France Ski/Covid Update

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Paddington

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With many of us hoping to hit the slopes this winter and all trying to keep up to date with a constantly changing situation, I wondered whether it might be useful to have a page devoted to each of the main skiing countries in europe. The purpose being to locate up to date info quickly without having to scroll through lots of info. So with this in mind, I would suggest Funsters not add general comments to this page, only factual information relevant to the country in question (to the best of our knowledge).
 
From 5 November to 2 December 2020, travelling away from home, including internationally, is restricted from England except in limited circumstances such as for work or for education. Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Broken Link Removed. You must follow all the rules that apply to you.
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

 
France entered a new national lockdown on Friday, 30 October.
People are allowed to leave their homes only to go to work (if they cannot work from home), to buy essential goods, seek medical help or to exercise for one hour a day.
Anyone going outside has to carry a written statement justifying their journey, as happened in the first lockdown in March.You will need an attestation (or self-certificate) when you do go out. These are available on the Ministry of Interior website, and through France’s digital app ‘Tous anti-Covid.’
All non-essential shops, restaurants and bars are shut, but schools and creches remain open.
Social gatherings are banned.
The rules will be in place until at least 1 December.
 
Wearing face masks in enclosed public spaces has been compulsory since 20 July. This applies to those aged 11 and over. Local authorities in an increasing number of cities and regions (including Paris), have extended this to also include outdoor public spaces. Failure to comply with these restrictions may result in a fine. Please refer to local guidance for more information.

Since 11 May, wearing masks on public transport has been compulsory for all users aged 11 and over, with fines for those who are not compliant. Masks are also compulsory in taxis and private hire vehicles without a plexiglass screen.
The French government advises those with possible coronavirus symptoms to call 112. You should not go directly to the doctor or emergency services.
 
BBC article
Germany is seeking an agreement with EU countries to keep ski resorts closed until early January, in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus. Chancellor Angela Merkel told parliament that efforts were being made to reach a Europe-wide decision.

Italy and France have expressed support for a co-ordinated approach. But Austria has voiced concern.

Some of the early European coronavirus hotspots were at ski resorts, helping spread infections across the continent.

Like Germany, Italy has also stressed the need for a united approach on the issue of ski resorts, and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has already backed delaying the start of the ski season.

"If Italy decided to shut down all its ski lifts without any support from France, Austria and the other countries, then Italian tourists would risk going abroad and taking the contagion back home," he told La7 TV earlier this week.

Many Italians head for the slopes over the Christmas and New Year break and the period is a vital part of the local economy for ski resorts across Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron has made clear that the country's ski resorts will stay shut until the New Year. Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday he wanted to see the coronavirus rules for ski resorts "harmonised at European level as much as possible".

But Austria has voiced concern over any EU-wide plan for ski resorts, with Finance Minister Gernot Blümel saying that if the EU forced the resorts to remain closed, "then they will have to pay for it". Compensation would run into billions of euros.

Switzerland is not in the European Union and, unlike other Alpine destinations, its ski resorts are already open, so skiers unable to spend their winter breaks in neighbouring countries could head there instead.

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Paddington said:
Switzerland is not in the European Union and, unlike other Alpine destinations, its ski resorts are already open, so skiers unable to spend their winter breaks in neighbouring countries could head there instead.
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But it has to comply with EU rules .Otherwise the EU will just shut the borders in to Switzerland.
 
France and Italy are closing resorts over the holiday season to stop the spread of Covid-19. France is hoping to reopen its ski slopes from 20 January but the prime minister says the aim for the next few weeks is to prevent an influx of visitors over the festive season. France has already said it will conduct border checks to stop its citizens skiing abroad, while Austria and Germany will impose quarantine on their citizens returning from Swiss slopes.
 
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

Travel to France is subject to entry restrictions

  • France announced they would be restricting travel from the UK from 20 December. Travel restrictions apply to all air, car, ferry and train passengers. If you are due to travel to France please contact your travel operator. Only the following categories of people are authorised to travel to France from the UK:
  1. French nationals and nationals of the European Area and their spouses and children
  2. British and/or third country nationals who are either habitually resident in France, the European Union or the European Area, or who must travel for certain essential reasons (as specified by the <Broken link removed>)
  3. British or third country nationals travelling for certain exceptional reasons, see the <Broken link removed>.
  • All travellers from the UK, including children aged 11 and above, will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure
  • Please check our COVID-19 advice on things to consider, and be prepared to stay overseas longer than planned
  • Although there is no restriction on travel from most European countries, travel from most non-European countries is subject to entry restrictions
  • Arrivals from the UK will need to complete both a ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight, and a signed ‘travel certificate’ (attestation), confirming their reason for travel. These can be found on the French government’s website.

