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

Was it a test lab or medical screening centre that you booked ? There are plenty of village screening centres around, some that don't need require appointment ( link to one near us https://www.bilancoronavirus.fr/depistage/vasles-79340/laboratoire-cabinet-infirmier ) but I'm not sure if they are doing pcr testing for travel reasons. The 72 hour timing is a bit of a challenge for us as return sailing is mon 23rd and we will be driving most of that day. I think we need to have it done for our 16yo on Sat afternoon.

Just search under "PCR test Cherbourg" or where ever you are near. I used doctolib.fr and you get the results online early the next morning. Looking at their site in Cherbourg theres plenty of available slots. You can take a chance an drive in also.

We have stayed in Sylvamar in Labenne previously but I have been eyeing up Camping Capfun Le Bougidau as a potential for next year. Don't suppose that featured in your travels this year and, if it did, any opinions on it either way? Cheers

No need to be worried about campsite or attractions etc. I've been in Bordeaux since July 11th (WBY was at about 10% capacity on the sailing over) and everything is open and more or less same rules as at home i.e. socially distance in queues and wear a mask indoors. No restrictions on indoor dining or drinking, no requirement to show proof of vaccination or negative PCR test (other than boarding the WBY and at Cherbourg) and no reduction in capacity / access to swimming pool or entertainment area's etc. It's basically the same as ever but with the universal Covid precautions of mask wearing indoors and social distancing in queue's we are all living with at home.

BTW, when looking for a PCR test for older kids or those without DCC's when returning home if you do a Google search you'll be bombarded with ton's of sites which purport to offer either testing or info on testing but all they are doing is harvesting your contact details for spamming at a later stage.

The official site to book PCR testing is https://www.doctolib.fr. You just need to enter your location (or allow the site to identify your location) and the nearest testing sites will be listed with their availability in diary format for the coming week etc. You click on a time and location you want (make sure it's within 72 hours OF ARRIVAL in Ireland), follow the appointment setup process (auto Google Translate using Chrome browser will be your friend) and bob's your uncle your PCR test is booked. One of my older kids had to fly back so I've been through the process and it was smooth. He turned up at the test centre with his passport, they tested him entered his email and mobile phone number and 24 hours later he got an SMS with a link to a downloadable cert confirming he was negative. They didn't charge him at all either which I think they're supposed to if you're not a French citizen but they just couldn't be bothered.

We've been onsite quite a long way down the south west coast near Mimizan for almost 3 weeks and haven't seen another Irish person or an Irish car either onsite or on any of our jaunting around and only one UK reg car. The Irish and English (normally about 20% of the site capacity according to one of the staff here) have all been replaced by "staycationing" French and Dutch and Germans who normally fly to Spain etc but are now driving overland for holidays due to Covid.

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.

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

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.

Cheaper than Ireland 1.38 in Blois

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 🤑

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

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 :(

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.

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

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

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!

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

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

I'm sure whoever you communicated with in BF did say that but bear in mind the person you rock up to in the check-in booth in Cherbourg or Rosscoff may have been given very narrow instructions and little discretion ie DCC or negative PCR test within 72 hours of scheduled arrival for each passenger plus a PLF or you're not boarding.

The poor guy in a D reg Ford Galaxy two cars ahead of me with at least 3-4 kids in the back looked like he spent literally 10 minutes trying to convince the lady at check-in that his paperwork was in order only to have security called who waved him through the booth, turned him around and sent back out of the port.

Maybe it was just a missing PLF or something simple (I hope) but it certainly caused him serious grief and unless he was able to fix the issue in 60-90 minutes he's still in Cherbourg unfortunately.

If I were you I'd make sure to get a confirmationary email from BF that the paperwork you have is officially acceptable otherwise you'll be trying to convince a complete stranger who's in a hurry to process customers that you had a phone call with their colleague who said .......

Arriving into Roscoff next Sunday morning (Brittany Ferries) and heading down towards La Rochelle. Any recommended stopping points along the way?

Hoping to stop for quick coffee and croissant before Rennes, then a decent 45 minute stop before Nantes. Will need to cater for 3 young kids.

Supermarket at one of the stops would be good, but easier said than done on a Sunday!

Doing the wine trip in 5 weeks. I need the passenger locator form when boarding to come back is it?

i have a link saved to my phone but when i fill in the form what happens the information after i submit? Does it go to my email and then i show the French the information?