Any one driven from UK, through France to Spain in recent days?

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Thanks to all who responded to my last post but I’ve now given up on trying to catch the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in January at the same time arrange the results from a Covid test to be available within 72 hours of setting foot in Spain. A PCR test that would guarantee us getting the results in time would cost £590.00 for the two of us. Then the ferry could be delayed! So I am trying to explore the possibilities of driving through France via the tunnel; have any of you guys driven through France into Spain in recent days, say 7-10 days and if so was there any issue on the border re Covid check, any special documents required PCR test etc? Any help again would be appreciated. Thanks again
 
If and when our friends get here, I will let you know :) They are currently booked on a ferry that is due to get into Caen tonight at 9.30pm French time and will stay in a hotel overnight, travelling through France (hopefully) tomorrow.
 
Appreciate your help. Will be interesting to see how they get on at the border.
Don’t tell them they are pioneering guinea pigs for other travellers 😂
 
Appreciate your help. Will be interesting to see how they get on at the border.
Don’t tell them they are pioneering guinea pigs for other travellers 😂

They are so desperate to get here, I daren't be negative with them! The only problems that anyone arriving here have had so far seem to be getting through Valencia Province, where the Guardia have apparently turned back some vehicles. Others have come in from all directions without any problems. I have advised our friends to cross the border via the Biarritz route - apart from anything else, at this time of year there is a strong possibility of snow in the Pyrenees.
 
Many village and towns here are closed you need a pass to get through in a lot of places My son is in the Guardia and said that if they don't have a pass to travel then they are told to stop then and turn them around,
 
Latest update on our friends' progress - their delayed ferry arrived after the French curfew so they couldn't find a hotel and decided to drive through the night. They are now south of Poitiers, heading towards the border at Biarritz and are hoping to be in Spain tonight. The only paperwork they needed on the ferry was the French Government's "Sworn Statement" which can be downloaded from the internet and so far, no-one has stopped them progressing.
 
New update - they have arrived in Spain and are now near Pamplona where they have booked into a hotel for the night (it is cold and damp outside so they decided on a bit of pampering after driving through France in one day with only a couple of hours sleep on the way - not bad for an 80 year old driver!). There was very little traffic on the motorways and no problems crossing the border - they are just very tired and intend to get here Tuesday, after one more stop.
 
@John H ...did they need a bit of paper for Spain.? When we came back in May we printed a paper from the madrid embassy which stated we were travelling back to UK. Also had something stamped at the border...haven't seen anything except the French Attestation for our journey.
 
@John H ...did they need a bit of paper for Spain.? When we came back in May we printed a paper from the madrid embassy which stated we were travelling back to UK. Also had something stamped at the border...haven't seen anything except the French Attestation for our journey.

No - they just drove over the unmarked border, as usual. When we drove back to the UK in March, the only piece of paper we had was the French Attestation. Spain only requires paperwork from people who enter by sea or air.
 
I suspect they are paying tolls to avoid urban areas where possible? In France? And Spain? Perhaps all the way for speed?
Yes, they are on toll roads for speed. They originally intended to stay with friends near Cahors but, because their ferry arrived at 11pm instead of the originally planned 7.30am and because of the stories about Valencia police turning people back they changed plans to drive further west. In fact, I suspect they got all the way through France without any human contact at all - automatic toll points and automatic fuel stations. They only ate what they brought with them and probably didn't actually meet anyone till they got to the hotel in Pamplona!
 
No - they just drove over the unmarked border, as usual. When we drove back to the UK in March, the only piece of paper we had was the French Attestation. Spain only requires paperwork from people who enter by sea or air.
Just realised, we crossed into Spain from Portugal, and that was where we were stopped and paperwork issued as transiting across Spain rather than leaving from it? But the borders were closed at that time. The police stamped a per with date and time, reg number and reason for travel. Nobody looked at it again.....automatic tolls and fuel stations.
 
Well, our friends are nothing if not spontaneous! We had assumed they would approach via Madrid because of the warnings about vehicles being stopped in Valencia Province but they didn't and are stopped for the night north of Alicante, having driven through Valencia. They report no problems at all! Anyway, they should be here by lunchtime tomorrow, so the saga is almost over :)
 
The final chapter - they have arrived with no problems (apart from getting flashed on the motorway at 100 mph and thus anticipating a fine in the post!). I know it is only one example but others have arrived here during the latest restrictions and they all report similar stories - empty roads and no problems. Of course, those that did encounter problems wouldn't be here by definition, so make of that what you will. At least it proves that you can get through without having a Covid test and, because of a steady decline in infections, the restrictions may get easier before long. The rates in Spain are back down to the levels they were in mid-August when there were no restrictions (and then they were rising; now they are falling). Here in rural Almeria, we remain Covid-free. Good luck and Merry Christmas to all who are contemplating following in our friends' footsteps.
 
The final chapter - they have arrived with no problems (apart from getting flashed on the motorway at 100 mph and thus anticipating a fine in the post!). I know it is only one example but others have arrived here during the latest restrictions and they all report similar stories - empty roads and no problems. Of course, those that did encounter problems wouldn't be here by definition, so make of that what you will. At least it proves that you can get through without having a Covid test and, because of a steady decline in infections, the restrictions may get easier before long. The rates in Spain are back down to the levels they were in mid-August when there were no restrictions (and then they were rising; now they are falling). Here in rural Almeria, we remain Covid-free. Good luck and Merry Christmas to all who are contemplating following in our friends' footsteps.
Thats good then i do feel that the general population is more cautious on things over the water and a safer place to be - than general public here and thats just my view - But i will sit here till i'm ready to move and mot is due in january
 
Looks as though UK citizens will be barred temporarily, from non-essential travel to EU from Jan 1st, under emergency Covid rules drawn up in October.
We'll be joining a long list of other barred non-EU countries with high infection rates,so don't take it personally. Norway has also confirmed the ban according to the FT.
 
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