France COVID situation now.

Well Nice just made masks obligatory on public transport. I imagine Paris will follow suite. My apartment is requiring them in common areas. Here we go again...

Once again, if you're vaccinated and in reasonably good shape and practice common sense, you'll be able to enjoy your vacation no problème.

Thank you.

I returned to the U.K. on Saturday after a long holiday in France. I had my own car and didn’t use public transport. Mask wearing is practically non existent and even lower than in the U.K.. Walking round most towns, you would have no idea that there is an ongoing pandemic as there are no restrictions. I only ate outside restaurants. I visited few museums and galleries, as this was a predominantly cycling, walking and beach holiday. We were the only people wearing masks. I didn’t catch Covid.

Covid infections in France, as in many places in Europe are increasing due to the new variants. Someone telling you that Europe is closing doesn’t know what they are talking about. Borders are currently open and tourism levels are significantly up (more than double) pre pandemic levels in the areas I visited (not Paris).

I would not characterize the Covid situation in France as extremely high, except perhaps among the few who are not vaccinated. There has been a slight case elevation, many people still wear masks, but for the time being, masks are not required in Paris.

I would feel very comfortable being in Paris this August, and I would wear a mask.

Thank you for the update !

My husband and I just returned from a two-week vacation in England. Virtually no one was masked. We were; we ate outside, only; always masked on public transport, airplanes, etc. The busses were clearly marked that everyone must be masked but they weren't. Others here have said the same of France. We do not have covid, so masks worked for us.

I do not believe that having been vaccinated and boosted twice is going to keep anyone form catching covid, however, if unmasked. I know several who are fully vaxxed and boosted who did contract covid and it was hard!

I hope you have a wonderful time if you go, but please wear a mask.

Btw, we are going to France and Spain in October for three weeks. FWIW, I also wore a mask while walking outside since others walked past me without masks on--that's not social distancing.

All of our Paris friends have gotten CoVID at their workplace in the last 3 mos. they are all vaccinated and were not very sick, but still, they all got it. In each case, just like in the US, one inconsiderate boob came to work coughing and sneezing and hacking away claiming 'it is just allergies' and infected the office. Other friends just returned to the US from a choir trip and everyone in their group tested positive once they got back. I think we are all getting it. I can't believe my husband and I haven't yet, but our day will come.

when we left Paris in May, maybe 10% were wearing masks on the metro and pretty much no one anywhere else. We wore them in transit, in shops, and in crowded markets -- only a handful of others did so. We also wore them on the plane as did most other people but a fair number pulled them down once on board.

As a fully vaccinated, double boosted otherwise healthy adult, I can speak to the easy transmission of the current variants. On a recent roadtrip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, I developed COVID symptoms at the end of the trip and was positive upon return home. It definitely was definitely spread through very casual contact as we tried to steer clear of crowds - though not always possible. Clearly my wife's vaccines worked better for her as she never got ill despite being in the car and lodging together. Happily, symptoms were not severe - though not pleasant - but lingered for over 3 weeks. I'm grateful I was healthy 95% of the trip. In hindsight, I wish we had kept hand gel nearby and worn masks in visitor centers.

It seems keeping aware of COVID rates in places we visit may be part of the new normal. We are headed to SE France and NW Italy in less than 2 weeks. Reported new cases of COVID are high in France. Higher than our home in Southern California. NW Italy doesn't seem as high. Though, these are only reported cases. All of this said, we are going on our trip and going to have a great time - taking more precautions than our trip last year to France. I know I'm relieved we don't have to test to come back to the USA. In the end, do what you makes you comfortable and current local rules state.

I've been following the Johns Hopkins University website for worldwide COVID rates. Kind of interesting to compare home versus travel locales.
https://coronalevel.com/France/

One easy way to keep up to date is to download and refer to the TousAntiCovid app. The current numbers for the unvaccinated are indeed elevated, way higher than that of the vaccinated.

You lose nothing by wearing a mask.

Thank you all. Yes definitely wearing masks everywhere as I still do in my home town in all indoor places. Will avoid crowded museums as we’ve been to the Louvre years ago. Always gotta take precautions.

We just returned from 3 weeks in Lisbon, Barcelona, Cinque Terre, and Paris, and during our entire trip almost nobody wore a mask in public throughout our entire trip. In Lisbon they are required on the metro, but not in Paris. We went out to dinner in packed restaurants, visited Versailles and the Louvre, went to Disneyland Paris, rode metro trains all over town, and there were no mask requirements in place, all venues were fairly crowded, and we returned to the US on July 2 without anyone catching COVID (to my amazement). Thankfully the US lifted it's testing requirement the day before we left for Europe, although Portugal still required a negative test to enter.

