Companies like that Geneva transfer bunch haven't understood what the end of lockdown in France looks like. If we French are restricted to 100km from home for a still undetermined period then foreigners won't be let loose. The lack of quarantine is simply so normal business and "essential" traffic can continue without drivers being stuck in quarantine for two weeks. That deosn't equal freedom of movement for leisure activities. The controls on the German border are very much in place and if junior returns from Berlin he may be faced with two weeks quarantine but that isn't certain.
In short, nobody has any idea what the situation will be in France at the end of June and that includes Macron. One step at a time then review. The laws are being passed to give the government the power to make the choices deemed necessary in the future it seems to me.
If the Spanish holiday resorts have any say in it, we will be back sharpish as they really can't service without many of this fine countries massive drinking binges, sorry holidays to cultural sites propping up their economy.
Jet2 have coloured my opinion in a positive way. My cancelled lads trip - a retirement sending off - to Cyprus has been refunded with no asking, no shadow of any argument and with an apologetic email referencing the current issues. It’s great customer service as it should be.
Our August holiday is with Jet2. It’s a package and Atol protected so I’m more confident that refunds etc would be handled well, leaving me with the decision now based on the style & quality of the holiday as it’s likely to be.
We've cancelled our trip in Aug to Burgundy/Morzine.
We've got a Morzine (well Chatel) trip booked for mid August, so hoping that can go ahead. Had a track day to Portimao booked for March, but there was no chance of that!
I've to pay for the rest of my french camping trip by end of July for end of aug, we should have more of an idea what's going on by then , worse case I'll write off the deposit
We usually take our motorhome down to SW france in August. I still have high hopes we can this year but I suppose it depends on UK visitors being allowed to enter France.
Thinking about it as long as the beach is open and we can surf social distancing measures wouldn’t drastically affect our holiday
The message about the Portes du soleil is jumping the gun.
French parliament is voting this afternoon on the prolongation of the state of emergency up until July 10th
This article says the prolongation was voted in favour of and will now move into being examined by the Assemblée Nationale this week, I have a trip to Morzine booked for start of July so interesting to see what the outcome of this is, I too have received messages that the lifts in Morzine are looking to open. The queue for the lift from the town to super morzine and SM to top was already long enough, imagine how long it would be with social distancing! How do you disinfect a lift when the lifts typically dont stop too?
How do you disinfect a lift when the lifts typically dont stop too?
They Could run the chairs through a constant fine mist of disinfectant at the top just after people get off, the chairs might be dry by the time it gets to the bottom. That wouldn't take much setting up, should be straightforward.
They Could run the chairs through a constant fine mist of disinfectant at the top just after people get off, the chairs might be dry by the time it gets to the bottom. That wouldn’t take much setting up, should be straightforward.
Bit of an ecological nightmare, though.
Bit of an ecological nightmare, though.
It's a ski resort - compared to the vast amount of energy to build the thing, run the lifts, carving up the mountain to make runs, additives in artificial snow, get people there etc etc. The areas around lifts tends to be a wasteland anyway.
But, I think they're massively jumping the gun on opening. We might not even have much travel within the UK this summer, let alone abroad - I've heard the Lake District national park are advertising to keep people away?
I'm at the point of just cancelling now as well. It's getting on my nerves with the whole will/won't I be going, plus the crap the lift companies are coming out with which is then amplified by the holiday companies/influencer's
All that and we're heading into a massive recession, even though I should be ok I won't have the safety net of 80% pay by then
If the rules go ahead as per the Transfer company’s email I might end up a little screwed (is complain more of 250,000 or so hadn’t died recently).
We’re booked in an AirBnB in Morzine from the 24th of June until the 29th for Passportes, £2k for the accom on top of a bit over a grand for flights (it’s between loads of us so ‘only’ £300 each).
On the face of it, France will be open, and hotels will be open so it seems very unlikely AirBnB will move their rolling cancellation forward, so we can go, we ‘just’ can’t use the lifts... bit of a waste of time really.
^
That is also why I'm on the verge of cancelling, I don't want them turning round and saying actually you can come, they'll just be massive queues for the lifts and none of the bars will be open etc..
I've got till the 12th June to cancel and claw back the maximum
I’m at the point of just cancelling now as well. It’s getting on my nerves with the whole will/won’t I be going, plus the crap the lift companies are coming out with which is then amplified by the holiday companies/influencer’s
All that and we’re heading into a massive recession, even though I should be ok I won’t have the safety net of 80% pay by then
As above, we’ve been trying to cancel since they postponed Passportes, but the insurance co and AirBnb have both pretty much said that until on the balance of probability you can’t go, you can’t cancel and claim insurance. Best we could hope for was about 50% back from AirBnB so we’ve been waiting to see what will happen.
Ferries into Netherlands and out of Spain booked, but the main holiday was supposed to be in France (Morzine and then coast). First 2 weeks in July - The return ferry is 75% refundable, I might have to take the pain of the hit on the outbound. Thankfully I've no accommodation costs to try to recoup.
