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Preparing to Leave Paris: Our Checklist

Preparing to leave Paris? The Kent Paris office has created a handy checklist of logistical things to consider before hitting the road!

Giving notice on your rental agreement

You should go over your rental agreement and make sure you have fulfilled all obligations stated in it.

In rented accommodation (e.g. through a standard rental contract), you usually need to inform your landlord of your departure at least one month in advance (for furnished flats) and three months in advance for unfurnished flats. This must be done by letter sent registered post (e-mails are not an acceptable way to give notice). The French government provides a handy template here. In rented accommodation, inventory (état des lieux) is done when you move into a flat and when you move out of it. It is at this time that a landlord will assess any damage and then inform you of any charges. An état des lieux must be signed by both parties. If you paid a deposit, ensure that your landlord has your bank details so that your deposit can be returned. Giving notice cannot be done at the last minute, so it is important to know what you have to do and when. A full overview is available here (in French).

Giving notice on other service contracts

You will need to settle or close any accounts that you will no longer need, for example, electricity and gas contracts, internet and phone contracts, housing insurance, gym memberships, and your French bank account. Speak to your bank or service provider to find out what they require you to do. Be mindful that gym memberships in particular typically require advanced (one to two months’) notice.

If you are required to send a letter to close your bank account, the Institut national de la Consommation provides a useful template.

Return borrowed library books

If you have borrowed any library books, return them to avoid having to pay any fines. Settle any fines you have to pay for overdue books.

Friperie – Second-hand Clothes Store. Les Echos.

Donating or recycling articles to eliminate waste

If you find yourself with lots of things you don’t want or can’t take with you when you leave Paris, you can donate or recycle them.

Donating clothes and other household goods

There are a number of ressourceries and charity drop off points throughout the city for items that are in a good state and can be sold on to customers. This map can help you find your nearest donation point. Be sure to check what items are accepted at your chosen drop off point. Ask the Paris office if you are unsure about where or how to drop things off.

Bulkier items such as furniture

The city of Paris has a (free!) service for the collection of bulkier items such as furniture and larger electronics. The process is simple: you indicate which items you would like to get rid of, and choose a collection time. You also choose a collection address, which in most cases will be your address. This is all done online at this website. Once you have registered your request for collection, you will receive a code that you must affix to the items. You then leave your items on the side of the road at the appointed time for collection by the Service des encombrants staff. You are welcome to get in touch with the Paris office if you need help navigating the online system.

Textiles

Clothes and other textiles can be put in one of the textiles collection points across Paris. In most cases, these are large, dark green bins that are found in many locations across the city.

Small appliances that no longer work

Electronics retailers (such as Fnac, Darty, Bricorama) are required by law to have an in-store drop off point for used/broken electronics. If you have a blender that is no longer fit for purpose or a Nespresso machine that has given up the ghost, we recommend taking your small electronics to one of these shops. You are NOT required to have proof of purchase (you could have purchased the broken item from another shop), nor are you required to make a new purchase in store to use the drop-off–simply ask a member of staff if you cannot find the used electronics drop-off point!

Batteries

Batteries contain corrosive materials that can severely damage the environment. For this reason, they must always be recycled and never be thrown in the bin with other waste. Every supermarket in France that sells batteries is required by law to have a drop-off point for used batteries. In most cases, these are small green cardboard stands that sit near shop entrances/exits.

Unsure of how to recycle or get rid of something?

To understand how to recycle other items, the city of Paris has an extensive guide on waste disposal and recycling (in French): https://www.paris.fr/pages/en-2019-paris-vous-facilite-le-tri-6266#tous-les-dechets-se-trient

If you would like advice on how to recycle anything, get in touch with the Kent Paris office for advice (but please do not wait until the last minute!).

Immigration

Do not overstay your allotment of time in France/the Schengen zone. You must leave the country/Schengen zone when your visa expires.

If you came to France benefitting from visa-free travel, you must ensure that you have not spent more than 90 days in France in a 180 day period.

If you are in France on a long-stay visa (visa de long-séjour or VLS), you must ensure that you “validate” it as per instructions provided when you first received your visa. If you did not validate your visa, you run the risk of not being able to re-enter the country in future.

Overstaying can lead to very serious consequences such as being barred from re-entering France/the Schengen zone. It is important to know your legal entitlement and stick to it.

Jardin des Tuileries. 35mm Film @ad.astor

Saying goodbye to Paris (for now!)

