How to get to a ski or snowboard instructor course in France, from the UK
The COVID travel rules are confusing, we know! Hopefully, this guide helps you navigate the COVID travel rules, and travel easily from the UK to France. (This article was last updated 01/12/21)
Of course, you should keep your own eye on the Government’s latest advice – find the information here: FCDO Advice – France. The UK is on France’s amber list at present. If you are travelling through another country on your way to France e.g., Switzerland, please check the specific entry requirements for that country too: FCDO Advice – Switzerland.
It’s also a good idea to regularly check your airline or tunnel/ferry company for news, changes or updates.
SO! On to our instructions on how to travel to France, from the UK, for your instructor course. We’ll update these instructions as often as we can; these are the latest regulations at the time of writing, but they may be subject to change.
Travelling from the UK to France
If you are fully vaccinated* ahead of your ski instructor course, you will not need an essential reason to travel to France and do not need to:
- Self-isolate when you arrive.
- Present evidence of a negative test result before travelling.
However, even if you are fully vaccinated, you will need to present the following documents:
1) A form (déclaration sur l’honneur) stating you do not have any symptoms associated with COVID and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the two weeks before travel. Please note, if you are travelling from the UK, it is considered an amber country by France.
2) Proof of your vaccination. If you were vaccinated by the NHS, you can download your own COVID pass. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-covid-pass France recognises the following vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson (the vaccines recognised by the European Medical Agency). *In France, fully vaccinated is dictated as: 4 weeks after the single and only dose of Johnson & Johnson, or 1 week after the second dose of Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca. If you received your vaccination through the NHS, can should download your NHS COVID pass as proof.
3) You will need to take a COVD test before you leave, and within 24 hours of departing for France. This can be a PCR or Antigen test, but you should not use NHS tests for this. You should bring proof of your negative result.
Travelling from the UK to France, via Switzerland
- In addition to the documents and rules outlined above, to gain entry to France, all travellers transiting through Switzerland to reach France must have proof of their accommodation in France and of their onwards transfer to reach it.
- All travellers must also complete a Swiss Entry Form which can be found here.
While in France: Pass Sanitaire
Anyone 12 years 2 months or older will need a health pass called a Pass Sanitaire. It is to show that you have been fully vaccinated or have had a negative COVID test result in the past 24 hours.
- You will need the Pass to access the accommodation and to use the ski lifts. You will also need the Pass to enter bars and restaurants and place like public swimming pools/sports centres, bowling alleys, cinemas and ski lifts.
- You can use an NHS COVID Pass QR code as a Pass Sanitaire (the QR code of your final vaccine), but to be on the safe side, you should generate a Pass Sanitaire (also displayed as a QR code) through the TousAntiCovid app. TousAntiCovid can be downloaded from your app store and your NHS Pass can be downloaded into it. It is also possible to download your children’s negative test result into your TousAntiCovid app as well.
- We’d also recommend a printed (and even laminated!) version of the Pass Sanitaire QR code, if your phone dies in the cold or can’t get signal.
- From the 15th January 2022, anyone over 18 will need to have had a booster (3rd) vaccination or, have less than 7 months since their 2nd vaccination, to generate a Pass Sanitaire. Otherwise, will have to test every 24 hours and reload the latest negative test result into the app.
While in France: Lifts & queues
- Currently, it is assumed that Pass Sanitaire checks will be happening on all types of ski lifts, so carry your Pass at all times to be on the safe side. Some resort websites have also referenced the need to see ID along with your health pass so we would suggest also carrying your passport or photographic driver’s licence with you at all times, for all members of your group.
- Face coverings will need to be worn in lift queues and on lifts, by anyone 11 or over. These must be Approved Masks (Surgical or Class 1 Medical). They will also need to be worn in other indoor public places, like shops, bars and restaurants (unless you are sat at your table eating or drinking) and in all queues.
- You must respect social distancing rules and try to stay 1m away from others, in queues and public areas.
COVID testing in Méribel
Should you need it, a PCR and Antigen testing centre is located in Méribel at the Olympic Park and a second is located in Mottaret at the Tourist Office. You can book a test and view lots of helpful COVID information for Méribel here.
For personal use, we reccommend that you bring a couple of packs of Antigen (Lateral Flow) tests with you. This will mean you can have an instant and low cost way of checking wether you need to book a PCR test, if you've been in contact with someone displaying symptoms.
Before you return to the UK from France
The rules for returning to England, Scotland or Wales may differ slightly, so it is important that you review the government advice relevant to where you are travelling to. Links can be found from this page: https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control
These are the current rules for England, however, they may change by the time you are returning home in spring. Before travelling back to England you must:
1) Book in advance and pay for a PCR or antigen (lateral flow) COVID test – to be taken when you get back to England, but you will need the booking code for your passenger locator form...
3) Complete a passenger locator form in the 48 hours before you arrive back in England. As mentioned, you will need to enter a code given to you when you’ve ordered your PCR test, so do that first! Make sure you take your time on this forms, double check it before you submit, and keep things like your passport number and travel times handy.
When you’re back in the UK
1) After arriving back in England, you must take your COVID test within 48 hrs of arrival, and you must quarantine until you receive negative results.
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As previously mentioned, we’ll update these instructions as often as we can; these are the latest regulations at the time of writing, but they may be subject to change.