KarenWoo

Thought i would write about our experience traveling from Boston to France during Covid. On August 3 we flew via TAP Airlines from Boston to Marseille via Lisbon. At Logan airport, TAP only wanted to see our passports & negative Covid tests. They were not interested in our vaccination certificates. We also had to complete online a passenger locator form. We were also instructed to print the form after we submitted it. The printed form had a bar code on it. However; no one asked to see it. The crew did hand out blank passenger locator forms on the plane to people who did not submit them online.

At the Lisbon airport they also only wanted to see our passports & negative Covid test. It took us almost 2 hours to get through passport control. The lines were huge.

When we landed in marseille, all they wanted to see was our passports. They did not ask for our Covid tests or the sworn statements we completed. We assume this is because we had already entered the EU through Portugal. They also did not ask for proof of resources or proof of accommodations.

so it was very easy. I hope our return flights home will be just as easy.

lrice

Thanks Karen! We head out on United in three weeks. How are the shops and restaurants in Provence? Open? Closed? Need a Green Pass to get in? Are people wearing masks on the streets? Indoors?

Thank you!

kerouac

I am in Marseille myself right now which is very crowded and all of the shops are open even though August 15 is an official holiday.

kleeblatt

On my return to Switzerland from the US, only the check-in staff at the airlines were interested in any Covid documents. Airlines are requiring a negative Covid test which I showed using my smart phone. I also have a vaccination certificate which I presented. Switzerland asks for an online-form to be filled in but no one checked the bar code. For those who did not fill in the form on-line, forms were passed around on the airplane and then collected again. Upon arrival, no one asked for any Covid documents.

MinnBeef

Karen, why was a COVID test necessary when you said you were vaccinated? I know the rules can vary by country but my understanding is that both Italy (where I am going on Tuesday) and France (where I am transiting through) do not require COVID tests if one is vaccinated??

rialtogrl

‘MinnBeef I’ll let the OP answer but it might be a rule to fly to Portugal.. to be tested before flying. Even for transit.

KarenWoo

yes, Rialto girl is correct. It is the rule of Portugal & therefore TAP that they require a negative Covid test even if you are fully vaccinated. I offered to show TAP our vaccination certificate but they did not want to see it. Just our passports & negative Covid tests. Which had to be within 72 hours for PCR test & 48 hours for rapid antigen test. TAP & Portugal don’t count by days; they count by hours.

so the country you are transiting through is important.

KarenWoo

France does not require negative Covid test if you are vaccinated but we transited through Portugal which requires negative Covid test. That is more important than the vaccination certificate apparently.

kerouac

Now that there are an increasing number of reports about vaccinated people getting covid anyway, I fully understand the requirement by some countries. Even if vaccinated people generally get extremely mild covid, they can contaminate others.

KarenWoo

we ate most of our meals at our daughter’s house in Provence. But we did have two lunches out at restaurants where we ate outdoors. This was before August 10 so the pass sanitaire rule was not yet in place. We went to a market in eygalieres & wore masks because it was crowded but not everyone wore masks. Went to an indoor soap factory & store & most people wore masks.

I noticed some stores posted signs requiring masks. There isn’t one set rule in place.

MinnBeef

Thank you Karen and rialtogrl. Glad to know I shouldn’t be impacted flying directly into France. One less thing to worry about.

yestravel

Karen -- thanks for the info. When you take the test what is the time recorded? When you submit it or did you take one at a lab? My cousin just had a test taken and she said the date ws on it but no time.

1994

Where I live (near Orange), all shops are open. Some small shops have a limit on how many customers can be inside the store at any given time. The sign will be on the entry door, so be sure to look for it. The large stores that I have been in have all had signs on the entry doors that say you must wear a mask. However, I have not seen anyone enforce the rule and I did see many people moving their masks to their chin or neck while inside the stores.

Each department can set their own rules regarding masks outdoors. It can change from one day to the next, but currently the Vaucluse (where I live) requires masks to be worn in indoor public spaces and in outdoor public places where there are numerous people and distancing is not always possible - like outdoor markets. In my town, the local gendarme was reminding market vendors that masks are still required; giving them each a letter explaining such. Most vendors were not and still do not mask. The same gendarme was not speaking to market customers who were not masked - and there were plenty of them. Round here, I'd say 75% of people outdoors will not mask, no matter where they are or how many other people are around. No one enforces this.

As to restaurants, at least around here, those that survived seem to be keeping their regular, pre-COVID hours. I am not sure if they are actually asking to see the Pass Sanitaire or not as I have not been to a restaurant in a long while. But, I do see the signs at all the restaurants stating that a Pass Sanitaire or negative COVID test are required to eat at their establishment. Of course, masks are not worn in restaurants, even when waiting for food too arrive. Not round here anyway. That can be seen when walking by the restaurants.

kerouac

The rules are not perfectly enforced in Marseille, but definitely much more than in Orange, which has a municipal administration not known for accepting rules made in Paris.

KarenWoo

we took our Covid test at minute clinic at CVS. They have a lab. The test results show the date & time the specimen was collected. I told the minute clinic we needed this information & a paper copy. TAP accepts an email result or paper. They do not accept the results via text message. I always prefer paper. Never know when you can’t get a cell signal.

our test results also show patient demographics & lab location.

KarenWoo

I agree, and I am sure this is why Portugal requires a negative Covid test even though we are fully vaccinated. We also need a negative Covid test to return to the US.

We took our grandchildren to McDonald’s today for lunch. I know it’s not very French but they love McDonald’s!😀 There was an employee checking for Pass Sanitaire at the door. She accepted our CDC vaccination certificate. Just another example that each establishment is different.

progol

Hi, KarenWoo,
I just want to add that I’m so happy for you that you’ve finally been able to travel and visit your family! How wonderful to finally see your grandkids again!

Paqngo

Thanks for posting your experience in France. I am happy for you to see your family and give your grands hugs. We leave on September 7th fingers crossed.

KarenWoo

progol, thank you for your kind words! And I hope you have a wonderful trip to Croatia!

KarenWoo

thank you & I hope you have a wonderful & stress free trip to France!