Stop by your favourite bakery for one last croissant, visit your favourite watering hole, or prostrate before your favourite work of art – all in anticipation of your next visit back.

Update your contact details in KentVision

Once you have reached your final destination/new place of residence, please update your contact details in KentVision.

Top Image: iStock

Save the Date for our Annual Paris Postgraduate Arts Festival

Our Paris School’s Five-day Postgraduate Arts Festival – 7-11 June 2022

We often fear change, but the disruption of truths, ideals, and the status quo have produced some of the most transformative movements in history.

The University of Kent Postgraduate Arts Festival is proud to present this year’s theme of Chaos and Order, with a series of free creative events in Paris that will challenge normalcy — bringing chaos into order and order out of chaos.

 

Watch Paris come alive with five days of curated film screenings, writing workshops, and art curations, hosted by creative professionals attuned to the arts’ impact on our ever-changing society. The Festival will also feature the launch of our postgraduate arts magazine, THE MENTEUR.

Stay tuned for the full program of events, which will be announced on our website. And be sure to follow our social media accounts for the latest news and guest announcements.

From 7 – 11 June, we invite you to join us in embracing chaos as an opportunity for personal, artistic and social growth.

 

We can’t wait to see you there!

University of Kent Paris Festival Team

Best Parks for Picnics in Paris

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and you’ve got a fresh baguette and some cheese but no where to go!

Now that the weather is warmer, Parisians and tourists alike will be heading outdoors to enjoy the green spaces that Paris has to offer. We’ve compiled a list of the best parks (where you can sit on the grass!) in Paris for your spring picnics.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

The Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is located in the 19th arrondissement and is one of the biggest and original green spaces in Paris. The park was once a quarry, and today it is characterised by its many hills, towering trees and winding paths.  The Temple de Sybille, found on a an island in the man-made lake, offers stunning views over the city and the grassy slopes of the surrounding hills make for an excellent picnic spot.

Closest Metro: Buttes Chaumont (Line 7bis), Laumière (Line 5)

Parc Montsouris

The only park on this list based on the Left Bank, Parc Montsouris was designed to bring life to a part of Paris that had been abandoned and forgotten. The park’s English garden design of large areas of uninterrupted grass make this a wonderful spot for an afternoon in the sun listening to music from the band stand. It’s easy to see why the park is so popular with students from the nearby Cité Internationale Universitaire.

Montsouris is also home to a meteorological observatory and the mire du sud, a stone marking the Meridian of Paris, the beginning point for measuring longitude for all French maps until 1884.

Closest Metro: Cité Universitaire (RER B)

Parc floral in the Bois de Vincennes

Bois de Vincennes

A large forest and gardens in the east of Paris, the Bois de Vincennes has its own lakes and a zoo. The floral gardens are similar to gardens found in the centre of Paris but the woods are far more natural and wild. After your picnic, you can hire a rosalie (a four person pedal car) and ride around the floral gardens. It’s a great place to enjoy a slice of the countryside within reach of the city!

Closest Metro: Chateau de Vincennes (Line 1), Porte de Charenton or Liberté (Line 8)

Parc Monceau

Located on the border of the 8th and 17th arrondissement, Parc Monceau reflects the luxury of the surrounding area. The park has a large pond, an ornate wrought iron gates and a number of scaled-down architectural features such as Corinthian pillars (pictured above). The mainly flat, grassy park is ideal for a weekend picnic, and is popular with Parisians and tourists alike.

Closest Metro: Monceau (Line 2), Malesherbes (Line 3)

Bois de Boulougne

The Bois de Boulougne, the western twin of the Bois de Vincennes, is a former royal hunting ground on the edge of Paris complete with woods, boating lakes, 15km of cycle paths and a Chateau. It is also home to the Bagatelle rose gardens and the Fondation Louis Vuittion – a temporary art exhibition space. Find out about other sights of contemporary architecture in Paris in this article!

Closest Metro:  Ranelagh (Line 9), Neuilly- Porte Maillot (Line 1), Porte Dauphine (Line 2)

International Women’s Day 2022 in Paris

Tuesday 8th March marks International Women’s Day: a day to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

The history of the day is rooted in the women’s suffrage and labour movements of North America and Europe in the early 20th century, who wanted a day to recognise women’s achievements and rights. After the 1917 revolution, Russia chose 8th March as their Women’s Day and other communist countries followed suit. By the 1960s, the day was adopted by global feminist movements and it became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977.

