Eurotunnel Warns Britons They Can’t Travel Through France

Britons will need to prove a compelling reason for their road travel to or even through France, Eurotunnel authorities have warned British travelers. 

Eurotunnel authorities issued an urgent warning to potential travelers on December 29th, notifying them of the new travel restrictions put in place by France. The advisory is posted on the Eurotunnel website and its Twitter account. 

“Following a French Government decision, on 28/12/2021, unless they hold French residency, British citizens are now considered third country citizens and can no longer transit France by road to reach their country of residence in the EU,” a statement on the website warned. 

The Guardian reports that French officials clarified that British citizens who have a residence in another EU country will be required to show proof, such as a residency permit, tax forms, or utility bills.

The website of the French Interior Ministry states, “In response to the extremely swift spread of the Omicron variant in the UK, the government has decided to reintroduce compelling reasons for inbound and outbound travel with the UK, as well as tighten the testing requirement on departure and arrival.”

“Compelling reasons” for travel do not include tourism or business.

France has had travel restrictions in place since June, dependent on the levels of contagion of COVID-19. It considers Britain a special case for restricting travel due to the explosion of cases of the Omicron variant.