FAMILIES planning a holiday this summer have been given a welcome boost after France is to be removed from the controversial amber plus list.
The UK government has confirmed that from August 8, France will be back on the amber list.
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This means Brits who are fully vaccinated can skip the 10-day quarantine which is mandated for amber list destinations.
It is welcome news for holidaymakers who hoped to zip across to France this summer.
This means trips to Disneyland Paris can go ahead, just in time for the end of the summer holidays, while Ryanair is selling bargain flights to France for just £7.99.
Here are some of the best France holiday deals on offer right now, from weekend breaks to Disneyland trips.
- BA Holidays three-night breaks to French Riviera from £219pp
- Easyjet Holidays to Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille from £163pp
- Disneyland Paris breaks from £311 per stay
- Expedia Paris city breaks from £199pp
- Eurocamp Holidays (save up to 20% off in August) from £232 per stay
- VRBO Holiday rentals from £41 a night
- Booking.com rentals and hotels in the South of France from £38 a night
The government said in a statement: "The UK government has today announced that arrivals from France to England will no longer need to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated.
"The step aligns France with the rest of the amber list now that the proportion of Beta variant cases has fallen, where those who are fully vaccinated with a vaccine authorised and administered in the UK, US or Europe do not need to quarantine when arriving in England."
FRANCE JOY
The country was initially put on the amber-plus list last month due to the threat of the Beta variant, the Transport Secretary confirmed.
He previously said: "The Beta variant, it’s not just — as has been reported — on an island thousands of miles away.
"It was also an issue in particular in northern France, so it has been an overall concern.
"And, look, the big concern is that we don’t allow a variant in which somehow is able to escape the vaccine programme that we have got.”
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It is worth remembering that only vaccinated Brits can currently visit France on holiday, due to the country's own Covid restrictions.
Kids travelling with vaccinated guardians are also included in the exemption.
The amber-plus list has now been scrapped altogether, while another feared amber watchlist has not been announced.
There is further good news for the green list with the following destinations added from Sunday:
- Austria
- Germany
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- Latvia
- Romania
- Norway
India, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar have been moved from the red list to amber list – a boost for holidays to Dubai – while Georgia, Mexico, La Reunion and Mayotte are now on the red list.
MY VIEW
By Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
BRAVO Boris! The summer holidays have been saved with Spain avoiding further restrictions in the latest traffic light update and France finally coming off the Amber plus list.
It means families looking to head abroad for the last few precious weeks of the school holidays finally have some certainty.
Concerns still remain over the number of cases in Spain and the government are now advising Brits to use PCR tests for the pre-departure test required to return to the UK.
But the fact it is not mandatory – and you will still be allowed to enter the country with a negative lateral flow or antigen test – will be a huge relief for holidaymakers already facing pricey tests.
The influencers may be celebrating Dubai’s move from red to amber but this was also a savvy move for the UK economy and will make travel easier and cheaper for those heading long haul through the major hub airports in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.
But as ever, there was a sting in the tail with the popular winter-sun destination of Mexico heading onto the red list due to worries about the Beta variant first detected in Columbia. Surging cases were also a worry and the move will be a blow to a country where the tourist dollar is so important.
Travel companies will be hugely relieved that there are no doubts hanging over the last few weeks of the school holidays, the time most companies make up to two thirds of their annual profits.
It may have come later than they would have liked but offers certainty and the chance for Brits to escape the rain for sunnier shores.
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