France

Entry requirements

Fully vaccinated Britons are allowed to visit France, however must provide proof of a negative test less than 48 hours before travel, and present the negative certificate at the border or pre-flight/ferry, plus produce a sworn statement of no symptoms and download a health pass for access to public places. Children aged 12 years old or over who are not fully vaccinated and travelling with a double-jabbed adult are required to present a negative test result in order to avoid quarantine. Find more information here.

Are resorts open?

Yes, but mainly at high altitudes, including the glacier in Tignes, which opened on October 16 for the winter. A number of resorts, including Les Deux Alpes and Tignes opened successfully for snow sports over the summer on their glaciers too. The most snow-sure resorts have begun to open, including Val d’Isere. Val Thorens, the highest resort in the 3 Vallées, opened on November 20 – the rest of the area opens on December 4. Last season ski lifts in France did not turn at all, the resorts were only open to ski touring and for other activities that didn’t require lift access – many are hopeful it will be a different scenario this winter as minister’s insist ‘closing is not an option.’

What rules are in place?

Across France, since August, it has been a legal requirement for anyone over the age of 12 to show a pass sanitaire or NHS vaccination certificate to enter all restaurants, cafés and bars – even to sit outside. For the over 65s, the third booster dose will be mandatory to activate the pass from December 15, everyone else over the age of 12 will continue to require proof of full vaccination, recovery or a negative test taken every 24 hours to activate their pass – a huge barrier for British families wanting to ski in France this year. Tests will be available for British teenagers to take in resorts, at an estimated cost of €40 each. 

From January 15, a third booster dose will be mandatory for all adults to activate their health pass. If an adult has not had a booster within seven months of their second jab, then their pass will be deactivated and they’ll have to join the unvaccinated in getting tested daily. 

Earlier this month, the Government confirmed the pass sanitaire would not be compulsory to access ski lifts this winter, unless the national case rate surpasses 200 per 100,000. Unfortunately, as cases surge this limit has been surpassed and health passes will be required to ski, for the time being until cases drop. Earlier this month, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Tourism in France, confirmed: “If health passes were required on ski lifts, checks would need to be done when selling ski passes, at the beginning of ski lessons, and randomly at the entrance to the ski lifts. I have confidence in those working in the mountains; they are professionals when it comes to welcoming and managing large numbers of visitors.”

France has also announced masks will once again be compulsory in all indoor spaces, including those covered by the health pass, including bars, cafes and restaurants, when not seated, eating or drinking. Face masks will also be required for anyone aged over 11 when meeting for ski schools, at large outdoor events like Christmas markets and when on ski lifts, but not on the slopes. Some restaurants and bars might decide to impose capacity limits to help implement rules and curb any outbreaks – currently, there is no capacity limit on lifts.