Further Worries for Skiers as France Looks at Tightening Border Controls with UK

14th December 2021

Last modified on December 16th, 2021

It comes as omicron cases grow in the UK with predictions of a sharp rise in new cases. The French government says it is looking at new measures and will reach a judgement ‘in the coming days.’ UPDATED

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The French government spokesman, Gabriel Attal, has said France is actively looking at tightening controls for travellers coming from Britain.

“Regarding Britain, the current rule is to show a negative test less than 48-hours old in order to enter France,” Attal told France Info radio on Tuesday.

“But we are always looking at means to tighten the framework, we are currently working on that and we should, I think, come to a conclusion in the coming days,” he added.

There is no indication of what these measures, if any, may be.

Or what impact there may be for British skiers and snowboarders heading to France in the coming weeks.

France is currently undergoing a fifth coronavirus wave that is mostly driven by the Delta variant.

There are 133 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in France.

In the UK there are 4,713 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant.

The UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, said the UK Health Security Agency estimated the current number of daily infections was around 200,000 based on modelling.

One person has died in the UK after contracting the Omicron variant.

It is the first publicly confirmed death in the world from the fast-spreading new strain.

Currently people returning from a ski trip in France need to test negative in a PCR test within 48-hours of arriving in the UK.

That requirement may ease.

Image © PlanetSKI

The UK health secretary has suggested travel restrictions on people arriving in the UK could be changed.

Sajid Javid said the justification for the rules was ‘minimised’ as the new variant was already ‘spreading rapidly’ throughout the country.

Earlier this month Sajid Javid told parliament that “very soon, in the days and weeks that lie ahead, if, as I think is likely, we see many more infections and this variant becomes the dominant variant, there will be less need to have any kind of travel restrictions at all.”

Facebook Reaction:

Nick Sharpin: Trying to plan a February trip so would be good to know what the chances are soon.

Deborah Lloyd: We are going sunday … just want to know what is happening !!

Simone Dumergue: On a knife-edge wondering what ‘in coming days’ means. Flying out to Lyon airport on Sunday evening. Eeek. Need nerves of steel with all this testing and thought of being in quarantine in France for Christmas if you test positive!

James Andrew: Us to into Grenoble. A quick search shows no pharmacies open on the 26th and the chances of a pcr in resort on the 27th must be slim. Could be Tuesday or Wednesday before you hit the slopes.

Sarah Levin Quayle: not sure how much more of this my nerves can take! following and remaining hopeful.

Feel free to add your comments to the PlanetSKI Facebook page.

France is currently seeing some superb early season skiing conditions and a team from PlanetSKI is in Les Menuires in Les3Vallees.

Another powder day across the Alps

PlanetSKI in the powder. Image © PlanetSKI

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