Easter holidays in France: What are the rules and the French government's advice?
With Easter here many people might had been hoping or planning for a trip away or a family lunch, so here is what's possible under the latest Covid-19 restrictions in France.
As Covid-19 rates continue to rise in France along with pressure on hospitals, French President Emmanuel Macron has extended the partial lockdown to the entire country.
The new rules enter into effect nationally on Saturday, April 3rd, the day before Easter.
However the current lockdown rules - in full HERE- are less strict than those imposed during the previous two confinements in 2020.
Here's a look at what you can and can't do this weekend.
Travel in France
One of the lockdown rules bans all inter-regional travel, however Macron said it would be relaxed over Easter weekend.
This does not mean the president is allowing cross-regional travel to spend the Easter weekend with family or friends.
Rather, Easter weekend will be a window where people may change their place of residence, in which they intend to spend the period that these new restrictions remain in place (currently set at four weeks, although it could be extended).
Having people over
While the rules regulating socialising are more relaxed than under previous lockdowns, the government has urged people to behave responsibly and to keep any meet-ups with family and friends outdoors.
You can read the full list of rules here, but in general meeting up outside is OK as long as you are masked up and keep your distance. Picnics or BBQs are discouraged (because you need to remove your mask to eat or drink) and meeting up in the home is strongly discouraged but not actually illegal.
There will be no change to the rules over the Easter weekend, with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin asking that people avoid indoor gatherings or inviting family over for Easter.
The government has also banned alcohol consumption outside in public spaces, and said police would be quick to disperse groups of more than six people.
But at least it won't be as bad as last year when sitting indoors alone with a chocolate egg was practically the only allowed Easter celebration.
The restrictions will be in place nationwide for four weeks, so if they succeed in reducing the infection rate and ease pressure on hospitals they could end on May 2nd. However during previous lockdowns, restrictions have often been extended beyond the initial end dates.
If you are travelling, particularly if you intend to meet anyone in a high-risk group such as the elderly, the advice is to self-isolate for eight days before travel if possible and get a Covid test.
International travel
If you are planning a trip from within the EU, that is allowed although you will need to show a negative Covid test at the border, plus some extra paperwork - full details HERE.
If you are outside the EU it is a little more complicated. France has a ban on non-essential travel from most non-EU countries but there are seven exempt countries and travel is allowed from them for any reason. The seven are; Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Singapore.
However travellers should also check the rules in their own country, for example Australia still bans most types of travel while the UK's lockdown rules prevent travel (including international travel) for tourism purposes until at least May 17th.
READ ALSO Everything you need to know about travel between France and the UK
If you fit into one of the allowed categories for travel you will need negative Covid tests and a travel declaration and may have to quarantine on your return home. Full details HERE.
Once in France, bear in mind that plenty of restrictions remain, including the 7pm to 6am curfew across the whole country and lockdown in certain areas.
Non-essential shops, bars, restaurants, cafés, gyms, pools, theatres, cinemas, museums and most tourist attractions remain closed.
Masks are compulsory in all indoor public spaces and around 400 local authorities, including all France's larger towns and cities, have also made them compulsory in streets and parks.
Everyone is asked to practice les gestes barrières, keeping 2m distance from others, avoiding handshakes and kisses, washing and disinfecting hands regularly and sneezing/coughing into elbows.
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As Covid-19 rates continue to rise in France along with pressure on hospitals, French President Emmanuel Macron has extended the partial lockdown to the entire country.
The new rules enter into effect nationally on Saturday, April 3rd, the day before Easter.
However the current lockdown rules - in full HERE- are less strict than those imposed during the previous two confinements in 2020.
Here's a look at what you can and can't do this weekend.
Travel in France
One of the lockdown rules bans all inter-regional travel, however Macron said it would be relaxed over Easter weekend.
This does not mean the president is allowing cross-regional travel to spend the Easter weekend with family or friends.
Rather, Easter weekend will be a window where people may change their place of residence, in which they intend to spend the period that these new restrictions remain in place (currently set at four weeks, although it could be extended).
Having people over
While the rules regulating socialising are more relaxed than under previous lockdowns, the government has urged people to behave responsibly and to keep any meet-ups with family and friends outdoors.
You can read the full list of rules here, but in general meeting up outside is OK as long as you are masked up and keep your distance. Picnics or BBQs are discouraged (because you need to remove your mask to eat or drink) and meeting up in the home is strongly discouraged but not actually illegal.
There will be no change to the rules over the Easter weekend, with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin asking that people avoid indoor gatherings or inviting family over for Easter.
The government has also banned alcohol consumption outside in public spaces, and said police would be quick to disperse groups of more than six people.
But at least it won't be as bad as last year when sitting indoors alone with a chocolate egg was practically the only allowed Easter celebration.
The restrictions will be in place nationwide for four weeks, so if they succeed in reducing the infection rate and ease pressure on hospitals they could end on May 2nd. However during previous lockdowns, restrictions have often been extended beyond the initial end dates.
If you are travelling, particularly if you intend to meet anyone in a high-risk group such as the elderly, the advice is to self-isolate for eight days before travel if possible and get a Covid test.
International travel
If you are planning a trip from within the EU, that is allowed although you will need to show a negative Covid test at the border, plus some extra paperwork - full details HERE.
If you are outside the EU it is a little more complicated. France has a ban on non-essential travel from most non-EU countries but there are seven exempt countries and travel is allowed from them for any reason. The seven are; Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Singapore.
However travellers should also check the rules in their own country, for example Australia still bans most types of travel while the UK's lockdown rules prevent travel (including international travel) for tourism purposes until at least May 17th.
READ ALSO Everything you need to know about travel between France and the UK
If you fit into one of the allowed categories for travel you will need negative Covid tests and a travel declaration and may have to quarantine on your return home. Full details HERE.
Once in France, bear in mind that plenty of restrictions remain, including the 7pm to 6am curfew across the whole country and lockdown in certain areas.
Non-essential shops, bars, restaurants, cafés, gyms, pools, theatres, cinemas, museums and most tourist attractions remain closed.
Masks are compulsory in all indoor public spaces and around 400 local authorities, including all France's larger towns and cities, have also made them compulsory in streets and parks.
Everyone is asked to practice les gestes barrières, keeping 2m distance from others, avoiding handshakes and kisses, washing and disinfecting hands regularly and sneezing/coughing into elbows.
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