport A______, le _______
          What should I fill out there?
          I tried to use translation. Still not quite get it.

          1. Your titre de transport is your round trip ticket in and out of france. You’ll
            Need to scan and send a PDF of all items. Passport , both sides of the US Covid vaccine card, your ticket in and out of france. Your courriel is your email address and the À = the town you are presently in and the le is the date you sign the form day/ month/year

            For example I am in Pau so I wrote
            Pau. And for the le I put yesterday’s date 12/08/2021. Be sure to Sign your name as it is noted on your passport.

          2. I wouldn’t refile it as their reply email
            Said not to send in forms again. Wait to see if they come back to you. I’m always a little over pro active when it comes to french paperwork hence my sending both sides of the card. The most important is that they see your name dates of injections and lot numbers so if that’s the side you sent I’d wait to see if they come back to you.

          3. I would not refile it as their reply email
            Said not to send in forms again. Wait to see if they come back to you. I’m always a little over pro active when it comes to french paperwork hence my sending both sides The most important is that they see your name dates of injections and lot numbers so if that’s the side you sent I’d wait to see if they come back to you.

    2. What do you do if you cannot get mail in France? I am staying in an Airbnb and do not have a key to the mailbox!

  25. Why do you have to show a return ticket to get a QR code? We are moving to France from the US on 9 September and have a one -way ticket. I’m glad that they are finally able to say something concrete, but comme d’habitude the French authorities don’t really think things all the way through on the first try.

    1. In your situation ( since you said you are moving) , I think you will get temporary status as resident, which means you will get Social security and other documents comply to French status. You and your family shouldn’t have a problem to transfer it from CDC to QR code. It’s very slow there, you have to just to be patient and ask the questions. Literally ask. 🙂 Bonne chance!

  26. This is good news – I imagine it will be similar for people arriving after 15 Aug (I’m arriving in late September). Thanks for all these updates!

  27. I visited multiple times different Pharmacies and vaccination centers in Cannes and declined to transfer our CDC card to QR code. The main reason was either we have to be vaccinated in France or have Social Security, or just France system do not recognize it American etc…

    However, there is a big demand for COVID test before travel and other activities/ leisure. We just arrived last night from Nice to USA. Regardless of the vaccinations at the Airport during the check in all of them ( we changed 3 airplanes- 3 different countries) the all passengers have to show Covid test results within 72 hrs.
    We had ours and has been sent by email and had QR code on it, and it was written we could transferred that to our Tous AntiCovid App, and obviously only stays there up to 7 days only. Strangely, no one cared about our vaccinations, it was only about Covid test results. I am sure it’s on the system already. We paid for each tests €49, and it’s not free anymore. Airplanes were full. Good luck everyone.

    1. My doctor here was unable
      To create a QR code for me as the french system did not recognize the lot number on the USA vaccine card and even though i live here 6 months a year I have opted not to go on the french health system I have private insurance so I don’t have a carte vitale.
      Covid is making everyone who travels loves difficult. 🙁

  28. I have been in Morbihan and Finistere since July 10 and every venue-museums, historic sites, concerts, bars, restaurants-has instantly accepted my paper CDC card. I got detailed instructions from the consulate for asking a pharmacie to convert my info to a QR code, but when I tried, they said the system had crashed. There is also a multi-week wait for a covid PCR test appointment (at least outside of larger cities.) Thanks to timely info from The Local, I sent in my docs today to the new French government site that converts foreign docs to QR codes. I’m anxious to see how long it takes.

  29. I just went to the Pharmacy right down the street from my hotel, and got my pass sanitaire. It was the first one I went to, it took 10 mins, they knew what to do, and it was free. It took no convincing, I actually went there to pick up some things (toothbrush, etc) thinking it was very unlikely they would do it, and just asked if they did it and they said yes.

    1. Hi Ken, Just to confirm you showed your CDC card and they gave you a pass sanitaire? I have some US team members at work and they are asking. Thanks

  30. jean,
    Thank you for the update! I will follow the link and see what happens. I was able to go to dinner with my CDC card and it was Tellement délicieux!!

  31. Trying to fill out the form but I don’t have a carte de séjour so I downloaded my us passport. It is not going through. So frustrating!!!

