Family holiday blow as France enforces expensive new travel rules for tourists

FRANCE are tightening their Covid rules due to the new Omicron strain – and it is bad news for unvaxxed families.

Anyone who has not had both jabs will now need to have a Covid test taken every 24 hours, which are no longer offered for free.


The current rules in France require anyone over the age of 12 to have a Covid passport, also known as a French pass Sanitaire, to go to restaurants, cafes and tourist attractions.

Without one, the new test rules are being enforced.

This means families face expensive holiday costs as kids over 12 are yet to be offered both jabs yet.

The Foreign Office website confirms: "People aged 12 and over will need to demonstrate their COVID-19 status through the “pass sanitaire” in order to access services and venues.

"This includes leisure facilities (bars, restaurants, museums, cinemas), hospitals, retirement homes and modes of transport such as long distance train and bus journeys and planes.

This can be acquired by fulfilling one of the following three criteria: a vaccination certificate, A negative PCR or antigen result from a test taken within the last 24 hours, a document (dated more than 11 days ago and less than six months ago) proving you have recently recovered from COVID."

Covid tests cost can around €49 (£41) for a PCR or €29 (£21) for a lateral flow in France.

This means families spending a week in France with two kids could face paying up to £574 extra on their holiday.

It isn't the only new rule – from January 15, all tourists over 18 will need a booster vaccine if their second jab was given more than seven years ago.

Face masks are also still required in all enclosed public spaces, for anyone aged 11 and over.

The country has reported the first Omicron case, located on the island of Reunion.

France isn't the only country introducing new Covid rules either,

Spain is banning all unvaccinated Brits from December 1, which includes anyone over the age of 12, while Switzerland is enforcing a mandatory 10-day quarantine for Brits on arrival.

Brits heading to Portugal will now need a negative Covid test even if they are vaccinated, and Austria has banned tourists until at least December 13, having gone back into lockdown.

And European countries could even be added to the red list if Omicron cases spiral on the continent, a minister suggested.

Care minister Gillian Keegan said the new travel rules are being kept under constant review and could be tightened further.

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