Traveling to France Amid COVID-19

Last Updated: 2 September 2021

As the deadline for the decision on your final blend approaches (end-January 2022), it is important to understand the travel requirements for foreigners visiting France.

If you are planning to come to Bordeaux to finalise your blend, the VINIV team looks forward to seeing you. We are welcoming all members coming from countries currently permitted entry into France. We are following the guidelines mandated by the French government to reduce the risk to you and our team during your visit.

If you are not fully vaccinated, we would urge you to postpone your visit until such time as you are vaccinated, as this will otherwise force you into a cycle of intermittent PCR and/or antigen tests during your stay in France.

Before planning your trip, this page provides important guidelines on what you need to know. We urge you to use the resources cited to get updates on any changes to French travel requirements and restrictions.

COVID-19 Measures in France

Fortunately, France is among the European Union countries that has been keeping some of the most stringent COVID-19 restrictions since 2020. Although France opened its borders for visitors during the summer of 2020, the country has been under a nation-wide lockdowns, the third being on 3 April 2021 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. The country has since reopened and cautiously lifted its nightly curfew on 30 June 2021. The government has now mandated a ‘pass sanitaire’ (health pass) for individuals to access public places in order to make them safer and to boost the fully-vaccinated rate here which is already at 76% (over 12 years old). There is more information below on the health pass /pass sanitaire below and what this means for travellers to France.

Traveling to France

France categorises other countries according to their epidemiological situation through the ‘traffic light system’ which is applied by several other EU and Schengen Area Member States. The system categorises countries in three colours (green, amber and red) which determines the quarantine measures and other travel restrictions applicable to travellers from that country. For the most up-to-date list of which category your country is currently listed in by France, please visit this page.

Who can enter France & what do I need?

Vaccinated travellers from 38 countries — including the residents of the 26 EU member states, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and the USA — have been able to enter France completely restriction-free (i.e. no isolation required) since 9 June 2021. These countries are all currently placed in the green category. The measures applicable to vaccinated adults also apply to any minors accompanying them, whether they are vaccinated or not. Unvaccinated children aged 12 and over must present a negative PCR or antigenic test taken less than 72 hours before the flight.

Required travel documents if you are fully vaccinated arriving from a green country:

Document #1: Proof of vaccination. It will only be valid if it proves that you are fully vaccinated, i.e.

  • 7 days after the second shot for two-shot vaccines i.e. Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca

  • 4 weeks after the shot for one-shot vaccines i.e. Johnson & Johnson

  • 7 days after the shot for vaccines administered to people who have already had COVID-19 (only one dose is necessary)
    Note: Only vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are accepted, these are: Pfizer (Comirnaty), Moderna, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria and Covishield) and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)

Document #2: Sworn declaration which you can download from the French Interior Ministry’s website stating that:

  • You have no symptoms of COVID-19 infection

  • You have not been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to your journey

What documentation do I need to move around within France?

As of August 2021, everyone in France (age 12 and above) must present a health pass (called a ‘pass sanitaire’ in French) to access leisure and culture venues and events, bars, restaurants, malls, hospitals (except if you are admitted for urgent care) and for long-distance travel by plane, train or coach. For holiday accommodation you will need to present a pass once, on arrival.

The pass must prove one of the three following items:

  • That you are fully vaccinated (with an EMA-approved vaccine or similar)

  • OR that you have been tested (PCR or antigen) with a negative result within the last 48 hours

  • OR that you have recovered from COVID-19, attested by a positive PCR or antigen test result, at least 15 days and no more than 6 months old

Passes can be displayed digitally (on the French TousAntiCovid app) or in paper form (proof of vaccination or test result). They include a QR code that will be scanned on entry into venues and events, including entry into VINIV for your blending session.

The French health pass is interoperable with the EU Digital COVID Certificate scheme for travel. If you have been vaccinated in the following countries you already have an EU Digital COVID Certificate, which is accepted in France, and you do not need a separate COVID certificate: EU Member States, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK (England and Wales only).

What to do If YOu are not from one of the countries eligible for the EU Digital COVID Certificate scheme (e.g. USA)

In order to facilitate the stay of non-European tourists in France, the Ministry for Europe & Foreign Affairs recently set up a specific mechanism to issue a COVID vaccine ‘certificate of equivalence’ which is valid on French territory. Because there appears to be a significant backlog in processing these certificates — the system was only put into place in August 2021 — we advise you to always have your proof of vaccination document (which you travelled to France with) and passport with you at all times to enter restaurants, wineries, shopping malls, museums, events etc.

NOTE: We have not heard of any situations of non-European visitors having any problem moving around in France with their home-country proof of vaccination documentation and passport. So if you apply for your ‘pass sanitaire’ and don’t get it in time for travel to France, it is at this point not an issue. Like other venues, you will need your proof of vaccination documentation for entry into your blending sessions at VINIV.

How do I apply for the Required ‘pass sanitaire’?

For all non-EU travellers, you can apply for the ‘pass sanitaire’ on this French government website. The instructions are in English; ote that there are individual applications for different zones: Zone 1 (United States), Zone 2 (Canada) and Zone 3 (rest of world).

Is travel insurance recommended?

As with any travel, it is wise to purchase extended travel insurance covering epidemic and pandemic situations to ensure that you are reimbursed if your travel gets cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation. Before purchasing travel insurance for France, check to see if it also includes medical benefits and low deductibles for expenses, covers at least €50K of emergency medical expenses and €250K of emergency evacuation coverage. You can purchase medical travel insurance protection for France at a very low cost from MondialCare, AXA Assistance or Europ Assistance.

Can I get a PCR or antigen test in France?

PCR and antigen tests are currently free for French nationals and residents and for anyone asked to take a test (e.g. you have been notified that you are a contact case). For those not covered by French social security, PCR tests cost €49.00 and antigen tests cost €29.00.

The VINIV team can advise you on where you can obtain PCR and antigen tests. The Bordeaux airport is now offering both PCR and antigen tests; the antigen test results are provided in 20 minutes.

What if I am travelling to France but I’m not vaccinated?

If you are not fully vaccinated, we would encourage you to postpone your visit and finalise your blend remotely with our winemaking team. A list of countries of departure has been drawn up by category (green, amber and red) on the basis of the health indicators. (The lists of countries can be altered based on changes in the epidemic situation.) Please consult this website which explains the rules and requirements for all three categories.


Once again, if you are planning to come to Bordeaux rather than to work on your blend remotely, we hope that conditions will allow you to visit France and fully work with our team to produce your wine.