Additionally, we were never asked for our vaccination status by any official in any of 4 airports except uploading our status upon departing the US, and on returning. We are all double-vaxed and double boosted.

I cannot speak to what mandates might be implemented between now and when you leave, but I would not change plans at this point.

I am sitting on a train right now, 3 hours left to Paris. Person two seats away across the aisle is sniffling and blowing their nose every 5 minutes. Hope my surgical mask will be enough to keep whatever they have at bay! I am basically the only one wearing a mask in my car, and same thing on the other train I took yesterday.

Balso - surgical masks don't do much to protect the wearer -- need to lay in some n95s.

I'm aware, but I don't have any at hand. Oh well...

Thank you for asking this question. We are planning mid September trip to France and I was concerned about the transmission there.

I have a stack of n95 masks and some hand sanitizers for the trip, as well as some rapid tests to check if we develop symptoms.

I still wear a mask in the US and recently flew to Houston. Maybe 5 people wore masks on the flight. It’s such a small gesture that I don’t understand the pigheadedness about it. All my Asian friends do it!

Just returned from three delightful weeks driving around Brittany and the Loire Valley. Not crowded, well ventilated spaces. All good. Very little masking.

Then, on the way home, fights impacted by strike at CDG and staffing shortages. This meant crowds and standing in long lines, milling with people from all over Europe. Due to flight delays, we missed our connection to the US, and Aer Lingus housed us in one of its corporate hotels in Dublin for the night. All passengers given a free dinner, but this meant crowding at tables, unmasked. Tired from the long day waiting in lines, and grateful for the meal and place to sleep, and the interesting chatter with fellow passengers....everyone let their guard down.
Some of those fellow passengers were infected, and by the time we got home, so were we. So the exposure really wasn't from the country, it was from the travel home.

Hi Julie. Thank you for your message. Glad you had a good time and so sorry that you got sick coming come. This is what I’m so afraid of most, getting sick and being stuck in a foreign country. But I never go indoor without a mask and wouldn’t talk to anyone without it either. I guess like you said you were tired and wanted to relax at dinner.
I planned a three week trip starting August 24 hopefully things will calm down by then, if not I would have to reschedule my trip for when it’s a better situation. I hope you’re feeling OK and will have a speedy recovery.

We've had Covid twice. (really mild both times - no fever, tired, felt like I was getting over a tough workout). We wear masks inside when we are in crowds and have a stack of N-95's waiting for a trip to Ireland, Germany, and Paris in a few weeks.

We have decided not to receive the booster. Ireland and Germany have lifted all covid-related requirements. France seems to be the only one that is requiring negative testing before entering if there is no proof of a total vaccine course. (If I'm reading all the online documentation correctly.)

Has anyone traveled recently to Paris from another country by train? Were there any requests for documentation - ie. certificate of health?

As a random note, having just flown to New Mexico and back, you'd think that folks on planes with a productive cough would receive a mask from a flight attendant. Honestly, I've been wearing valved masks on planes for years because I always end up next to the dude with bronchitis.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

SG

Wear a mask on the plane. Everyone I known who has gotten Covid has gotten it after flying back from Europe. It's pretty nasty too, sore throat, hoarseness and achy body. Anyone who says it's mild hasn't gotten the new variant. The airlines really need to bring back the mask mandate.

We travelled between Luxembourg and France by train in June. There was no request for documentation in either direction.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/france/

Yes Heather I absolutely agree. Definitely masks again in planes. Unfortunately people are not conscious to others and walk around with COVID all over the world.

Considering the high rates of COVID currently, another reason to consider making up in crowds (especially indoors) is that persons may be contagious with COVID 2 days prior to symptoms. So well meaning people may be spreading COVID unknowingly.

Yes. I absolutely agree. U wish they would mandate it on the planes and all indoor museums and public packed again.

Doesn't everyone remember colds? Flu? Bronchitis? Anytime one is out is public, since the dawn of man, there's been virus transmissions. shame folks have just forgotten this has always been here and always been normal. Live your life.

This: "Doesn't everyone remember colds? Flu? Bronchitis? Anytime one is out is public, since the dawn of man, there's been virus transmissions. shame folks have just forgotten this has always been here and always been normal."

But mostly THIS: "Live your life."

Take the precautions you feel necessary (for you and others)....but Live YOUR Life.

Had COVID twice and won't get a booster? Interesting logic there