Valentine’s Weekend in the City of Love

Earlier in February, my lovely husband took me on a pre-Valentine’s Day weekend trip to Paris! Not only was I able to do a little antique shopping to find special goodies (more to come on that later), but I also got a feel for how to navigate the new Covid policies and procedures in preparation for our upcoming tour this spring.

Provence Tour in April

I’m excited to be heading back to France again for our Provence Tour with Sharon Santoni and a group of lucky ladies in April! It will be a wonderful trip with lots of amazing adventures in the Provençal countryside. Think café au lait for petit dejeuner with a fresh croissant picked up from the bakery that morning.

If you’re also planning to visit France soon, read on for the travel updates I’ve prepared for the tour. You might want to check out our 2021Travel Guide as this is a continuation of those updates!

2022 TRAVEL RULES

First, it’s essential to stay up to date with your Covid vaccinations. If you haven’t had a Covid booster shot yet, you will need to get one to enter the country. The French government also requires proof of all Covid vaccinations to issue a “vaccine pass” with a QR code, which is necessary for entry into restaurants, museums, and shops. Read on for the latest updates as of February 12th.

Once you’ve landed in France and settled at your hotel, you can take your vaccination card, passport and negative test result to any pharmacy. They will issue the QR code for a small administrative fee of around 30 euro. It's a quick and efficient process!

As of now, you must wear a mask when entering stores, restaurants, and museums. Inside restaurants and bars, the mask should stay on until you are seated.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Since I first travelled after quarantine in September of 2021, I’ve received many questions from eager travelers wanting to get a sense of how different it is, traveling to France now. Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you don’t see your question answered, feel free to ask away in the comments below.

Is Paris crowded? Or is Paris empty?

Neither! Sure, traveling with the covid restrictions is slightly different, but the previous lockdowns and curfews have all been lifted! Life in France is just as busy as life in the U.S. Winter is actually a wonderful time to travel as there are less tourists!

When can Americans start traveling to France?

There are no specific restrictions on international travel to France coming from the United States. France has been open to tourists since last year.

What are the requirements to fly into France?

New requirements for travel to France as of February 12, 2022:

Fully vaccinated travelers coming from the U.S. no longer require a COVID test to enter France. As of February 1, French authorities require all travelers age 18 and over to be fully vaccinated for entry into France. (See website below for booster requirements necessary for “fully vaccinated” status.)

Unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are required to show a compelling reason for travel, have a negative COVID test performed within 72 hours before departure (if a PCR test) or 48 hours before departure (if an antigen test), and may be retested upon arrival.

See U.S. Embassy in France website for details and up-to-date changes.

What are the requirements to fly back into the U.S.?

To fly back to the United States, vaccinated passengers must have a negative PCR test or antigen test within 24 hours before the flight’s departure. See the U.S. Department of State website for details and the latest travel requirements.

Because these rules are changing every day, see the U.S. Embassy in France website for the latest updates on France’s travel requirements.

Bon voyage,

Sandra

btw - if France is not in your travel plans this year, be sure to follow along with us on Instagram!