The Tunnel

pamjon

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We are thinking of heading off to France in a few weeks.

Has anyone had experience of going out on the tunnel, do they search the vans like they say eg Fridges dairy food and meat?
How does the location form work when you are in a Motor Home touring?
When you book your tests on return ie. day 2 test and day 8 , when you order them do you have to give a date when you are returning?
I s it necessary to have a leave date and return date for the holiday?
PJ
 
In June..We self-isolated on a campsite for the 11 nights
The night you return is day 0.
I checked with NHS and the camp site.
BOTH were happy.
Tests were sent to me at the site whose address was used for the PLF
 
We are prepping ready to go in a week or so, so are keeping a lookout on all the blogs .......

* no-one has reported any food checks, just the usual gas locker
* locator form only required to be completed online within 48 hours of your return
* You can buy an antigen test in UK and take it with you, cheaper than french pharmacies ..... try the Coop one @ £25
* at the moment you only need a day 2 PCR test which has to be booked before you return with the certificate number entered on the locator form
* there was talk of french border control wanting a return date but that hasn't materialised. We've booked our return as Tunnel prices are increasing day to day, even in October.
Don't forget to get your passports stamped on the way out.

Hope that helps
Dave
 
Really grateful for the information. The more info we can gather together is all gratefully received.
Fortunately for us our Frequent traveller tickets that we had left have been honoured by Euro Tunnel until June next year.
Again thanks for the info.
PJ
 
I'm in France having come via the tunnel a few days ago- though with an estate car kitted for sleeping in, not a camper.
There was no searching the interior however there were delays getting through French control. I arrived 07:00 for an 07:50 crossing, spent 15 min in the terminal buying GB stickers etc. Ended up on the 09:20 train.

There was suggestion of a French 'go slow' but I don;t know if that was true. Could be simple that they are now having to stamp every british passport and scan the covid vaccination QR codes. There were only two French lanes open.
On the QR paperwork, don;t do what I did and leaf through my bundle of documents after licking the tip of my finger. Chap was reasonably annoyied, eek. But fortunately let me through.

Busiest I have seen Folkstone terminal in my various crossings over the years
 
I have seen posts elsewhere and have all said no food checks just the French being slow, but then they never do anything quickly
 
Remember that, even if you book a potential return date, it can be changed quite easily on the tunnel. The passenger location form can only be completed within 48hrs of getting back to UK so as long as you have sourced any tests you should be fine ( either taken with you from UK or bought in europe) and I would recommend printing out as many paperwork forms as possible, unless you are fast on internet, it was fairly stressful trying to load all the documents and show border control! And hopefully, the restrictions will be less with time so bookmark websites which will update the rules as they change.
Foodchecks would be a pain but if concerned, just don't take anything risky, or bury tins in your clothes cupboard! If going for a while, stocking up at a supermarket wouldn't be too hard.
Hope your plans come together and you get away, always think of you ( to say thanks) when we stop in Pampliega!
 
There is a French Covid app you can load any vaccine or test QR codes on to. It'very easy to download on to your phone. It's available in all app stores, no matter what phone you have. It's called "Tous anticovid". It's in French and English. You also need a paper copy of the "Letter of Honour", available from he French Govts' travel website, promising you haven't had Covid, or been near someone that has in the last 14 days.

The Spanish version is a waste of time because you can't log into it unless you have a flight number. According to the Spanish Govt website, you need proof of your vaccines and a PCR test 48 hours before entry into the country. You need to read the Spanish one carefully, because it says if you arrive in Spain overland you don't need any paperwork at all. However, 2 paragraphs down it says if you come from the UK, even by land, you need the same paperwork as if you arrive by air or ferry. There is no mention of the locator form you need if using the ferry or air.

I'm going next week, so I'll update on my progress.
 

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