Covid rapid test in Paris

Will you have been in Paris for a few days before May 1? I recommend going to a pharmacy near your hotel and asking if they will be open. I think there is generally a 24-hr pharmacy open in each neighborhood.

Additionally, when I was in Paris in October there were still little white tents set up all over town where they were doing testing. There was even one on the plaza area in front of Notre Dame even though most of the area is blocked by reconstruction activities. Same cost and they will email you the results. It may be worth it to have an international calling plan so you can access your email on the go.

I also just googled 24 hour pharmacies Paris. I see some are closed on Sundays but I am sure you will be able to find one. It IS worth scouting it out beforehand so I hope you have some time in Paris at the end of your trip.

Needing to do this on a Sunday that is also one of the biggest holidays of the year, I would recommend you order the Binax proctored tests. Lots of folks on the board have used them with success (make sure to load the relevant app while you are still at home in the States).

Normally I would always recommend seeking out a pharmacy, but on Sunday, May 1, I am changing my regular recommendation.

Go with Kim's recommendation over mine! She's on the ground and has a better feel for how the holiday will impact.

Pam, there are fewer testing stations around now compared with the fall. With so many people vaccinated or exposed, it’s now considered endemic.

And, indeed, May 1 is one of the most important holidays. Kim is right.

Thanks so much. This has been very helpful!

"...there are fewer testing stations around now compared with the fall..."

And I'd bet they'll be even harder to find now with so many countries eliminating the need for inbound testing.

Just returned from a Paris. We were traveling back to the US on Monday, and with the “day before travel” requirement that the US government currently has in place, it was very challenging.
We got our tests at the Pharmacie Bader on the Boulevard Saint Michel in the 5th. They open at 10, and the Americans and Canadians seeking tests were lined up out the door. The process took two hours, so be prepared for a big bite out of your vacation. The line was even longer when we left. We needed no tests to enter France, and this requirement is completely ridiculous, as the Omicron variants are beyond well seeded in the US. Hopefully this requirement is eliminated soon, or relaxed so travelers have a few days to get the test (as was the situation a few months ago). I will not be returning on a Monday again anytime soon.

I'm curious how you came up with Pharmacy Vader? Since this is the second time this specific pharmacy has been named in a post ( out of the hundreds in Paris) and it's on right on Bd. Saint Michel, I wonder if it hasn't become the tourist go-to.

A quick search "Doctolib test antigenic" and we can find dozens and dozens of pharmacies where we can schedule an appointment at a specific time for an antigen test without having to stand in a line of North Americans for two hours.

I think Bader has come up on some boards as a test center that's open Sundays -- especially helpful for those Saturday night flyers from North America when the vax pass was needed.

Below is a link to test locations in the 6th arr. You can change the "75006" in the URL so the last two numbers are near your lodging. Chrome will translate to English.

https://www.doctolib.fr/depistage-covid-19-antigenique/75006-paris

This site as well (the second drop down menu, "Selectionnez une ville," will get you to your arrondissment).

https://www.sante.fr/cf/centres-depistage-covid/departement-75-paris.html