PARIS UPDATE
If you’d like to get some information and details about travel restrictions , here is an article on the official website of the French government : For information from the French Government about COVID-19 visit CLICK HERE
Other useful information : visit the embassy of your country : Embassies and consulates in Paris CLICK HERE
In my opinion : It’s better being careful about considering when France will be able to welcome visitors; again, although we’d really like to… There are still so many restrictions for the people who live in the country… and there are still a high daily coronavirus cases… And we’ve been constantly back and forth regarding restrictions….
Gil in Midnight in Paris – Dreaming in a café on the left bank
I wrote this article following several comments on my FB page (Ann Jeanne in Paris) and several personal messages, asking what the situation in Paris was.
What’s the current situation regarding the pandemic ?
According to the Office de tourisme de Paris, the tourism should get back to normal ( = as it was before the pandemic in 2019) in 2022. Which doesn’t mean that tourism and travelling won’t be possible before 2022 !
With the acceleration of the vaccination campaign, one hopes that the health situation will be much better by the summer 2021
Last measures (June 4th – 2021) : from the 9th of June 2021:
In France
- Curfew will move to 11pm
- Full reopening of cafés and restaurant but with some restrictions
- Wearing a mask will be still compulsory everywhere, even outside
Travelling to France ? Here are the lastest announcements : Rules from June 9th.
3 zones – Differents rules for each of these zones
- Green zone : all EU and Schengen countries, and the countries where the virus is not circulating widely (Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Lebanon…). Travelers will be able to enter without the need for a PCR test.
- Orange : This is all other countries where the virus is circulating but in a controlled way and no circulation of variants. including UK and USA.
- Travelers will have to be fully vaccinated and a negative Covid test (antigen or PCR) will be asked (taken within the previous 72 hours of travel to France). No more mandatory quarantine and bans on non-essential travel when travellers are vaccinated
- If the travelers are not vaccinated, travelling will be allowed for essential reasons only (and a negative Covid test will be requested as well as a quarantine for seven days on arrival before taking a second test)
- Red : countries where the virus is still circulation widely and where there is a worrying presence of Covid variants
- If the travelers are fully vaccinated, the travel will be allowed but for essential reasons only, and a negative Covid test will be requested as well as a quarantine for seven days on arrival before taking a second test (same for the people who are not vaccinated but in addition, a 10 days quarantine and with police checks)
Don’t forget to check these 2 websites :
- Official website of the French government : For information from the French Government about COVID-19 visit CLICK HERE
- The embassy of your country : Embassies and consulates in Paris CLICK HERE
Previous government’s announcements and rules
- Since the 31st of January 2021, travel to and from France were strongly discouraged. It depended on the country from which or to which one wished to travel and the reason for which one had planned to travel. Actually, entries into and exits from France, to or from a country located outside of the EI were prohibited.
- Since the 3d of April 2021, we were under lockdown (3d lockdown) with non necessary stores closed and a 10 kms limit on movement. And a curfew from 7pm to 6am
- From May, until June 9 2021 : The number of covid cases is now steadily decreasing, but the situation remains critical
- The travel restrictions (inside our country) were lifted on May 3. Allowing us to travel freely around the country. But there is till a national curfew from 7pm to 6am unless one’s got a derogation certificate). And masks are still required in all public places, for all, even those already vaccinated
- Some travelers arriving from EU countries can enter France providing a negative PCR test and a declaration indicating that they have no covid symptoms and a compelling reason for their visit.
- People coming from outside the EU are asked to spend seven days in quarantine at a location of their choice.
- From the 19th of May, we have gradually got to normal life.
- The curfew has moved to 9pm to 6am and “non necessary” stores have reopened with reduced gauges
- Reopening of restaurants and cafés’ terraces have reopened with some restrictive rules (btw : (café and restaurant have stayed closed for months) . Restaurants of hotels have reopened to their customers only with some restrictive rules
- Reopening of some cultural places : museum, show venues, cinemas (will a limited capacity)
- Wearing a mask will be still compulsory outside, on public transport and in enclosed public spaces
From the 30th of June, only if the pandemic situation allows it : End of curfew
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My life and business in Paris during the pandemic : I carry on taking the bus or the metro and walk almost every day in Paris, in many different neighborhoods, for my business (taking photography, getting my Patreon live streaming video-promenades ready, doing my live steaming videos) and for personal reasons too. Paris is a lot much quieter, than the Paris we used to know. It’s especially noticeable in places like Montmartre; in the heart of the Latin Quarter too.
This is when I meet you !
My activity was impacted by the pandemic and the number of my personalized private tours limited .While many of you had your stay in Paris cancelled or postponed .
