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Covid testing when returning from Paris

I know that as of right now the US is requiring a negative Covid test upon return. Going to Paris for 10 days towards the end of March. Does anyone have recent experience with obtaining a rapid antigen test before flying back? We will be staying in the Marais. I know we can buy the proctored tests from Delta but just wondering about getting it locally. Ease and cost. Merci!

Posted by
13809 posts

I was in Paris and France for a month in Sept/Oct, returning the end of Oct. It is so easy to get a test that you will not believe it. You can just go into a neighborhood pharmacy and get it done. I scoped out the closest pharmacy to my hotel and went in the afternoon before I needed the test done (it was 3 days out then) to see if appointments were needed. No, the nice pharmacist said...we do them all day, just come in any time. So...I walked in the next morning, handed over my CC for the 26Euro charge and had the test. She told me to go walk around the block and come back in 15 minutes and had my results printed out for me to take away. Very easy.

When you get to your hotel, just walk the neighborhood and look for the signs with the green cross. The small pharmacies are plentiful.

Honestly, for France, I would not bother with trying to bring the proctored test with you.

Posted by
1305 posts

My experience was practically identical to Pam’s in late November. The pharmacist just asked that I not come in for the test during the last hour of their day.
It could not have been easier.

Posted by
13809 posts

Regina, I was truly sweating trying to get a Covid test for travel where I live here in North Idaho. Its just very difficult to get one with a timely turnaround for results. Thanks goodness France has dropped that rule!

If the US keeps the Covid test you'll really not believe SharYn and me until you do it.

BTW, I was so grateful to the nice pharmacist and the negative result I spent a bunch of money in the store buying stuff for people for little Christmas presents, lol!! I am sure whatever money they get from the government it's not enough!

Posted by
41 posts

Thanks everyone. We will get the local test before flying home if the US still requires it. Looking forward to a great first trip to Paris for my niece and my first return after 50 years!

Posted by
806 posts

I will 3rd everything that's been said here, I was in Paris in October and I was over in the 7th, I believe, there was a Starbucks AND two pharmacies on the same street that had rapid antigen tests, easy peasy.

In fact, getting the Covid test was probably easier than ordering coffee at Starbucks lol

Posted by
13809 posts

@Skunklet! That is hilarious. And yes, I agree although the folks in that Starbucks are pretty good with allowing me to stumble thru an order in my awful French without wincing too much.

I second Aimee’s post.