If you’re returning to the UK from overseas, you will need to:

 
Mainland Scotland Lockdown until end of January : It is illegal to travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK unless the journey is essential.The Scottish government strongly advises against non-essential foreign travel, and the tougher restrictions mean that non-essential travel into and out of Scotland is prohibited.
 
Paddington said:
Mainland Scotland Lockdown until end of January : It is illegal to travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK unless the journey is essential.The Scottish government strongly advises against non-essential foreign travel, and the tougher restrictions mean that non-essential travel into and out of Scotland is prohibited.
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However, we are all free to a have a jolly in Dubai if it takes our fancy:cautious:

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Nirvanauk said:
Thank goodness I have given up skiing. Although after years of trying I did achieve a level of mediocrity.:ROFLMAO:
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Did you not say that about riding a bike.
1610134339212.png
 
The French government will only permit ski resorts to reopen lifts if the COVID-19 situation by Jan. 20 allows for this, a minister said on Friday.

“The government’s decision on Jan. 20 must by guided only by the situation of the epidemic,” French junior tourism minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said on BFM television.

Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday that restaurants in France would remain shuttered until at least mid-February and ski resorts might not open before the February holiday because the coronavirus was still spreading too fast and hospitals remained under severe pressure.
 
Paddington said:
The French government will only permit ski resorts to reopen lifts if the COVID-19 situation by Jan. 20 allows for this, a minister said on Friday.

“The government’s decision on Jan. 20 must by guided only by the situation of the epidemic,” French junior tourism minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said on BFM television.

Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday that restaurants in France would remain shuttered until at least mid-February and ski resorts might not open before the February holiday because the coronavirus was still spreading too fast and hospitals remained under severe pressure.
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I also heard the other day France hadn't even started a vaccine roll out because Macron was waiting on a french company to have their vaccine licensed so he could use that instead of Pfizer vaccine.

If true then this will delay any ski resort opening for this year I think.
 
Ski lifts in france will not reopen until mid/ late february. French media report unlikely they will open at all this season.

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I was in Chambéry yesterday, super quiet and hardly any foreign plated cars and no skis on car roofs like you'd normally see, all seemed a bit odd
 
We abandoned this season a long time ago. Just read this, so doubt there will be any opening of resorts anytime soon.

"The <Broken link removed> lifts will not be allowed to open from February 1, the date given by the government for a possible easing of restrictions, and a “reopening in mid- or late-February seems highly improbable”, said Tourism Minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.

Speaking in a video conference with industry players, he acknowledged that the season would be a write-off for the sector, which counts for between 250,000 and 400,000 direct and indirect jobs in France"
 
It was fairly quiet yesterday morning, we were on the Swiss/French border but we weren't allowed to ski into France, well requested not to at least.

WhatsApp Image 2021-01-24 at 15.40.28.jpeg


Overall good practices observed around any queues, parking areas etc and although it got busier before we left (we went up early) it overall wasn't too busy with all people keeping sensible distances.

Only managed 6km, was enough for my beginner skills, ski skating is harder than i thought:whistle:
 
From the 31st January France are prohibiting all travel from non-eu states except for essential purposes.
 
More bad news for the skiers amongst us, but not totally unexpected!

www.france24.com

France to keep ski lifts shut throughout February holidays

Ski lifts at mountain resorts in France will stay closed throughout the month of February, the government has said, essentially writing off this winter sports tourism season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
www.france24.com www.france24.com

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Bad​

  • The French government have confirmed ski lifts won’t be able to operate there until at least the start of March. The country has also closed its borders to non-EU nations and the UK’s borders are also closed to non-essential travel so this doesn’t make much difference to skiers living in the UK anyway.
  • The Scottish government appears to have extended the closure of Scotland’s ski areas until at least the end of February in what would be the best season since 2010.
  • 96 people from many different nations, including the UK, were caught by police in St Anton, Austria, on ski holidays that are currently illegal there. Forced to quarantine the each now face fines of more than €2,000.
  • French ski workers temporarily blocked the Frejus tunnel to Italy in a protest to highlight hardship for the hundreds of thousands employed in the French ski industry due to lifts being closed there.
  • Among a list of predictions for coming ski seasons, a holiday company has predicted it will be at least two winters before apres-ski might return to normal, “I think après ski could return during the 2021-22 season in some capacity but there will be capacity limitations in place for any bars or restaurants and it will be for seated clients only. I think it will not be until 2023 that we see a return to après ski as we knew it,” said Natasha Robertson, Co-Founder of chalet companies Bramble Ski & Haute Montagne.
 

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