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COVID-19

French PM warns of UK travel ban over coronavirus

France could stop British travellers from entering the country if Britain fails to lockdown to battle the coronavirus, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Tuesday.

Published: 17 March 2020 21:16 CET
French PM warns of UK travel ban over coronavirus
Photo: AFP

He said if Britain did not take similar measures to France then “we would find it hard to accept on our territory British citizens who move freely in their own country and then come to France”.

France began a lockdown on Tuesday set to last at least two weeks that prohibits all non-essential travelling.

Britain has yet to adopt such measures with schools remaining open and travel largely unrestricted but it has advised its citizens against all unnecessary travel abroad, including France.

“If we want to be coherent, we need all those who are inside the European zone to adopt methods and processes that are coherent to fight against the epidemic. Italy, France and Spain have chosen confinement,” said Philippe.

The EU is imposing an entry ban to its territory for an initial period of 30 days but it is not due to affect citizens of former EU member Britain or non-EU members of the passport-free Schengen zone.

Coronavirus in France: What should tourists do?

British tourists currently in France are concerned about being able to get home now that France is in lockdown with people ordered to stay home but for essential reasons.

Travel is currently heavily restricted, trains are running a reduced service and there are roadblocks on major and secondary routes with police checking if you are entitled to travel.

That said, there is an exemption for tourists who are travelling to a port/airport with the purpose of going home, France's Interior Minister Christophe Castaner confirmed.

If you decide to head to the ports, you will need to download a copy of the official travel form – more detail on how to fill that in here.

Travel to a port/airport is not one of categories to tick, but you can write on it Je rentre au Royaume-Uni/  aux Etas-Uni en voiture / par avion (aeroport de: ville) / par train – I am returning to the UK/ the USA by car/ by air (name the airport you are flying from) / by train.

If you are travelling by train check on the SNCF website before you travel, the number of trains running has been reduced and is set to be cut further in the coming days.

The same is true for flights, ferries and the Eurostar. Apart from border restrictions (see below) passenger numbers have collapsed so transport operators are cancelling many services rather than run empty.

The Channel Tunnel is for the moment operating normally, but again check before you travel.

 

Member comments

  1. Why wait? Do it now. The court jester thinks this is all a joke. Schools still open, no restrictions on groups and catering establishments still open. The UK is a breeding ground for the virus.

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games periods, some 185km of lanes on roads around Paris will be reserved for event-related traffic – here’s what you need to know.

Published: 25 June 2024 13:01 CEST
How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Between July 15th and September 11th, ‘Olympic lanes’ will be in use along certain stretches of key roads in and around Paris.

These lanes will be reserved for use by accredited vehicles to transport athletes, accredited journalists and official delegations, as well as emergency and security vehicles, cabs, ambulances and public transport.

READ ALSO Apps, reservations and flying taxis: What to know before visiting Paris this summer

The lanes will be activated on July 15, on the following roads:

  • A1 between Roissy Charles de Gaulle and Porte de la Chapelle, until September 11th;
  • A4 between Collégien and Porte de Bercy until August 13th, then from August 30th to September 8th;
  • A12 between Rocquencourt and Montigny le Bretonneux until August 13th, and again from August 27th to September 8th;
  • A13 between Porte Maillot and Rocquencourt until August 13th, then from August 27th to September 8th;
  • Boulevard périphérique, from Porte de Vanves to Porte de Bercy, via the north until August 13th, then from August 22th to September 11th;
  • Boulevard Circulaire (La Défense) until August 13th, then from August 22nd to September 11th;
  • Lanes on certain routes in Paris.

None of these roads will be closed – lanes along these routes that are not reserved for Olympic or Paralympic Games traffic are open to road users as usual.

The lanes in question will be signposted – signs, clearly marked with the words “Paris 2024”, will be in place from July 1st, and will be removed by the end of the day on September 15h. 

READ ALSO How to use Paris public transport during the Olympics

Who can use dedicated Olympic lanes?

Only vehicles and road users that have been properly accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games can travel along these lanes during the periods indicated above. 

They include:

  • vehicles of accredited persons;
  • cabs;
  • public transport vehicles;
  • vehicles designed to facilitate the transport of people with reduced mobility;
  • and emergency and security vehicles.

READ ALSO Who needs a QR code to get around Paris during the Olympics

All other vehicles are prohibited from using these lanes throughout the Olympic Games period. Any vehicle circulating on an Olympic lane without having received prior authorisation is liable to a fine of €135 and possible further prosecution.

Road users without Olympic accreditation are advised to be aware of possible travel issues, as more vehicles are filtered into the other lanes. Therefore it would be wise to allow a little extra time for your journey if you are using one of the listed roads during the Games period.

An interactive map, showing routes with Olympic lanes is available here. 

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