On the face of it, France will be open
We really have no idea, it all depends on how management of the virus goes. The governement is most definitely not making promises it can't keep. Plan your holidays locally is what we're being told, Dover is not local.
Our local préfet has just announced he's extending the the 100km to the departement boundaries because we're doing so well, amongst the best in France. I really can't see him opening up to people from areas where the virus is still circulating. It would be stupid and he isn't stupid.
If all goes to the plan (and I doubt it will), Spain will return to an Orwellian-sounding "New Normal" at the end of June.
I'd be surprised, that being the case, if there wasn't some int'l tourism in August.
But I doubt it will go to plan. If I'd bought a flat here to rent on AirBnb, like many have, I'd be Quite Worried at the moment. Serves them right...
We have a place in majorca and I'm hoping that we'll be able to get over to it in mid July as per plans I'd made earlier in the year. I guess I need a few things to be in place.
1. Essential travel only restrictions in the UK lifted
2. Flights between UK and mallorca running again
3. Essential travel Only restrictions in mallorca lifted
4. No quarantine period for people arriving in mallorca or arriving in UK.
I've had my easter and late May Bank Holiday flights cancelled already (no surprise)
We were booked on Le Tunnel for tomorrow morning for a trip down to Basque MTB then Ainsa / S. France....
I hope I’ve been in touch. We are gutted not to be guiding right now. Don’t worry on our side, I should have already mailed to say that I’ll do your trip when the world opens up and it works for you. If not I’ll refund. We are hoping to be working a bit in June, special trips and locals. Then in July we are hoping to be open. Who knows! If anyone books and can’t come we will look after them. See what happens, we can only react to the information we have and then try and do the right thing for everyone.
Ferries into Netherlands and out of Spain booked, but the main holiday was supposed to be in France (Morzine and then coast). First 2 weeks in July – The return ferry is 75% refundable, I might have to take the pain of the hit on the outbound. Thankfully I’ve no accommodation costs to try to recoup.
I think you're going to Netherlands before me? 25th July is our date, I'm gonna cancel and lose the deposit, I'm not comfortable paying the rest of the balance which now due, and then claiming hol insurance, especially as the excess is more than the deposit I'll lose.
Hopefully Center parcs in September will happen, my 13 year old daughter has been we done thorough this, she's due a wee treat and lives CP.
I didn't realise that the cancellation excess on travel insurance policies is per person until recently!! Also watch out if you have overlapping policies as well (for example with your bank and a separate policy) because you will pay the excess x2 because they will split the claim!!!
We’re booked to sail with DFDS from Newcastle at the end of June. For some reason that I can’t remember we paid in full, and we’re told we can only rebook or have a free cancellation and travel vouchers, no refund. The route’s currently suspended until the 3rd of June so we’re hanging on to see if that gets extended, then we can legally have a refund. We’ve no expectation of travelling, I don’t think wandering around Europe for the summer on a couple of bikes is going to be wise or welcomed, even if it’s allowed.
We have a group booked for 4th July, week, MTB in the south part of the Alps.
Some of us are driving down some are flying.
Paid deposit and now full payment is being requested. But we don't know if we can travel.
The company is saying he will open and is not willing to refund or cancel, saying that he can't be left with empty weeks.
But if they cancel us now they still have 8 weeks to sell our week to the continentals.
The French can only travel 100k at the moment so this rules us out. Also currently to travel you need a travel permit and FO say no travel anyway.
Where do we stand with this one.
Finally cancelled our August family holiday to Menorca, losing £240 but thats all. It was quite emotional, I've been looking forward to it since we booked it last October and the kids are a little upset, but hey thats life as it is currently.
I'm going to keep the time off work though.
Where do we stand with this one.
At the side of the road with your dick in your hand like the rest of us.
Martin Lewis of MSE fame recently said that he’s researched it and in his opinion if a provider can’t provide a service because of lock-down OR you’re not able to access it because of lock-down you should get a full refund without fees or charges, but how you’d be able to enforce that cross-border I don’t know.
Johnson didn’t mention travel yesterday, I don’t know if it was in the 50 page briefing today, but he did say that in July it’s possible that they made open some public venues with social distancing rules. He also said that there will be a 2 week quarantine for anyone flying into the U.K. I doubt your mates who are planning to fly will be happy to take 2 weeks extra off work when they return.
Personally unless you managed to buy insurance pre-lock down and you’ve spoken to them and they confirm they will pay out if you can’t go I wouldn’t pay the balance.
Even then, consider if you still want to go. I’ve got a trip booked for the week before you go for what was supposed to be Passportes, it seems we’ll be stuck in the middle, France might be open, and the accommodation can open so we can go, but they’re not opening the lifts until the day we leave now. I think we’re what they call in the travel industry “screwed”.
Where do we stand with this one.
On British soil?
