Christmas holiday plans for hundreds of thousands of Britons were thrown into chaos this morning after the French government announced that almost all travellers from the UK would be barred from entering, reports The Times.
Gabriel Attal, the government spokesman, said that “even more drastic” measures were needed to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. People will only be allowed to cross the Channel if they qualify for a small number of reasons for travel.
The measures come into force from Saturday.
“We are going to limit the reasons which allow people to come from the United Kingdom to France. [Only] French citizens, French residents and their families will be allowed,” Attal said.
Jean Castex, the prime minister, confirmed the new rules, saying that there would be a “requirement to have an essential reason to travel to, or come from, the UK, both for the unvaccinated and vaccinated. People cannot travel for touristic or professional reasons.”
Details of the definition of essential reasons have yet to be announced. In the strictest period of the lockdown in 2020, these included family emergencies and travel by medical personnel, lorry drivers and others involved in transport.