France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

The Ging and I

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117669343#Comment_117669343

I can only guess you will need the certs to board so it might be safer to go to Cherbourg a day early and get tested.

spockety

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117669343#Comment_117669343

Am I missing something here... why are people not just getting the test done the day before their sailing before they leave their campsite? That's well within 72 hours of arrival in Ireland.

Jeffm587

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117672732#Comment_117672732

We are sailing on a Monday so as far as I can see there's nowhere available for testing on the Sunday , also wont be leaving from a campsite

spockety

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117672763#Comment_117672763

Ahhh.. gotcha..

Peckham

FWIW I've downloaded the French equivalent of the HSE Covid app to my phone. It allows you to scan the QR code from your vaccine certificate so will present the details in a format that French places may be more familiar with. Saves you having to bring your vaccine cert with you when out and about in France.

App is called AntiCovid.

Wally Runs

What is the price of diesel there? Fill up before leaving Dublin?

dzer2

Cheaper than Ireland 1.38 in Blois

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117672480#Comment_117672480

One minor correction, today whilst walking on a busy pedestrianised street I was asked by a policeman to wear my mask. He explained that there are signs on certain streets (busy pedestrianised streets from what I can see) requiring the wearing of masks as they are too busy for social distancing to be pragmatic but that's the only Covid measure here that I'm not used to seeing at home and TBH given the state of Grafton Street and surrounds on busy days and with big outdoor drinking crowds it's probably not a bad idea but not looking to spark a Covid discussion, just sharing info.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117675417#Comment_117675417

Yeah, 1.45 in a self service supermarket here which ae usually the cheapest but 1.75 in a motorway Aire which I always end up using and getting annoyed at the premium but in the scheme of things 50 Litres at €0.30 extra a litre = €4.50 to make sure I'm topped up for the rest of the journey without the hassle and extra time of having to leave and re-join the motorway network is worth it, especially when you realise it's the price of a small glass of Leffe these days 🤑

eltonyio

Would that not be €15 extra a fill at 50 litres?!

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117675672#Comment_117675672

Full marks!! Too laid back to correctly do the maths tonight. Might take the off ramp next time 😚

eltonyio

You might find more cash in the wallet for an extra leffe!

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117675681#Comment_117675681

That's the last thing I need. Hitting the road for home in a couple of days so need to start the Leffe cold turkey :(

SJFly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117672918#Comment_117672918

Thanks for the info. Does the Irish covid app not work over there or is it just to have the cert in a familiar format?

The Ging and I

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117675688#Comment_117675688

I was camping in Mimizan last week :-)

The French equivalent of AA road watch is www.bison-fute.gouv.fr and its advising that this fri/sat is going to be the busiest days on the motorways especially on the A7 and A8. Its a useful site for traffic and Crit,air warnings. It has an English button on the top right.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117678845#Comment_117678845

Thanks for that, just checked the site and you're spot on, forecasting very heavy traffic this weekend.

Thankfully we like to leave early (will be departing the Mimizan area at 6am tomorrow morning) and mostly going against the holiday traffic so hope to be in Cherbourg by mid afternoon for a 21:00 sailing so should have 4 or 5 hours wiggle room for delays along the way.

The Ging and I

Just confirm with the office on the campsite that you can leave at 0600 unless you have a swipe card.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117679571#Comment_117679571

Thanks, this is our 5th (and likely final) time here in Siblu La Reserve so I know the barrier closes at midnight and opens at 6am.

Despite our best efforts it's always closer to 6:30 by the time we've showered, packed the last few bits, got the teenagers out of bed and into the second half of their nights sleep in the car etc etc

Peckham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117678178#Comment_117678178

Don't know how well the Irish app works. I just downloaded it so I could offer a familiar app if requested.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117675672#Comment_117675672

Correction, diesel in a motorway Aire is €1.55 not €1.75 so I wasn't being too flahoola topping up in the Aire rather than going off motorway!!

Deeman83

We are currently camping in the Vendee in La Garangeoire. Very few Irish about and very little English. Lots of french, Dutch and German.

The French border security scanned our Covid Vaccine App and it worked well. When we checked into our campsite the app was scanned and it didn’t work however they accepted it once they read the app details. Campsite is less than half full although they told me they are expecting more Irish and English in August.

Everything else is similar to Ireland. Mask wearing is almost 100% compliance. Supermarkets are not asking for apps as yet but apparently France are tightening the rules again on 1st August.

My advice to this summers travellers would be to not be anxious or nervous about tests or apps etc. If you have the cert/results etc the different french authorities will accept it.

54and56

FYI a fair few cars turned away at Stena check-in in Cherbourg just now for incorrect or non existent Covid paperwork ie valid DCC or negative PCR cert and Passenger Locator Forms pre completed online in advance of travel for each passenger etc

In the 30 minutes we were queueing and 20 or so cars that were processed before us 3 or 4 were denied boarding and turned back.

The DCC and PCR Cert QR codes are being scanned into their system which I'm guessing checks they are valid and in the correct timeframe etc.

Peckham

Wonder how many were people forgetting about the passenger locator forms. Easily done in a few minutes and presumably just rejoin the queue.

PCR/DCC non-compliance not as easily fixed, and a nasty end to the holiday!

TefalBrain

Do you need to fill out a locator form even if fully vaccinated

dzer2

Had a mate turned away because they couldn't read the PCR result off his phone and when they printed it it was wavey and the machine rejected it. They said it was false

Peckham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117684438#Comment_117684438

Yes.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117684438#Comment_117684438

Yes, one for each passenger.

Only takes a couple of minutes and you can download the receipt immediately to your phone to show at check-in.

"COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form" https://travel.eplf.gov.ie/en

TefalBrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117684442#Comment_117684442

Heard of that happening a fair bit. I'm bringing the vaccination card just in case.

TefalBrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117684514#Comment_117684514

Thanks for that had no idea and would have arrived up to Cherbourg next month without one.

eltonyio

In case it is of use to anyone I queried with Brittany Ferries if they would accept 1 x HSE card + 1 other EU card covering a vaccine dose received abroad, for returning home (so no DCC) and they said yes, no problem as long it shows name, batch, dates, vaccine type. I imagine there will be a significant number of people across the EU who won't have DCCs yet because of taking doses in different countries.