Traveling to France During a Pandemic

I am in France. Enfin! While information and protocols seem to be changing by the hour – certainly by the day – I wanted to give you an overall idea of what it was like to travel internationally during a pandemic. I hope that this blog post gives you a better understanding of what to expect if you are traveling soon and determine whether it is the right choice for you. Of course, this was my experience during and after my flight one week ago and your comfort level may be different than mine.

As many of you know, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in late April that vaccinated Americans would, if all metrics improved, be permitted to travel to la Belle France from the 9th of June. He shared a detailed calendar that included the dates that restaurants, among others, could open and the nightly curfew pushed back in hopes that by the end of June much of the country would be opened to the public. I was, admittedly, a bit surprised given the current lockdown in place, but was cautiously optimistic that we would all be breathing a collective sigh of relief soon. Indeed, as time passed and France hit its marks, it became evident that the light at the end of the tunnel was growing brighter by the day.

I purchased my ticket for the 13th of June and held my breath until the the wee hours of June 9th when the first tourists arrived at CDG and all seemed to be going as planned. While I wanted to believe that I was coming back to my beloved Brittany, my apartment, and my dear friends, I admit that I was still a bit skeptical that all would go swimmingly as there were still a few hoops to jump through. Was I willing to jump through them, tired as I was from the last 18 months of uncertainty? Yes, yes I was.

At the time of my date of travel, vaccinated Americans still needed to show evidence of a negative PCR test completed within 72 hours of the flight. This was a concern that was echoed throughout groups on social media as PCR tests generally take 4-5 days to come back. I spoke to my local pharmacy and they indicated that it was not possible to get the test back in 72 hours and even relayed a few horror stories of people whose trips were aborted due to not having results they needed in time . This was not really the information I needed to feel confident in my upcoming journey. I continued to call around and found that an Urgent Care facility in town knew of the requirements for international travel and assured me – to the best of their ability – that I would have the results back before I left town.

My flight was scheduled for Sunday at 6PM, so Thursday evening (71 hours before boarding time) I went to the facility and stated again that I was there for a PCR test and needed the results back before Sunday morning. I reiterated that to whomever I encountered and the staff was very accommodating. They even went so far as to print my vaccinated record from the health department, which gave me a second proof of vaccination in addition to my card. Less than 30 hours later, I received an email notification to log in for my results. When I saw the “negative” result, I know it was finally GO time.

I used the packing list I created last year to prepare everything I needed and I double and triple checked that I had the additional paperwork necessary for travel. This included my vaccination card, a copy of the negative PCR result, my vaccination history (not mandatory, but helpful), and attestation that I would comply with French health requirements and protocols. The day before and day of my flight, I rechecked government websites for the most recent information and hoped that nothing would change too much in the interim.

On Sunday afternoon, it was time to kiss the pups goodbye – always the hardest part of leaving – check one last time that I had all chargers, paperwork, etc. and then it was off to the airport. Upon check-in at DTW airport, the gate agent asked for my Covid test result before reviewing any other ID. From there, he asked to see my passport and other information that one usually provides. Security was different this time, as officers stated everything needed to stay in our bags on the conveyer belt. We were asked to remove our shoes, belts, and the like, but nothing came out of the carry-on or personal item. (Again, this was my experience on that day and things could be vastly different today.) The security personnel were efficient and the line moved very quickly. Everyone complied with mask-wearing though social distancing went out the window in lines. I was not overly concerned as I knew that travelers had also shown their negative PCR results.

The airport was, unsurprisingly, rather empty. Some bathrooms and shops were closed, but otherwise things seemed rather normal in terms of amenities. At the gate, we all had to check in with the agents and show proof of vaccination. A special sticker was placed on our passports that we needed to show again at boarding time. As before, staff was helpful and efficient and the lines went relatively quickly. There were some delays as several passengers got to the gate rather late and hadn’t gotten the message that they needed to have their proof of vaccination at the ready. We then boarded, and I was a little surprised that the flight was almost full. During the flight, the crew passed out two forms: one for Delta (a contract tracing form) and a second for border control. Service was more limited, but otherwise was a routine flight. By some miracle, I was able to doze off for about an hour which to my knowledge has never happened.

At the CDG airport, I noticed there were more staff ready to guide passengers where they needed to go. After we meandered through the airport and approached border control, staff directed us into one of two lines: one for vaccinated tourists and the other for unvaccinated individuals (from where, I am unsure). The line for unvaccinated individuals quite long and I am unsure as to whether they needed to quarantine after their arrival. It was at this point where I felt a little less at ease, as we were all in the same general vicinity (note: this was also the case when we collected our baggage) but there was nothing I could do so I just continued on my way. From there, when I crossed into France, border control only checked my passport and did not ask for the attestation (to comply with health protocols). I should reiterate that this was my experience and yours could be vastly different. I had all of my paperwork in hand to show, if asked. Once through, I took the first deep breath in many months and hailed my cab.

