From Saturday morning, any traveler from French territory to the United Kingdom will have to self-isolate for 14 days, London announced Thursday evening. For French expats, this surprise measure led to big changes of plan at the last minute.

TESTIMONY

A fortnight was decided by London on Thursday and has been effective since Saturday three hours for travelers arriving from France. French expatriates in the United Kingdom have been taken aback by this decision by the government of Boris Johnson taken to fight against the coronavirus. Many of them were forced to reconsider their plans so as not to find themselves stranded upon their return to British soil.

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Emergency returns before the fortnight

Those who were already in France, for work or for the holidays had to rush their returns. This is the case with Marie who has lived in London for three years. The 24-year-old nurse was on the front line at the heart of the UK coronavirus crisis. After eight months without seeing her family, she decided to spend the summer in France: a vacation cut short by the announcement of the British government.

To avoid the fortnight, Marie had to make a long and expensive journey. "My parents took me a bit from Aurillac to Clermont by car. From Clermont I took a two and a half hour TER to Lyon". And from Lyon to Paris, a TGV, in order to arrive in time to catch the last Eurostar of the day for London. Less than less than five before the implementation of the quarantine. A multiplication of journeys which has a cost: more than 400 euros for this express return.

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Up to 1,000 euros fine

Other French residing in the United Kingdom intended to return at the end of August or the beginning of September in France. Séverine, for example, had to leave for two weeks in the south of France. "Since this announcement, I am not very reassured at the idea of ​​leaving, my return flights can be canceled at any time," she explains.

Séverine will therefore spend her vacation elsewhere, "for fear of getting stuck or that the situation becomes complicated. I think that it is not very wise for me to go on vacation there". Because these expatriates cannot afford to be stuck for 14 days or to deviate from the rule. In the event of a control, the British police can distribute fines of up to € 1,000 for failure to comply with the fortnight.