Here are some events happening around Paris to celebrate the day and shed light onto issues facing women here in France and across the world:

H24: 24 Hours, 24 Women, 24 Stories

Columbia Global Centers, the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination and Lost in Frenchlation have teamed up to bring you a multilingual film screening in honour of International Women’s Day. H24 is a series of 24 short films by 24 female writers performed by 24 actresses, all based on the real life experiences of women dealing with sexism, harassment and violence. The screening will be followed by a discussion in English with producers Justine Henochsberg and Julie Guesnon Amarante.

Ce que les Afghanes à nous dire. Mairie du 10e arrondissement.

Ce que les Afghanes ont à nous dire

The Town Hall of the 10th Arrondissement is hosting a photography exhibition by recently exiled Afghan artists, allowing them to express themselves on the subject of their and their country’s situation after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The exhibition will run until 17th March with a special musical performance on Tuesday 8th March at 6pm for International Women’s Day.

PLURI’elles 2. Sine Nomine Collectif.

PLURI’elles #2

Following the success of last years exhibition despite Covid-19 related restrictions, Sine Nomine Collectif are back, bringing you a week of art, debates, theatrical performances, round table discussions, music and more at the Espace Voltaire. Find the full programme of events running from 8th to 14th March on Facebook.

Festival Films de Femmes

The Festival Films de Femmes is an international film festival in Créteil. The festival’s 44th edition, from 11th to 20th March, will feature short films, documentaries and feature films, as well as a retrospective on Susan Sontag’s work and a feature on Chinese cinema. The screenings will take place across three locations: the Maison des Arts et de Culture and the Lucarne cinema in Créteil, and Les 7 Parnassiens cinema in Paris.

Women are not afraid. Pauline Makoveitchoux.

Women are not afraid

On the fences around the Town Hall of the 1st Arrondissement, Pauline Makoveitchoux presents her photography exhibition: Women are not afraid. This photo series focuses on women defiantly reclaiming their right to exist in public and urban spaces. The public will be able to view this open air exhibition until Thursday 31st March.

Featured image: International Women’s Day 2015 demonstration. Boris Horvat/AFP.

Navigating your local outdoor food market

Paris is known for an abundance of outdoor markets (including farmers’ markets) selling fresh, local and seasonal produce – from carrots to Camembert, and from fish to flowers. If you’re looking to live like a local (and save money on your groceries), then heading to the market is a great place to start.

Here are our top tips on how to navigate a Parisian market:

1. Find your market

Each Paris neighbourhood  will have its own local market operating two to three times a week. You can find your local market using this map or this list.

Some more famous food markets you might want to check out include:

2. Make a list

If you want to do your weekly shopping at the market, it is best to make a list. You should also keep in mind that the best produce will be what is in season – you might not be able to find a pineapple in February.

Write down the French translations along side your list to avoid confusion when you get to the market.

3. Pick a time

Markets will usually run from early in the morning until early afternoon, accommodating both early risers and those who like a lie in.

Getting to the market early will allow you to avoid crowds and to pick the very best of the produce available that day.

Going towards the end of the market may mean you get some good deals as market sellers often reduce the prices of produce they know won’t last and need to sell.

Marché d’Aligre. © OTCP Amélie Dupont

4. Enjoy the cheap produce and the smug feeling of being a local now.

Take your time to see which stalls have the best value goods, and over time you will find your favourites and favourite sellers.

(Optional) 5. Forget your list, come home with 3 rotisserie chickens and bag of limes, order a take away and try again at the next market.

Celebrating the Year of the Tiger in Paris

We are saying goodbye to the Year of the Ox and entering Year of the Tiger. Tuesday 1st February 2022 marks the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, as well as in Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines!

If you are looking for a way to celebrate, check out Paris’s three different Chinatowns. Expect bustling streets and busy restaurants at this time of year, which are perfect for soaking in the atmosphere and joining the celebrations! Or grab a bite to eat from your local takeaway (traiteur)!

Les Olympiades

The more active heart of the Chinese community in Paris is located in the Olympiades district of the 13th arrondissement. ~The Olympiades is Europe’s largest Chinatown in terms of size. While Recognisable thanks to its many 1970s high-rises, it’s a vibrant neighbourhood with excellent food!

The town hall of the 13th arrondissement is hosting a week of New Year’s celebrations including film screenings, round table discussions and exhibitions. Find the full programme (in French) here.

