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An American Traveling to Paris during Covid

FTT tours — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 20:51:26 +0000

An American Traveling to Paris during Covid

By Sadra Sumner

What’s it like for an American traveling to Paris during Covid? It’s not easy.

I have been fortunate since March 2020. From the moment Covid shut down my life as I knew it, little surprises and unfathomable situations have made it all palatable. With no tourists and closed shops in Paris, the city took on a livelihood that was euphoric and ephemeral. Bistros spilled out into parking spaces along the street, stores set up outdoor racks for socially-distanced shopping, and Parisians once again ruled their city. There wasn’t a tourist to be found in the early days last summer. Paris seemed a mythical secret where the locals enjoyed the relative freedom that came with warm weather and a decent bill of health.

But when cases spiked, everything changed. And I hopped on a plane back to the states.

I grew up in a rural neighborhood over an hour away from any significant town. My parents, brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews all live in the same house where I grew up. Adding a seventh body to the mix conjured questions of hot water usage and milk preferences. It also allowed me the opportunity to live with my family again – something I hadn’t done in 18 years.

My decision to return to Paris came shortly after the French President’s announcement of a tiered opening, where Americans traveling to Paris would be allowed. May 19th marked the date when terraces would once again be open, and the curfew would be pushed to 9pm. From then until June 9th when borders were set to reopen to foreigners, I knew the city would be buzzing with pent up energy. And I wanted in on the action.

Goodbye Newark, hello Paris!

Necessary Paperwork at the Airport for Americans traveling to Paris

Booking my ticket was easy and possibly the least money I’ve ever spent. A one-way ticket from Newark-Paris was about $200. My luggage – hefty from 5 months of online shopping in America – was nearly as much as my ticket. Flight aggregators like google flights and kayak have been hurting for business for 1.5 years, so now is the best time for affordable tickets.

I’ve flown out of the Newark airport many times, so I was prepared to arrive 2.5-3 hours early and go through the routine. Checking in online was not surprising in that I couldn’t do it; Covid protocol for France required that I be verified in the airport. The only issue there was that the poor, understaffed airport personnel were tasked with verifying every traveler to myriad destinations.

I lined up in a normal-looking luggage drop-off line only to realize 10 minutes in that not one person had advanced. The self-service kiosks were useless. Each passenger had multiple qualifications to show – PCR tests, end-destination paperwork, visas, vaccines, etc. The airline staff (I flew United) were doing their best to keep the angry mob at bay, but I’m sure you can imagine the tension.

I sleuthed the most competent staffer and worked my way towards her. Just ahead of me, a couple on their way to Turkey had nearly gotten their boarding pass only to be sidetracked by a piece of paperwork that they had submitted to the airline in advance (or so they said) but did not have on hand. As they frantically searched their phones for a copy of it, I shoved my paperwork in front of the staffer and said, ‘I’m good to go.’ It felt like I was stealing a coveted VIP pass. But desperate times, am I right?

My plane snacks enjoying their own seat.

The woman switched her attention to me. ‘How are you going to France; it’s closed to Americans?’ I showed her my working visa. The next step was the paperwork required by France – a piece of paper confirming that I have not had Covid-like symptoms in the past 72 hours. She looked at it and looked at me confused, ‘Is this it?’ I looked at her, then looked at the 7 destinations on the screen behind her, and then realized that she was responsible for ensuring that each passenger had the necessary paperwork for 7 different places. And that was just in the 20 minutes I had been there.

I assured her that yes, this piece of paper in her hand which was 100% in French was all the French government required for paperwork for Americans traveling to Paris. Just one last step – my PCR test. I showed her the official copy of my results. Sample collected at 6:05pm 3 days prior. Then I looked to the check-in screen, which said that results had to be taken no earlier than 6:45pm 3 days prior. The sweat started to form on my brow as I breathed deeply and started thinking of white lies. If only I could go back to my care-free almost-miss-the-flight travel days of my youth rather than current me which is so intent on having everything ready that it’s prepared 40 minutes to early! I started to panic in silence.

Luckily, the couple bound for Turkey blundered again. A man named Sebastien entered the area pulling the attention of my helper away and causing my screen to go blank. Once she returned her attention to me and left Sebastian to deal with the couple, she just clicked ‘confirm’ without any further questions. Boarding pass in hand, I was bound for the gate!

The Flight from Newark to Paris

Security only took about 4 minutes. I then settled in at my gate and was boarding within 20 minutes. The flight was equally carefree; I counted 10 other heads in my section of the plane. Fully spread out among my three seats I was! And there was no fighting for overhead bin space; just the kind of relaxed flight I love. The flight attendant even came by to ask me if I wanted extra wine, which of course I couldn’t refuse.

This did not translate to 21 minutes.

Customs in Paris

We landed in Paris, Charles de Gaulle at 7:30am. I looked at my phone as I was walking through the exit door – 9:00am. Never have I ever waited in customs/security for so long. The international arrival section, much like Newark, was buzzing with travelers from all over and staff that were expected to verify their entry documents. I’m a huge proponent of the passe sanitaire or EU health passport as I believe it will provide clear requirements for entry. Between now and then, it’s pure mayhem.

As I waited in line, I picked up and filled out three additional forms; none of which were then required at customs. I felt cheapened by my hunched-over scribbling as I drug my bag along, picking up all the airport germs, only to have no follow-up. Sort of like when you turn 21 in America and for the first time, you hope to be carded. ‘Take my forms!’ I was screaming internally.

Along the wall was written ‘Paris vous aime‘ which means ‘Paris loves you’. For Americans traveling to Paris for the fist time, this is charming. But every time the switch back turned me to that direction it felt like a sarcastic joke. The screens above also showed an estimated wait time of <20 min. I wondered if that was the highest they ever displayed? Did they receive negative feedback for displaying <50 minutes?

