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

[John H]

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.

Yes, I read that too UK travellers to be barred from EU under coronavirus rules after ****** transition period, report suggests (yahoo.com) and it makes sense that when the transition period ends we will be on the same list as the USA etc. So anyone wanting to get out here would be wise to do it before December 31st. Another advantage of getting here before then is that your EHIC will be valid for the length of your stay.

 

[terry111]

Presumably everyone will have to be back within 90 days of 1st January, unless they get a visa. Is that correct?

 

[quilkin]

....... So anyone wanting to get out here would be wise to do it before December 31st.........

Good point and I am thinking the same. I know this thread is mostly about getting to Spain via France, but what about France itself at present? Are campsites in the South open, are aires open, are we welcomed, or are there partial lockdowns everywhere?
I'm aware that most insurance cover won't be valid.

 

[Derekoak]

Presumably everyone will have to be back within 90 days of 1st January, unless they get a visa. Is that correct?

Yes unless you can get a visa, so not tourism.

 

[John H]

Good point and I am thinking the same. I know this thread is mostly about getting to Spain via France, but what about France itself at present? Are campsites in the South open, are aires open, are we welcomed, or are there partial lockdowns everywhere?
I'm aware that most insurance cover won't be valid.

Can't comment on the Covid situation in France but it gets pretty cool there in December! As for insurance, EHIC will still be valid if you get there before 31st December and you should check with your vehicle insurance company to see if you are covered. We are with Safeguard and they have confirmed our cover despite FCO advice.

 

[John H]

Presumably everyone will have to be back within 90 days of 1st January, unless they get a visa. Is that correct?

Yes - our ferry back is booked for the end of March

 

[REC]

AXa through AIB gave us a green card and did not say we weren't insured and obviously knew where we are going.
Travel insurance would be more likely to be invalid especially for covid if going against advice. As others have said, EHIC covers us if trip before end December, after that we can register with Portuguese Healthcare and get state cover there (resident permit) even though only temporary resident.

 

[Derekoak]

AXa through AIB gave us a green card and did not say we weren't insured and obviously knew where we are going.
Travel insurance would be more likely to be invalid especially for covid if going against advice. As others have said, EHIC covers us if trip before end December, after that we can register with Portuguese Healthcare and get state cover there (resident permit) even though only temporary resident.

Adrian Flux for ERS gave us a green card with a letter warning us that motorhome insurance may be invalidated or partially invalidated if we did anything illegal.

 

[John H]

Adrian Flux for ERS gave us a green card with a letter warning us that motorhome insurance may be invalidated or partially invalidated if we did anything illegal.

Surely your insurance would be invalid if you did anything illegal under any circumstances!

 

[Derekoak]

Surely your insurance would be invalid if you did anything illegal under any circumstances!

I agree. They were just trying to dissuade us I feel.
I suspect hypothetically you may be covered for damage to others even if doing something illegal.

 

[witzend]

I agree. They were just trying to dissuade us I feel.
I suspect hypothetically you may be covered for damage to others even if doing something illegal.

The law is if a insurance company accepts You as a risk no matter what Your doing they have to cover you for 3rd party claims (other People and their property)

 

[John H]

The law is if a insurance company accepts You as a risk no matter what Your doing they have to cover you for 3rd party claims (other People and their property)

I agree - I put it badly last time. What I should have said is that you would not be covered for any claim that you make if acting illegally. Third parties affected by your actions should be covered whatever. Having said that, the Insurance company would have a good case to sue you for what they had to pay out to the third party.

 

[jacquigem]

I agree - I put it badly last time. What I should have said is that you would not be covered for any claim that you make if acting illegally. Third parties affected by your actions should be covered whatever. Having said that, the Insurance company would have a good case to sue you for what they had to pay out to the third party.

I think it is just third party injury that insurers are required to cover not property damage and yes they are able to try to recover their outlay from the insured

 

[Markd]

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.

Agreed - but won't say much more as pointing this out can get a thread shut down!

 

[Markd]

Good point and I am thinking the same. I know this thread is mostly about getting to Spain via France, but what about France itself at present? Are campsites in the South open, are aires open, are we welcomed, or are there partial lockdowns everywhere?
I'm aware that most insurance cover won't be valid.

In the new year UK will be lose transition benefits and will become a full non EU country - as such EU wide entry rules will apply.
It seems very likely that we won't be added to the list of 8 countries whose covid19 infection rates are low enough to allow non essential entry.
If you want to get in now is the time to go - if you can get a ferry-tunnel booking.

 

[Deleted member 9237]

This comes from my son today they have been told that there is many reports coming about forged euros so far they have been 20 and 10 euro notes so have a good look if you change any money.

 

[mfw]

This comes from my son today they have been told that there is many reports coming about forged euros so far they have been 20 and 10 euro notes so have a good look if you change any money.

Nearly got caught in bulgaria changing pounds for Levs by a guy standing next to a exchange kiosk - notes were new but didn't look right - so i backed out wise move because i checked an original later - guy was a chancer on unwary tourists

 

[Deleted member 84929]

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

There is a good few who went just before 5 th November because they wrote on here about going down to Almeria. I don’t know what it’s like now as of course Kent is in tier 3. We are just waiting to hear the latest on the 16th.We think we will still be in tier 3 as numbers are going up here in Dover. If you can look back at the last issue you could find the people who went to Cabo de Gato and see how they are getting on . I was so jealous we nearly went but it was the thought of getting the virus in Spain put me off.

 

[John H]

There is a good few who went just before 5 th November because they wrote on here about going down to Almeria. I don’t know what it’s like now as of course Kent is in tier 3. We are just waiting to hear the latest on the 16th.We think we will still be in tier 3 as numbers are going up here in Dover. If you can look back at the last issue you could find the people who went to Cabo de Gato and see how they are getting on . I was so jealous we nearly went but it was the thought of getting the virus in Spain put me off.

We are in Almeria Province at the moment (at Los Escullos, Cabo de Gata) and the Covid rates are very low. The campsite has never recorded a case and the immediate region has only recorded two cases (neither fatal) so if you fancy some winter sun, here is as safe as anywhere in the world

 

[Petes]

We are booked in their from the 23rd of January but I suspect that won’t be as it looks like at the moment we won’t be able to travel come Jan 1st. Can’t go earlier for family reasons.
still live in hope