How we got out

although Paris is crawling with pharmacies, most of them don't test or vaccinate

This is just dead wrong. Almost all pharmacies in Paris conduct testing. It's hard to find one that doesn't (a few weeks ago i visited — yes on foot — something like 10 or 12 pharmacies, and of those, there was only ONE that didn't offer antigen testing.). Walking around, you see the signs in the windows — or on the tents out front — COVID TEST HERE.

This seems fishy to me. Kim is right. You can't swing a dead cat in Paris without finding a testing tent. Even right near the big tourist sights.

Not just Paris. We returned last night from 14 days in France and were in Paris, Colmar, Lyon, and Chamonix and saw signs for testing on nearly every block everywhere we went. $25 each and done in less than 15 minutes.

I should think that one would be very hard-pressed to find a pharmacy in Paris that did not do Antigen testing. Testing sites are everywhere, even in little blue tents on street corners with the word Dépistage or screening written across the top. Given all that there is to consider referencing Covid, obtaining an Antigen test the day before a US departure is one thing I would not be overly stressed about. The complete list of locations and available testing times is also available at www.doctolib.fr

The test form looks very similar to the pass sanitaire, so don't get them confused.

It probably looks like a pass sanitaire because it IS a pass sanitare which the holder may use to access cafés, restaurants, museums, etc. for a period not to exceed 24 hours from the time of the test.

Tocard….I’m confused again….if we are going for an antigen test to be able to return to the US…the document we receive is a passé sanitaire???? I thought we need proof of negative covid test that states:

Our name as stated on passport
Our Date of Birth
The result of the test
The date the sample was taken
The name of the test provider and contact details
Confirmation of the type of test

Can you or someone clarify?

Chris,

The test report will have all of that, or to be honest, enough that the airline will accept it, they rarely will closely check anything but "negative", the date, and your name.

The same test result can be used as a "Pass Sanitaire", as testing is one of the methods that can be used for entry (at least for now) and likely also has a QR code on it to scan with the check app. The only drawback to a test as a "Pass Sanitaire" is it is only valid for a short period of time (24 or 48 hours, depending on country)

It is confusing but the/a Pass sanitaire is always printed on the test results. You don’t need to be concerned by it. However, if you are flying Air France, they may scan it for their own records. The US wants the test results. It’s all on the same piece of paper.

So if France’s test is administered @ 9 am the day before our return flight to US which departs CDG at 11:15….then it would have expired as a test option:(

So do I need to schedule a test after 11:15 am the day before to be in compliance?

This is really cumbersome. So a return test to US is a day before but really is less than 24 hrs timed to your departure time. Is that correct????

Chris, for return to the USA, your covid test must be no more than ONE DAY before your flight, not within 24 hours.

As an example. If your flight is on a Tuesday, you can take your test anytime Monday.

You're fine.

Bets….you type fast too:)

So are you saying if I have an 8:50 am test appt….it would still be valid for an 11:15 am departure the next day for US?…. Just not as a French Health Pass…..then it would be expired

You'll be fine for your flight.

Thank you Frank, Tocard, Bets and anyone else for their patience with my questions….my brain just makes me check, re-check and triple check.

We’re going to keep our 8:50 am appts. then for the day before our 11:15 am flight…..then we can go about our last wonderful day in Paris:)

Bets…we are flying American ….. our friend will be flying Air France…is there anything more specific she should know?

Because you and your friends are vaccinated and will have been using a QR code from a pharmacy your whole time in France, your QR codes will be activated during your check in time. There is nothing to be concerned about.

just to follow up on this ... yes I saw many testing tents outside pharmacies in Paris, when I stopped into one location I specifically asked if they were doing testing for Americans returning from vacation. The pharmacist said no and said try another. Perhaps they only test for locals? Anyway the place I was referred to did the swab up the nose and I got my results, frankly I didn't think that would be acceptable by the US but they took it with no problem. The fact that the one place I was in was so crowded makes me think that only certain places work for travel testing.

Pharmacies don't keep track of each country's requirements. All you needed was a simple antigen test. When you asked for an "American" test they may have thought there was a new, special test you were talking about.

No need to say it's for travel. Just ask for an antigen test. If you aren't enrolled in the French healthcare system, they will send you to the register to pay no matter what.

PCR tests are done in medical labs, not tents. There are two types of tent testing sites, those directly associated with a pharmacy (and generally just outside the pharmacy), and a second group which are set up on street corners and not obviously associated with a specific pharmacy. I am really not sure if these are set up by the city, the national healthcare network, or if they are remote locations associated with a specific pharmacy. These sites all administer Antigen tests which is all one needs for travel to the USA.

The USA has its own testing requirements, and a French pharmacist will not necessarily be familiar with every country's entry requirements.

The pass sanitaire is a rather general term. Validity requirements are not the same for everyone, there are qualifiers such as age, when a shot is administered, the manufacture of the vaccine, and overall vaccination/booster status. All this information is included in the QR code and the code readers can interpret all the information. The QR code on the app has, in a single code, the synthesis of all previously scanned information pertinent to the bearer of the app.

Overall, the system works rather well and cheating is kept to a minimum.

So are you saying if I have an 8:50 am test appt….it would still be valid for an 11:15 am departure the next day for US?

Yes.

For example, I took a test at 9:15 or so Wednesday morning for my flight that departed for the States Thursday at 11 am. Luckily the U.S. standard is one day, not 24 hours.