The French state of emergency was extended until July 10th, so don't pay the balance when you know that you'll actually be allowed to spend your holiday there. If the company don't want to understand, run away!
Fwiw, most of the people I know are planning on spending their summer holidays in their home region.
Btw, Les Gets are now advertising for a bikepark shaper
We’re booked to sail with DFDS from Newcastle at the end of June. For some reason that I can’t remember we paid in full, and we’re told we can only rebook or have a free cancellation and travel vouchers, no refund. The route’s currently suspended until the 3rd of June so we’re hanging on to see if that gets extended, then we can legally have a refund. We’ve no expectation of travelling, I don’t think wandering around Europe for the summer on a couple of bikes is going to be wise or welcomed, even if it’s allowed.
We’re in the same boat (pun intended). We will not travel, but I’m going to hold out for a refund. We will makeup for it next year if allowed!
Is this 50 page blueprint available for the plebs to read?
As I have a somewhat unavoidable trip to Blighty I have to make before too long (already mentioned in this or another thread. I have been putting it off - but if there's going to be 2 week quarantine on arrival, I should get in, ahem, before the lock. Though almost certainly coming in via the ferry/tunnel.
here (ref in other STW post about exercise)
Thanks. Says enforcement of quarantine for arrivals to UK won't come into force May 13th but doesn't say when.
Quarantine now when the horse bolted months ago, that's a laugh, especially in a place with one of the highest per capita levels of live cases, the only place that's higher is the US unless someone can point me to stats that say otherwise.
Well the last time I read up on it, I could travel through France by filling out two forms, that may have changed.
Really don't want to go but making the trip can only get more complicated the longer I leave it. 2 weeks' quarantine in my late dad's empty house would seriously suck!
Crossed posts, reply was to Tracey
You might need to read up again, Bob. I've just checked on the latest attestation and the justifications appear to have been tightened up. The family imperatives box has gone from the international attestation. We went through all this over the weekend for a relative who had to drive from London to Spain for medical treatment and I can no longer find the form I printed out, only this one:
https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Attestation-de-deplacement-et-de-voyage
Edit: there never was a family imperatives box on the International form which is the one I linked and hasn't changed. The family imperatives box was on the national attestation which has is being updated and should be on the interior ministry site tomorrow Tuesday under something like "attestation déplacements de plus de 100km".
What's the chances of my next Spain holidays taking place, hoping for a trip in November and then another in February ?
Thanks Ed, I'll look out for the revised form tomorrow. The international travel one doesn't look like it's changed since I last looked into this.
I imagine if I'm going it would need to be this weekend or next. Perhaps a covering letter from the UK solicitor might help. If I procrastinate long enough I won't be able to go - might try that tactic...
Our holiday to Egypt in June is cancelled, bummer, but expected. I had thought to rebook for later in the year but realistically, what will a holiday to most detonations look like this year? PPE required to shop, restaurant queues and 50% occupancy to allow for social distancing, one in one out of the pools etc. In short, if you can fly and the resort/destination is open, is it worth it?
Perhaps a week in Cornwall instead, I thought. But then it’s likely to be a similar experience.
Trip to French Alps been rolled over to next year group very happy.
Another family member wanted to cross France to join his wife who is hospitalised in Spain. We couln't find a French form that allowed that, in fact all we could find suggested it wasn't allowed so we suggested they contact the embassy. The reply was no you can't. The latest plan is to fly to Gibralta and try to cross there, they are waiting on the Spanish reply to that.
But then it’s likely to be a similar experience.
Yup. I've decide to stay at home on the 10 days I booked off in August for an enforces break from work & bike training. Weather permitting I'm going to sit & drink Tea/Beer, take my kids out for some rides in the local forest, ride a bit myself with no power or targets to worry about, and do a few DIY jobs.
Basically I'm going to practise retirement 20 years early.
the only place that’s higher is the US unless someone can point me to stats that say otherwise.
Isn't Belgium up with us too?
@edukator Where in Spain? I've noticed a fair few 64 plates on the roads this week, indicating the border is open for cross-border workers at least.
I decided to put off the trip I was planning to UK, I'll look at it again in late June (danger then is getting trapped in the UK for 2 weeks' quarantine period - thought it might be better to get I have no useful contribution to make as it were).*
Could probably do it, holding the right forms and perhaps a letter from the UK solicitor, but would it be worth the stress? And would likely get my tyres slashed if the locals saw a Spanish van parked in their barrio (even though it's the worst Covid hotspot in the country, but they do love their Daily Mail-inspired vigilantism round there).
*edit Forum SW does a curious thing with a certain phrase! Didn't know that.
It’s the not knowing that’s driving us mad.
Two weeks in Morzine in mid August. Driving down.
I know the resort has said it’ll be open but will we be able to travel, use the lifts and go to the pool? Will the restaurants be open...we’re self catering and the thought of 2 weeks of family cooking on 2 hobs and a microwave doesn’t appeal!
Anyone spotted any more up to date news?
