After months of strict lockdown and safety measures, Paris and the rest of France are slowly but surely easing their restrictions. Shops, cafes, restaurants, theatres, parks, and landmarks have already reopened for much of the delight of French locals and European visitors. The City of Love is also welcoming back foreign visitors outside the EU who are fully vaccinated, including US citizens. President Macron presented France’s four-stage plan for lifting restrictions, which marks June 9th as the date for opening borders to non-EU tourists and the implementation of a health passport. This digital passport shall be utilized by travelers to prove that they have been fully vaccinated or recently tested negative from a recommended COVID-19 test.
All passengers arriving in Paris for essential or non-essential travels must present either a certification of completing vaccination or a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. For arrivals starting June 9th, these health documents must be uploaded on the TousAntiCovid mobile app. A personalized QR code generated through this app will also be required by some establishments.
For travelers arriving from Argentina, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Nepal, Qatar, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay, a 10-day mandatory quarantine will be enforced as well as an antigen test upon their arrival in Paris. These are additional requirements on top of their negative PCR test presented upon their departure from France.
Know more about Paris travel requirements here www.en.parisinfo.com , or request full details on the Viyahe app.
Roundtrip flights to Paris are very affordable these days—starting at USD 600 for economy class. Some of the airlines that are currently flying passengers to Paris are Air France-KLM, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Swiss Air, and Finn Air. You may also ask your Viyahe travel assistant for other flight options to Paris available in this pandemic. Luckily, most of these airlines offer free cancellation or rebooking in case of a travel emergency or other unforeseen circumstances.
Reputable hotels are always a smart choice for the reliability of safety and service as well as free cancellation in case of another lockdown. If you are willing to spend a little to enjoy the best of Paris (and by best, we mean a view of the iconic Eiffel tower), Viyahe recommends the Pullman Hotel, Holiday Inn Paris Opera, Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Elysees, and Hotel La Bourdannais Paris. Now if you’re on a budget yet require a Parisienne chic stay, Hotel Rose Bourbon, Hotel Riviera Elysees, and Danou Opera are great options.
If you are looking into a home or apartment rental, like Airbnb, ensure flexibility of terms for your protection.
Some museums and art galleries are still closed in Paris. However, monuments, cathedrals, and chateaux, including Palais de Versailles and Eiffel Tower grounds, are already open for guided tours. Restaurants and cafes are operating throughout Paris with minimal seating capacity. The French health ministry recommends outdoor dining to lessen risks of contracting the virus—which is not much of an adjustment as both tourists and locals prefer dining al fresco in Paris.
Shops and exclusive stores in Paris’ fashion district are also open, but large department stores and shopping malls may have restrictions for accepting guests. Parks and public open areas are open. Outdoor swimming pools are also open but with minimum capacity. Usually, this is only offered to hotel guests.
Keep in mind that France requires citizens and tourists to wear face masks in public spaces, including the streets and transport. Additionally, curfew will be pushed from 9 pm to 6 am starting June 9th.
Get more guidance on planning your Paris trip by dropping a chat on the Viyahe app.