I chatted with the cab driver the duration of the drive into the city. It’s always interesting to hear their perspective on what’s going on in France and this was no exception. Life has been challenging for everyone, he said, but mainly because we were simply not used to it. I’ve heard this same sentiment spoken several time since, said with that calm matter-of-fact tone that the French have, coupled with that beloved shrug.

The city was definitely quieter than usual this time of year, but I did arrive on a Monday which tends to be a rather slower day as many shops and tourist attractions are closed. After placing my bags in their resting spot for the next 24 hours, I immediately went out for brunch. I had not eaten much at all on the plane, and was eager to have a freshly made coffee and brunch at my favorite little spot in the 7th, Kozy Cafe.

This and surrounding cafes appeared to be at about 1/4 capacity, maybe a bit more during busier hours. At about 10:30 AM, Kozy was full on the terrace and had about 6 people inside. The cafe is open from 9AM until 2PM, so it could have been busier at opening and during lunch. Staff there were kind and considerate as always, and the food was delicious.

In the streets, every person I saw was wearing a mask. I noticed that people were respecting social distancing measures in grocery stores and other enclosed areas. The shop owners I spoke with indicated that things were starting to improve but that they took quite the hit over the last year. A hotel owner said that “little by little” bookings are on the rise, but business is still slow. I spoke with a woman at one of my favorite pharamacies in the 7th arrondissement who echoed the sentiments of the other commercants. She said that yes, it has been a rough year for much of the world and we all hope that things will continue to get better.

After a rather long stroll about, I was off to see the Iron Lady. As it was early afternoon, the park was rather empty. Scattered about the Champ de Mars were some couples and families enjoying a late picnic. It was so nice to hear couples talking and young children laughing. It seemed, just for an instant, as if the world weren’t going through such a hard time. In all honesty, if I didn’t know we were still in troubled times, I would not have guessed it.

The following morning, it was time to board my train to Rennes. The train station seemed almost at a regular level of business. I arrived about 40 minutes early so I decided to partake in a coffee at Starbucks. It gave me plenty of time and energy to do what people do most in Paris – people watch. It was interesting and a little surreal to see how normal it seemed, albeit with people sporting masks. I wonder sometimes, what the effect masks and the like will have long-term on the children. It’s a bizarre reality for we adults, but what must the children think? Certainly they are more resilient than we think. In any event, the train station functioned as normal and I boarded my train.

The train was about 1/4 to 1/2 full from what I could see. As always, the ride was smooth and comfortable from Paris to Rennes. Everyone wore their masks and the SNCF came by to ensure that everyone was where they should be and that everyone was cooperating with health and safety protocols. I have found that there is not the same level of frustration or divisiveness with mask wearing here as in the United States. It is just done and people don’t appear stressed about it.

The moment when I first saw my dear friends was an emotional one. Isabelle and I hugged and cried for several minutes. It just did not seem real that we were finally in the same place at the same time. A few minutes later, Isabelle, Jean-yves and I were having lunch and laughing and it seemed not a moment had gone by since our last meal. What a beautiful thing it is to have friends like that. I am blessed to have such friends on both sides of the pond and I truly appreciate every one of them. As cliche as it may sound, there truly isn’t anything more important than love, no matter where you are from or where you live. I think this year or so has hammered that point home more than ever.

From my end, I am thrilled to see life getting back to somewhat normal. While it was not necessarily comfortable to travel 12+ hours with a mask (including airport time), I was happy to do so to get back to my beloved France. To be able to see my old stomping grounds and my dear friends, I would have traveled 1000 more miles and a dozen more hours with a mask on. I worry about the emotional toll this pandemic has placed on friends and family who cannot leave their countries, even if vaccinated. I have heard friends from around the world in such pain because they have not been able to see loved ones or visit their adopted countries. While travel is seen by many as a luxury, it is also food for our souls, our nourishment, the time during which we breathe more deeply. For many of us, France is where we feel more alive, feel more like ourselves, and without her, we are somewhat lost. So it is with great hope that we may all see life getting back to more normal very soon. 

Settling back into life in Brittany has been both very easy and quite challenging … I will save that for my next post. For now, I hope that you found this post helpful or at least interesting to know what traveling is like during this unprecedented time.

Please stay safe and well. I do so hope to see you in Brittany when you are ready to comer. Until then, take good care.

Amy, from Tales from Brittany