If you’re looking for something to eat in Les Olymiades, enjoy some excellent Vietnamese soup at Pho Bành Cuon 14, dig into some tasty and reasonably priced southeast Asian food at Lao Lane Xang 2, or have a traditional Chinese meal at Li Ka Fo. For something on the go, track down Thieng Heng, for an authentic Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, or some bubble tea at Bubble House..

Crowded Belleville district, Roberto

Belleville

Traditionally working class, rebellious and artistic, the neighbourhood of Belleville is a true  melting pot. Along the bustling Boulevard de Belleville one can find North African hookah lounges, Jewish delis and Asian supermarkets.

Treat yourself to a delicious meal at one of the many Chinese restaurants and tea houses lining the main streets within 2-3 blocks of métro Belleville, especially along Rue Louis Bonnet.

The area’s most famous restaurant is Le Président, a vast Cantonese restaurant. For great Vietnamese pho or bobun, grab a table at Chez Yu and vegetarians might want to track down Best Tofu, a small casual joint packed with Asian diners (best for lunch as it closes at 8pm).

Rue au Maire, Vivre le Marais.

Arts-et-Métiers

The city’s original Chinatown is found in pocket of the 3rd arrondissement. As the traditional wholesale clothing district of the city, some Chinese, particularly from Wenzhou, settled in the area. Not too much is still visible today, however, around the City Hall of the district (la Mairie du 3ème) some Chinese shops and restaurants can be found on rue au Maire, rue Volta, rue du Temple and rue des Gravilliers.

Check out Mollé Pâtisserie for some sweet treats or hidden gem Chez Shen for an authentic meal!

Header photo: Lunar New Year Sortiraparis.com

How to Get a Covid-19 Test in Paris

If you find yourself in need of a Covid-19 test in Paris, you have many options to choose from.

Antigen (also known as lateral flow) tests administered by a pharmacy

These are rapid tests which provide a result within 15 to 30 minutes. They are widely available and the cheaper option.

Most pharmacies across the city offer antigen tests without an appointment.

If you do not have French health insurance, the test will cost between 22 and 30 euros. If you do not have French health insurance, but you do have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a the new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), present this at the pharmacy as you may be eligible for a reduced rate.

There are also many testing tents (see above photo) in main streets which provide tests with out appointments. Often you will scan a QR code and fill in a form whilst waiting in line for the test.

Self-administered antigen (lateral flow) test

Known as an autotest in French, these types of tests are sold in pharmacies and are widely available.

Sold individually for 5 euros or in kits of 5 tests for around 20 euros, these tests are the cheapest options currently available if you do not have French health insurance.

You will not receive a certificate with this type of test and so they cannot be used if you intend to travel.

PCR tests administered by a pharmacy or laboratory

PCR tests take longer to receive a result (around 24 hours) and are more expensive but may be required for travel to certain countries and are considered more accurate.

These tests are carried out by medical professionals in laboratories, private clinics or testing centres.

PCR tests cost from €44, and up to €80. If you do not have French health insurance, but you do have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a the new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), present this at the pharmacy as you may be eligible for a reduced rate.

The French government have a website allowing you to search for testing locations near you: https://www.sante.fr/cf/centres-depistage-covid/departement-75-paris.html

Select your departement (75 for Paris), your test type (RT-PCR or Antigenique) and open to everyone (ouverts à tout public)

You will be able to see a drop down from each testing location giving details such as address, opening hours, and whether they require an appointment (uniquement avec rendez-vous) or not (sans rendez-vous).

They will likely provide a website or phone number to book an appointment, if required.

Alternatively, you can book a PCR test through the Doctolib app or on Doctolib.fr

Log in or create an account and then search for dépistage PCR or dépistage antigénique and search for test appointment slots near you. It will show a screen like the one below.

 

Image: Cecile D. Sortir à Paris.

Travelling to France from the UK: what you need to know

This is a short guide for students joining us this January who are arriving from the UK.

If you are travelling to France from a country other than the UK, please view current guidance from the French government here: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coming-to-france-your-covid-19-questions-answered/

The below information is specific to travel to France from the United Kingdom only.

The rules for vaccinated travellers have changed as of Friday 14 January 2022:

  • You do not need to present a motif impérieux (compelling reason) to enter France.
  • You do not need to complete a passenger locator form.
  • You do not need to isolate on arrival in France.

Vaccinated travellers must provide at border control:

  • Proof of your negative test result dated within 24 hours of departure*
  • Proof of vaccination
  • Sworn Statement: this form must be completed and signed to state that you have no symptoms of covid and have not been in contact with anyone who has tested positive.