Last spring (2020) I started doing my live streaming videos-promenades. On my Patreon page, on a regular base, I take you through Paris, sharing my hometown with you. Many videos are already available on replay. My goal ? To make you feel you’re there, in Paris, even if you’re not To sign up and join : click here
Patreon page : click here Etsy shop : click here Contact : click here
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Reminder : previous measures and restrictions :
Mid-March 2020 : 1st lockdown
Mid-March 2020 In France, a strict lockdown started mid-March 2020, a few weeks after the 1st reported case in France. Residents could go out for essential needs only, and they had to carry a written document explaining why they had to go out. Daily walks were restricted to one km from home. Public services and essential businesses remained open. Parks were closed
May 2020 (11th) : end of the 1st lockdown and reopening of many places
From that date, shops reopened and we could also, at last enjoy the terraces of the cafés ! In Paris asks were mandatory on public transport and indoor public places only and for people aged 11 and over. Many major cities, alike Paris, extended the national law making masks mandatory in some streets. In several cities wearing masks was mandatory in the entire city, like Toulouse (South-West of France) since the 21st of August or Nice (Cote d’Azur, South coast of France). Parks and gardens reopened beginning of June.Many cultural and leisure venues reopened: with some restrictionsns : online ticket purchase recommended, limited number of visitors, face masks are required, respect of the social distancing,
But the reopening of several places (including museums) were delayed such as Carnavalet museum, Palais Galliera, Victor Hugo’s house. Le Grand Rex (the biggest movie theater in Europe) had to close a large part of August. And some events were cancelled and sometime postponed to 2021, such as the Marathon de Paris 2020. The Eiffel tower reopened on June 2d, Opera Bastille had displayed portraits of 500 health caregivers on its façade to thank them. The boats that cruise the Seine had to limit the number of passengers on board and reduced the number of tours within the day, especially during weekdays Schools, universities : children and students went back to school observing more distancing and facemasks will be mandatory
August 2020 : back to some more restrictions
End of August 2020, unfortunately, new cases of Covid rose in France and reached the same levels than those at the end of the 1st lockdown. Several French departments (including Paris) were put in “red areas” . The prefects of these departments could take action to limit the spread of the epidemic such as closing some public places like bars,
French government and the city of Paris decided that face masks were mandatory in the entire city of Paris. From the 1st of September, workers had to wear a mask in workplaces. The Paris’ Police prefecture banned any gathering or demonstration over 10 people if barrier gestures and distancing cannot be observed. If people didn’t wear a mask when it was compulsory, they risked a 135 euros fine.
November 2020: 2d lockdown
The circulation of the virus had slowed down, but the lockdown continued. The French government decided the ending of the lockdown would evolve in 3 stages. And on the 3d of December, the government spoke about a vaccine which might be available in France in early 2021
1st step : from Saturday November 28th (2020)
An attestation was still needed for every trip outside. And every one had to limit one’s trips within a 20 km perimeter around the house. And each trip couldn’t last more than 3 hours time. Shops were allowed to reopen and despite all, the Christmas lights were on in Paris, In shops, only a limited number of clients were allowed : Shops were also allowed to stay opened until 9pm. Parks were opened. Cafés and restaurants are places had to stay closed. Museums, theaters, cinemas were closed too. No sport activities were allowed in enclosed places. Ski holiday resorts had to stay closed. People had to continue to work from home as much as possible. International travel was only permitted for essential reasons
2d step : from December 15 (2020)
No more attestation was needed, but a curfew from 9pm to 7 am replaced it (except on Dec 24th and 31st). Travel between regions of France were permitted. Cinemas, theater, and museums were allowed to reopen. French were allowed to travel to other EU countries although each country could decide their own rules. France followed EU guidelines on when to reopen the borders to non European travelers
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Place des Vosges – August 2020
A café near my home, where I am a regular
Place du Tertre – Montmartre – August 2020
La Panthéon – A Sunday – August 2020
Saint Germain des Prés – August 2020
Montmartre – August 2020
Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, on Ile de la Cité, nearby Notre Dame de Paris
Don’t forget :
If you’d like to get some information and details about travel restrictions , here is an article on the official website of the French government : For information from the French Government about COVID-19 visit CLICK HERE
Other useful information : visit the embassy of your country : Embassies and consulates in Paris CLICK HERE
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Yours truly !
Patreon page : click here Etsy shop : click here Contact : click here
My services : live streaming videos-promenades every week on Patreon – personalized private visits – help to plan your visits – sell of photographs – personalized videos on request – tips and recommendations
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like some more details or if you have any question. Contact : click here
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And…
I would like to thank you for following my posts, photos and videos and for your very nice comments. So glad to read that you enjoy them. …
… And thank you for reading this article !
Ann Jeanne
