begin quote from:
British travellers holidaying in France are given one day's notice on new quarantine rules
he clouds had been gathering for the last few days and finally on Thursday night it was confirmed: France has been struck off the "green travel list". From 4am on Saturday August 15, all those returning to Britain will have to quarantine for 14 days and an FCO warning advising against all but essential travel to France has been reinstated.
Thousands of holidaymakers' plans have been derailed by the new restrictions, with a stark choice now facing those already in France – do you try and make a mad dash across the Channel before the early hours of Saturday to beat the quarantine, or resign yourself to two weeks' isolation on return?
As Amy Skelding and her family stepped on the ferry on Thursday, determined to go ahead with her holiday to Normandy, she noted it was "eerily quiet".
"Usually in the height of August it is rammed and I don't think it was even at a quarter of its capacity."
The same is certainly not true for journeys back to Britain today. One of those trying in vain to beat the quarantine was Jenny Gicquaire and her husband, both nurses, who were due to return from visiting relatives in France on Sunday.
She says: "When the news broke last night, we tried to rebook our ferry to return today but so were thousands of others and we were unable to log onto the Brittany Ferries site to amend our trip. All the crossings are fully booked this morning and we have now had to inform our managers that we must quarantine for 14 days."
"We are awaiting their response but obviously this will have a big impact on our lives for the next two weeks.
"When we left to come to France there were no restrictions pending, although we have been keeping our eye on the news every day, especially in recent days. The announcement was made so late in the day yesterday and we tried immediately to change our booking until about 2am, but nothing was happening."
Eurotunnel has also warned that its service is "already very busy this weekend and there is no additional capacity." Furthermore, Telegraph Travel saw one-way flights from France to the UK today with prices as high as £800.
Even though Amy Skelding decided to go ahead with her holiday knowing she would likely have to isolate on return, she says: "Quarantining with my four children under five will be horrendous, but we have consciously made that decision, so am now at peace with it. We are lucky that we can work from home and have a small garden. Though if I could pay for a test to avoid it, I absolutely would."
She adds: "I do feel for people who cannot get back in the short window given. Having a day's notice is ridiculous. Even if it was 48 hours, that would make a hell of a difference."
As well as key workers, families and teachers are also in a rush to return home in order to complete quarantine before the new school year starts. Sasha Slater and her family were due to holiday near Toulouse from this weekend, but as it became a logistical nightmare, she pulled the plug. She highlights August 19 as the last day most can come home without impacting returning to school and has observed flight prices rocketing to more than 400 euros from Toulouse to London on that day.
For her part, Amy Skelding has shortened her holiday by five days so her children can get back to school on time.
Conversely, many with more flexibility have extended their holidays to make the mandatory quarantine feel like it is worth it. Travel writer Jill Starley-Grainger was originally coming home from Le Touquet - where Emmanuel Macron has his holiday home - on Monday, but has changed her plans.
[184400949]
Le Touquet is popular with Emmanuel Macron CREDIT: GETTY
Le Touquet is popular with Emmanuel Macron CREDIT: GETTY
She says "I'm extending my trip and staying in my lovely gîte for at least another three weeks."
Hoping that the measure could be temporary, she adds: "The Government will reassess every three weeks, so if France is removed then, I will go back. If not, I'll decide then what to do."
Also staying on is Sue Ockwell, currently on holiday in Normandy, who is essentially signing up for quarantine. She says: "We've decided to stay a few days longer in France and to return to the UK next week instead of today, as planned, as we don't know when we will next be able to return."
As someone who works in the travel industry, she is frustrated by the lack of clarity from the Government. "We wish that our (extremely inexperienced) Government would consult with the travel industry's experts and would explain to us its rationale; that simple step would help enormously."
The last-minute news is also a blow to businesses in France. Rob and Vanessa Gray, expats who have recently opened b&b Le Manoir du Bois Mignon, near Bergerac, were fully booked until October, but this morning have been fielding cancellation or postponement calls from British guests. However, they are hopeful that the rooms will be rebooked by French holidaymakers, after a boom in staycations has seen them rediscover their own country.
British guest Justine Brazil, who is currently staying at the b&b, says the quarantine news is "extremely frustrating, but that her family is concentrating on enjoying their holiday."
Luckily, as they are due to come home on August 19, they will be able to isolate before the school term begins. Both she and her husband are also able to work from home: "We feel very fortunate, we know not every family is in the same situation"
From many holidaymakers, there is a sense that quarantine is a price worth paying for a trip to their beloved France. Asked whether she would book a holiday to France in the future, even if quarantine restrictions were still in place, Justine says that providing it didn't interfere with school, "my heart says yes."
No comments:
Post a Comment