All documents can be found here: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel

Make sure you check your travel provider’s website for their own Covid requirements.

 

*This cannot be a NHS test. It must be a private PCR or antigen (lateral flow) test that will provide you with a “fit to fly/travel” certificate. Your travel provider will most likely be able to provide a list of test providers – but do not wait until the last minute to book!

 

 

For unvaccinated travellers see below:

Booking journey and accommodation

You will need to book your train or flight and read up on your travel provider’s own Covid requirements on their website.

If you have not yet sorted longer-term accommodation, you may wish to book accommodation for the first 10 days as the current French government restrictions require UK travellers to isolate for up to 10 days.

Pre-departure Testing

All travellers coming from the UK to France must take a PCR or antigen test within 24 hours of departure.

This cannot be an NHS test. You will need to book a test that will provide you with a “fit to fly/travel” certificate. Your travel provider will most likely be able to provide a list of test providers – but do not wait until the last minute to book!

Documents to bring with you

Prepare all the documents you will need to present at border control.

They can be found here: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel

  • Form detailing your “compelling reason” or pressing grounds to enter France:
    • If you have a French visa, tick the box “Third-country citizens who hold a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa ………. “
    • If you did not apply for a visa, tick the box “Students enrolled in French as a foreign language (FLE) courses prior to enrolment higher education, or admitted to the orals of competitive examinations in French higher education institutions, or enrolled for the start of the 2021-2022 academic year……..”
  • Proof of your “compelling reason” to enter France
    • this will be your visa or your status letter from the Kent Paris Office if you did not apply for a visa.
  • Passenger Locator Form (eOS): this is a form similar to the current UK passenger locator form and requires you to provide details of your address and contact details and will then produce a form with a QR code which you will be required to present for inspection at border control.
  • Sworn Statement: this form must be compeleted and signed to state that you have no symptoms of covid and have not been in contact with anyone who has tested positive.

Isolating in France

All travellers arriving from the UK must self-isolate on arrival in France, either for 48 hours following your arrival, or for a full 10 days:

Test to Release

If you chose to take a PCR or antigen test after 48 hours of arrival in France, you have many options to choose from.

If you are not registered with French national health inusrance:

  • PCR tests cost from €44
  • Antigen tests cost €22 to €30

Most pharmacies across the city offer antigen tests without an appointment.

There are also many testing tents in main streets which provide tests with out appointments. Often you will scan a QR code and fill in a form whilst waiting in line for the test.

We recommend taking an antigen test as they are widely available, cheaper, and you will have your results within 30 minutes or so.

 

Changes in Travel from the UK to France

The French government is instituting new restrictions for those travelling from the UK into France from Saturday, 18 December, and for an undetermined amount of time. Here are the headlines:

  • Both non-vaccinated and vaccinated people will be required to have a “compelling reason” (motif impérieux) to travel to or from the UK.
    • Anyone with a visa will normally be permitted to enter France. 
    • It is our understanding that studies constitute a “compelling reason” to enter France so long as they are able to demonstrate that they have been accepted onto a course in France. 
  • On departure, vaccinated people will have to present a negative PCR or lateral flow test less than 24 hours old. This cannot be an NHS test. You will need to book a test that will provide you with a “fit to fly/travel” certificate. Your travel provider will most likely be able to provide a list of test providers.
  • Before travelling, anyone coming from the UK will be required to register on a digital platform (in a similar format to the current UK passenger locator form) allowing them, among other things, to state the address for their stay in France. https://passager.serveureos.org/  This platform will generate prefectural orders requiring all non-vaccinated and vaccinated travellers to isolate in their chosen place. This requirement to isolate can be lifted after 48 hours, on condition of a negative test result. 
    • This requirement suggests that anyone entering France from the UK will be required to book accommodation prior to arrival for up to 10 days. As we are still learning more about the requirements and how they will be applied, we recommend that anyone making a booking straight away book something that is cancellable/refundable. You may also wish to wait to book something until January when the situation becomes clearer. 

-The first details your reason for coming to France (Travel Certificate to Metropolitan France).

-The second is a Sworn Statement (“Engagemnet sur l’honneur”) that you do not have Covid symptoms, have not been in contact with anyone who has tested positive, you will take a lateral flow test on arrival to France, and you will quarantine on arrival. The French government have stated that checks will be organized to ensure these measures are properly implemented.