  32. To be clear, the link you have provided is intended for French nationals and their beneficiaries who were vaccinated overseas. Not only does the form at demarches-simplifies not request all the necessary information for an American to file, but using it will result in this polite but firm notice:
    Reason for refusal
    Hello, We acknowledge receipt of your health pass request. However, we cannot respond favorably to this request because this platform is intended for French nationals and their beneficiaries (children, or spouses married or in a civil partnership with a French national). Foreign nationals who do not register for these cases can, however, send their request to the specific platform set up by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs for foreign tourists. Initially, this system is open to foreign tourists from outside Europe, already present on the national territory or arriving by August 31, 2021. Requests concerning an arrival after this date will be taken into account later. Requests can be sent to the following mailboxes: Zone 1 – United States ([email protected])

  33. The link above does not work for French residents that are nationals of a different country. I wish it was this simple but i was refused. I also emailed using the instructions on the site the refusal message provided and still no response a week later! How are we supposed to convert our vaccination certificate? I’ve been taking Antigen tests ever 3 days just to have a QR code because some restaurants will not accept the CDC card

  34. The online link provided in the article does not work for Americans; my request was refused. It’s only for French nationals.

    “Bonjour, Nous accusons bonne réception de votre demande de passe sanitaire. Toutefois, nous ne pouvons y répondre favorablement car cette plateforme est destinée aux ressortissants français et à leurs ayant-droits (enfants, ou conjoints mariés ou pacsés à un ressortissant français) résidant hors du territoire français.“

  35. My son is leaving the US tonight and arriving Paris Saturday morning. He applied via email — and received nothing to date. We rejoiced at this news of an online system that can be used for foreigners and he immediately applied there. He just received his rejection saying “this site is only for French nationals”. WTH is going on? Is this article correct? If not can The Local please at least publish a correction and we can all stop getting our hopes up and wasting our time.

  36. Deal Local:
    Don’t you think it’s time, with all the comments to show you what was wrong, to correct the article as posted? And to top it with a notice along the lines of NOTICE: THE INFORMATION BELOW HAS BEEN UPDATED TO CORRECT EARLIER ERRORS

    Yes, I think it’s time…

  37. I emailed all required documents per the article on August 11th. I received this automatic reply immediately: “Nous avons bien reçu votre demande qui sera traitée dans les meilleurs délais. Nous vous remercions de ne pas la renouveler et de ne pas envoyer des relances à cette adresse afin d’éviter de saturer le dispositif.
    Merci de votre compréhension.

    We acknowledge receipt of your email. We will reply as soon as possible. Please do not send your email again.

    Thank you for your understanding.” I have received nothing since. Still waiting . . . . (looks at watch).

  38. I submitted mine (with USA CDC card on 12 Aug, and got immediate confirmation but zero since then. We are scheduled to arrive on 9/2, so still have time but getting nervous.
    My thinking is that if we can’t get the french PS, and a substantial number of key places won’t accept the CDC card, then we’ll be forced to cancel our trip – UGH.
    So, keep on commenting and updating guys!

    PS – we are going Paris-Tours-Annecy-Roussillon, so would love to hear commentary from everywhere and anywhere…

  39. I submitted my application to [email protected] and I arrived in France yesterday. So far restaurants are accepting my CDC card but I haven’t received any email response. Any updates on how long it’s currently taking the French government to issue these?

  40. PetrosZ,
    sorry for the delay. Yes, I showed my CDC card, my passport. They asked for a local address, I gave them the one for the AirB&B I was at. They asked for a local phone number, I get an EU sim card every time I come over so I gave them that number. Not sure if the Local number was a requirement or not. Hope this helps.

    Ken

  41. Rob,
    I also submitted a request through the email to the French goverment. I did finally get it, but it took a little more than 2 weeks. I assume you got the immediate response saying they recieved your info.

  42. My Wife and I submitted our applications & documents for the Passe Sanitaire on August 25. We did not receive a “bien reçu votre demande” reply. Should we re-apply using the new on-line method?

  43. I used the online website yesterday 14:47 France time, and received, my QR code within the hour, mine was Pfizer
    My wife put hers in a 15:34 and received that her dossier had been submitted, but her application is still in construction as of now, her shot was J&J not sure if it matters both are from USA

  44. My husband and I just received the French certificate with the QR code. We applied on line on August 28th. So it took almost two weeks. But we have had no problem to date just showing our CDC cards to get into restaurants.

    1. You are very lucky. I have now applied three times, have been in France since 5 September, had a THIRD vaccination at a French clinic and received a QR code that a restaurant scanned today and it said “invalid”. I have both my QR code and CDC card scanned into my phone and the restaurant said no problem, but I am concerned about the train and museums. Not too happy!