Spoiler alert – no one asked for my PCR test in France. I should mention that I’m fully vaccinated and have been for more than 2 weeks. There were signs encouraging those arriving to self-quarantine for 10 days, but no real impetus to do so. I suppose the French authorities could knock on my door to see if I’m respecting said quarantine, but the likelihood of that is lower than stepping in dog doo-doo on a Parisian sidewalk. My vaccination card was useless.

All of these papers and only my passport got the love.

Again, I do believe that this will change once the EU health pass is decided and fully functional; Americans traveling to Paris will become easier over time. It was as if I were traveling to the 7 1/2 floor of John Malkovich’s mind; possible, but not accessible or comprehensible to your average joe.

When I arrived at the luggage carrousel, I saw my bags, neatly stacked next to each other, keeping 3 other bags company. I’m not sure how everyone (all 20 flyers) from my flight beat me there, but I also wasn’t in the mood to get angry over that. As per French tradition, the last kahuna’s of ‘do you have something to declare’ were enjoying their coffee break and didn’t even flinch as I walked through the exit gate.

Improvements with the EU Health Pass

All in all, it wasn’t my worst trans-Atlantic flight. Compared to screaming babies, hangovers, seat-pushers, and arm-rest hoggers, the process as a whole was quite pleasant. The experience for non-visa holders will need to improve by June 9th; the stated date that Americans traveling to Paris will be permitted. And like all things French, I firmly believe that they’ll get around to making the experience hospital for Americans and international travelers from all Covid-safe destinations this summer. Just after one more espresso.

If you are making your way to France this summer, be sure to check out our outdoor bike, Segway, and walking tours in Paris!

The post An American Traveling to Paris during Covid appeared first on Fat Tire Tours.

Europe Reopening

FTT tours — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 22:25:35 +0000

Europe Reopening

The fête foraine in Paris kicked off on the 4th of July, and pubs in London reopened on the same day. Even though Oktoberfest is cancelled this year, the capital of Bavaria responded with strict social distancing rules in order to get their famous beer-gardens up and serving. The historic Giostra della Quintana will still take place in Foligno, Italy this August, a small province equidistant from Rome and Florence. Music in the Parks will be restarting this August across Barcelona’s vast green spaces. Simply put, Europe is reopening!

But it doesn’t look the same. Masks are required in several indoor spaces, and pedestrians are either obliged to wear them outside or choose to do so. Hand sanitizer is available at the entrance to stores, and even in public places that you wouldn’t expect. Mediterranean beaches are reopening with scenes of bathers covering more of their face than their bodies.

In the absence of overseas tourism and to counterbalance the last few months of lockdown, Europeans are starting to move around their respective countries and visit destinations not so far and wide from their homes. A recent survey showed that 71% of French vacationers are choosing to stay within France, unlike most summer seasons where North Africa, Italy, and Spain are common getaway favorites. Several European countries are also now allowing UK travelers to visit without facing quarantine. So what’s the take-away? Even though Europe won’t fully recover from the loss of a 2020 holiday season, locals are appreciating the wonders right at their doorsteps and enjoying the quiet and privacy relative to other summers, all while injecting a small flurry of activity into the tourism sector and allowing restaurants, hotels, and transportation companies to test out their covid safety measures on a small subsection of travelers. It’s the calm before the storm.

It may feel like many countries are still in the eye of the storm, but traveller’s intentions to visit Europe are at an all-time high. A June survey shows that 80% of non-EU citizens are still looking forward to visiting Europe when they are able to do so, and the individual countries are acknowledging the importance of tourism and making plans for the future of it.

Americans, Australians, and a handful of other countries with strict travel bans in place may feel like they’re missing out on the 2020 action. In reality, Europe is still gearing up for travel to resume later this year or potentially in early 2021. The safety measures that are being put in place now will have been tried and tested over the course of this holiday season so that you can travel with reassurance regarding social distancing, sanitization of high-touch areas (think payment terminals, public transportation, restrooms, etc.), and the silent, worldwide agreement that close talkers are unacceptable.

You may not know when you will be able to travel, but you can get inspired now! We’ve redesigned all of our tours with special precautions in mind, such as:

Sanitization of all handlebars, seats, and high touch surfaces before and after every tour
All helmets sanitized pre and post-use
Hand sanitizer available pre/post tour and on tour
Government recommended social distance maintained at all times

The majority of our tours are outside, and our skip-the-line museum tours, like our tours to Versailles in Paris, Florence Duomo tour, or Potsdam bike tour in Berlin are structured in a way to maximize safety. Contactless check-in happens on all of our tours, and masks and gloves are available should you not have your own, or until Adam Sandler adds PPE to his list of going-out essentials.

So if you’re in the planning phase of your next European trip, even if you don’t know when that will be, here are three suggestions of some of our favorite, covid-safety approved city trips:

Our Rome Night Bike Tour runs Sundays and Thursdays through the end of October, and gives you a chance to experience the vibrant night-life of the Trastevere neighborhood without compromising your safety. We cruise through town just as the sun is setting and then stop along the banks of the river for a glass (or two!) of wine in an open-air setting with gorgeous views
Our River Thames Small Group Tour in London departs at 10:30am for a day-time visit or 6:30pm for an evening of bike-riding in the open air. We’ll stop for a pint in the evening!
Our Barcelona City Bike Tour will kick off again at the end of July, and it includes parts of the Gothic neighborhood as well as riding along the beach-front.

We are so excited to welcome our guests back on tour with us, and we look forward to showing you around our beautiful cities for another 21+ years.

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