 

Despite these stricter measures, we would like to reassure you that a similar situation took place at this time last year. All students registered on our programmes with a term in Paris were suddenly faced with the same requirement of demonstrating a compelling reason to be in France, and each of them was able to safely cross the border upon presentation of the requisite documents. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and update you when we return from the Christmas break. By that point, we are likely to have more information on requirements and also how the various requirements will be applied. 

Students who have not applied for a visa for the upcoming semester should expect to receive a status letter from the Kent Paris office on Monday, 10 January attesting to their future studies with us in Paris. In these instances, the more recent the status letter, the better. For that reason, we will not be issuing status letters prior to the 10th. With that said, Kent staff will be back in the office on Tuesday, 4th January, and you are welcome to get in touch with any questions.

 

Photograph: Getty Images

Covid-19 Booster Vaccinations in France

All information up to date as of 4 January 2022:

You do not have to be registered in the French healthcare system to receive a Covid-19 vaccine but you must prove that you legally reside in France e.g. a Visa, a Carte de Séjour, or proof of address (electricity bill etc.).

This guide is about how to access an additional Covid-19 vaccination injection (a booster shot) after the completion of your original vaccination scheme. In France, you must meet official vaccination requirements to be provided with a Covid health pass called a Pass Sanitaire, allowing you to enter restaurants, museums, cinemas etc. Read our guide to the Pass Sanitaire here.

This booster vaccination guide is relevant if you completed your original vaccination scheme with a vaccine authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) – Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Johnson & Johnson (Janssen), or AstraZeneca (Covishield).

If you compelted your original vaccination scheme with a vaccine not authorized by the EMA, you must isolate for 7 days on arrival in France and get a booster shot of an EMA authorised vaccine as soon as possible to be considered “fully vaccinated” in France and receive a Pass Sanitaire.

What the government currently says:

Booster shot/ 3rd vaccine dose

The booster shot is open to everyone aged 18 and over, 3 months after their last injection (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca), or 4 weeks after their last injection (Johnson & Johnson), or 3 months after their last positive test.

“Pass Sanitaire”

  • People aged 65 and over and people vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson are eligible to receive a booster shot from 27 November 2021 and must have proof of a booster shot by 15 December 2021 in order to keep their pass sanitaire activated.
  • People aged 18 to 64, who had their 2nd vaccine injection before 17 June 2021 are eligible to receive their booster shot from 27 November 2021 and must have received it by 15 January 2022 in order to keep their pass sanitaire activated.
  • People aged 18 to 64, who received their 2nd vaccine injection after 17 June 2021, are eligible to receive their vaccine 3 months after the date of the 2nd injection, and must receive the boost shot within 7 months of the 2nd injection in order to keep their pass sanitaire activated.
  • After your booster shot, you will receive a new QR code which will become valid 7 days after the injection. This QR code will renew your Pass Sanitaire.
  • From 29 November 2021, PCR tests and lateral flow tests must be dated within the last 24 hours to be used as a valid Pass Sanitaire.
  • At this time, we do not know what will happen if your Pass Sanitaire is disactivated, or how to reactivate it.

 

What to do:

  • If you can receive a booster shot in your home country before you come to France, that may be the easiest path. Otherwise:
  • Check the date of your last injection and calculate the date from which you are eligible to receive your booster.
  • Book your vaccination appointment on Doctolib.fr or on the Doctolib app:
    • There is a step-by-step guide at the end of this post.
    • Don’t be discouraged if you are scrolling through pages saying they don’t have appointments available, there may be a slot on a later page.
    • Each day new appointments are added. If you don’t get one straight away, don’t panic.
  • At your appointment you will be given a new QR code. Scan this code on the TousAntiCovid app to update your Pass Sanitaire

 

Doctolib Guide:

  1. Go to fr or the Doctolib app
  2. Select “me faire vacciner”

  1. Add your location (you may have to travel to receive a vaccine on your desired date)

  1. Select “reserver une dose de rappel” = reserve a booster shot

  1. Select the vaccine you need

  1. Select the date you are eligible to have your booster (See section “Pass Sanitaire” in this document)

  1. Choose your appointment time and place

  1. You will be asked a series of questions to check your eligibility e.g. aged over 12, completed an original Covid Vaccination scheme, no current Covid symptoms etc. If you meet these requirements, click “J’ai lu et j’accepte les consignes”

  1. Now login or create an account to confirm the appointment

Image Sortir à Paris. Information from Service-Public.fr