      1. Go to the “Filles du Calvaire” pharmacy in the 11th arrondissement. They will convert your CDC card to the Pass Sanitaire for €20.

        1. Sounds like a good alternative for those in Paris. I live in Vaison La Romaine. I finally received my pass after 12 days, then received a second pass (I reapplied even though the website says don’t) 12 days after reapplication.

  45. I tried to receive my pass via diplomatie.gouv.fr with no luck at all after 3 attempts—including through the newer electronic version. We arrived in France on 9/4 and I easily got my CDC pass converted at “Filles du Calvaire” Pharmacie in the 11th arrondissement. Easy Peasy. Don’t even think about wasting your time trying to get it online, just go to this pharmacy.

  46. My wife and I submitted our applications and documents using the http://www.demarches-simplifiees.fr site on 01 September, and we both received our CERTIFICAT COVID NUMÉRIQUE UE with the QR codes via email today, 22 September. Our departure for France is scheduled for mid-October, so we may have stretched the “in the coming days” timeframe a little when we applied on the first of this month, but … it worked out!

  47. We just returned (Oct 3) from 2 wonderful weeks in Lyon, Avignon and Paris. We were there to see friends, hike/bike and eat well — and we did all with ease.

    We applied for our passe sanitaire 3 weeks before departure and didn’t receive them until halfway through our trip — wasn’t a problem at all. We used our NY Excelsior passes at restaurants, stores etc. Of course, the QR code didn’t work but didn’t seem to matter — as long as we had some sort of proof and they tried to scan — all good. We never encountered a single problem.

    Departing JFK was a breeze — regular redcap check in – no one asked to see any covid related forms at all — literally 5 mins from drop off to departure area.

    Took at least an hour to enter France at CDG — even with being able to utilize an EU passport to skip part of the line (easily saved an hour) since one of us was entering on a US passport and we didn’t have the passe sanitaire at that point, we were diverted into a non vaccinated line! Added about 30 mins to the process and ultimately the passport officer didn’t want to see anything.

    Departing France — very easy to get PCR test in the 3 day window before departure at a Bioaxiome lab in the small town we were in — popped in the day before to book and results back in a few hours. Check in process at CDG was very long and required to show the negative PCR many times. pretty much every other customer had an issue to line moved very slowly.

    Overall — don’t hesitate to visit even without the passe sanitaire in hand. It’s an interesting moment to travel — everything open, bustling without being crowded — lots of French as well as EU tourists and some individual Americans/Brits – but no large tour groups. The French seem to have found a good balance for this Covid moment.

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AMERICANS IN FRANCE

Harvard library removes Frenchwoman’s skin from book binding

French authorities are consulting with Harvard university about the "respectful disposition" of the skin of a Frenchwoman which was discovered to be binding a book held in the US university's library.

Harvard library removes Frenchwoman's skin from book binding

Harvard University said on Wednesday that it had removed human skin from the binding of a book held for over 90 years at one of its libraries.

A copy of the 19th-century book Des Destinées de l’Ame (Destinies of the Soul) – a meditation on life after death – was found in 2014 to be bound in the skin of a deceased woman.

The university said at the time that Dr Ludovic Bouland, the first owner of the book written by French author Arsène Houssaye, had taken skin from the body of a mentally ill woman, who died of a heart attack, at a hospital where he worked.

Bouland was said to have told Houssaye in a note: “A book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering.”

Harvard said it had removed the binding and noted “past failures in its stewardship of the book that further objectified and compromised the dignity of the human being whose remains were used for its binding.”

The university said it was consulting with French authorities “to determine a final respectful disposition of these human remains.”

Harvard – widely considered the oldest college in the United States – had indulged interest in the morbid story of the book, calling the 2014 discovery  “good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs and cannibals alike.”

Anthropodermic bibliopegy – the practice of binding books in human skin – was once a relatively common practice, Harvard said in a 2014 blog post.

In Wednesday’s media release, Harvard said its stewardship practices related to the book had “failed to meet the level of ethical standards to which it subscribes.”

It noted that, following scientific analysis confirming it was bound in human skin, the library made blog posts which “utilized a sensationalistic, morbid, and humorous tone that fueled similar international media coverage.”

In 2022, Harvard released a report that identified more than 20,000 human remains in its various collections, which ranged from skeletons to teeth, hair and bone fragments.

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