No Health Pass Needed for Lifts in France if Covid Falls

1st October 2021

Last modified on October 8th, 2021

The announcement has been made by the government and other measures will be considered in the coming weeks. The government declared some weeks ago that the resorts would open this winter & some start later this month.

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The Tourism Minister, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, made the announcement in Chambery.

The government will meet in the middle of October to draw up other plans for winter and what to do if the health situation worsens.

Later this month the glacier resorts of Tignes and Les2Alpes open some slopes.

A small number of resorts including Val Thorens open in late November, with many more opening in the first few weeks of December with the remainder ahead of Xmas.

France currently has 57 confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of population over a 7-day period.

That is down from 208 five weeks ago (26th August).

The lack of a requirement to have the health pass to ride the ski lifts is dependent on Covid-19 cases falling.

Almost 80% of the adult population in France is vaccinated.

There had been concerns that a health pass would be needed in ski resorts with some resorts warning that a health pass requirement at ski resorts would be “unmanageable”.

Health passes likely for French ski resorts next winter

“The announcement by the French Tourism minister that the health pass will not be needed for the lifts, unless the situation worsens, has helped reassure skiers across Europe that they will be able to ski without hassle,” said Sara Burdon from the Morzine tourist office to PlanetSKI.

Current rules mean people need a health pass to visit indoor public spaces such as bars and restaurants and on long-distance public transport.

It is also needed to visit cultural and leisure venues, and to attend large events.

Currently masks are not needed on ski lifts.

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Last winter the ski lifts remain closed in France.

The Domaines Skiables de France, which represents the operators of 250 French ski resorts, described the situation it as “a horrible year: a blank season, a black year”.

People were able to hike uphill and partake in cross-country skiing.

Hotels remained open for much of the winter.

The Secretary of State for Tourism has already said “the message is very clear: This winter, we will ski!”

There has been some reaction from readers on the PlanetSKI Facebook page:

Sam Copson: personally think its a bad idea cases went up during the summer holidays even with the pass. We can’t even consider the loss to the industry if they get it wrong

Sébastien Simard: I’m soooo ready for Chamonix this winter !
I have my health pass if needed for indoor facilities !
Get the vaccines, protect yourself and others, help alleviate the hospitals and, maybe, we’ll get rid of COVID in the next few months or years !

Nick Davies: Not sure that is a good idea

Pedro de la Rosa: Health Pass… , how do you qualify, low BMI, 20 min 5km, non smoker, non drinker?

Nick Sharpin: The health pass is pretty pointless as there are a large proportion of people that are either not wearing masks when they should be, or are wearing them anywhere but the mouth AND nose. There is hardly any hand sanitiser anywhere in public, and the toilets that were on a campsite didn’t even have soap in them in. Hygiene and distancing in France is a joke.

Here at PlanetSKI we will update you when further details become clear.