Anne-Charlotte PasseraThis travel article is a little different than the ones I usually write, but aren’t you a little curious as to what it’s like to travel during COVID-19 from Montreal to France?
I was somewhat aware as to what was going at the airport, but could it have been just rumors?
First of all, before you hop on the internet and book your airplane tickets for France, know that as of today, June 25th, 2020, the CANADIAN BORDER is not officially open. Moreover, the European borders are closed to non-European citizens.
So how did I travel to France from Montreal with Blondie Bear and Junior during the Covid-19 and why?
At the end of March 2020, a close family member of ours, in France, got diagnosed with brain cancer. At the same time, the quarantine and Covid-19 had just hit full swing our beautiful island of Montreal in Quebec, Canada. I’m sure you can imagine how devastating it was for all of us to receive this news from overseas and being stuck not only at home but in Canada.
Originally, we had decided we would go to France in July 2020, once the borders were officially reopened and I had finally received Blondie Bear’s Canadian passport. However, our family member’s condition changed and so did our plans.
Booking your airline tickets and getting your passport during Covid-19
I had applied for Blondie Bear’s Canadian passport before leaving for my trip to Vietnam and then Covid-19 happened. All passports were put on hold and as of today, I don’t know when they are planning on starting to process them again.
It’s possible to get a passport issued in case of emergency travel. You need to prove that you have to travel. In our case, it was to go to France because one of our family members is very ill. All we needed was a paper from the hospital or anything to prove that our family member is ill.
Since our paperwork was still in the system, we didn’t need anything else. You will, however, need to provide them with a copy of your plane tickets.
If you need to travel outside of Canada in less than two days, you can call Passport Canada (1-800-567-6868). If it’s more than two days (for us it was 5), you can fill out the short form directly on their website HERE. Then, you just need to wait for them to call you to verify the information and set up an appointment. For us, I filled up the form online Monday, they called me Tuesday and I had the appointment for the Thursday. When you get to the passport office, you hand in your documents and wait at reception. That’s it!
Booking your plane tickets
I booked our plane tickets to travel from Montreal (Canada) to France during Covid-19 through Skyscanner. The prices were reasonable considering it was last minute. Our plane ticket cost us $830 per person (no checked bag). While looking for plane tickets, I noticed that plane tickets were a lot cheaper in August, more than usual. So, if you’d like to travel this Summer, once the borders are opened, look for tickets in August or after.
To book our tickets, no special information was required. There are and have been daily flights from Montreal (Canada) to France during Covid-19 with Air Canada.
Arriving at the airport of Montreal
When you arrive to the airport, only 3 or 4 entrances are opened to passengers. You can only get dropped off as the parking lots are closed. You can still get there by taxi of by bus as well. It was odd to see the taxi line empty.
You cannot go inside the airport with your loved ones if you are not flying.
At the entrance, you’ll have to put on your mask or anything that covers your nose and mouth. Then, you’ll be asked to disinfect your hands.
Once inside, you’ll have to go see the man with the temperature gun. Once you are cleared, you’ll have to disinfect your hands, again.
Check-in
Checking-in has never been so easy. There were very few flights flying out when we were there and barely anyone inside the airport. Usually, you have to get to the airport 3 hours before your flight leaves internationally. However, if you don’t have to check your bags, 2 hours should really suffice.
One would think that since the airplanes are barely full, the airlines would allow you to check your bag for FREE. Well, that is not the case. In fact, it cost $70 per checked bag, one way, per person.
When we did the check-in though, we were asked (on the screen) if we were a French or European citizen, which in our case we are, and we have dual citizenship. Also, you get asked questions about Covid-19 and if you present any symptoms.
Security
There is a little restaurant that is open before you pass security. It might be a decent for food option if you are hungry, unless you bring your own.
Before heading into the security line, you’ll have to disinfect your hands once again. Going through security was a breeze.
Before dropping your bags off to get checked, you’ll have to disinfect your hands AGAIN. You can only be two people at a time to drop off your bags instead of four. Honestly, it’s fine as there aren’t a whole lot of people flying.
Once you have passed security, go to your gate. In the international zone, everything is closed. So, if you are hungry, good old Tim Hortons is opened and a couple of convenience stores as well.
You are supposed to keep your mask on at all times inside the airport. However, I think it’s ok if you take it a bit off in the seating area if there isn’t anyone around or inside the bathroom stall. I am not sure if it’s alright to do that but that what we did.
Airplane travel from Montreal to France during Covid-19
The way to board the airplane is done a little bit differently than normal. Of course, business class and families with small children board first. Then, they have divided the boarding into multiple zones so that not everyone in one section of the plane boards together. My kids and I had two different groups even though we were together. However, I asked if we could go in together since we were a unit.
Prior to passing the gate and showing your passport, your temperature will be taken once again.
Once inside the plane, the flight attendants will give you a small care package including a mask, disinfectant wipes and disinfectant gel. If you need an extra mask, they will provide it for you.
You have to keep your mask on at all times but kids under the age of 6 aren’t required to do so.
In terms of seating, there will be a vacant seat between two people or if you are lucky like me, you’ll get the whole row to yourself. You cannot trade seats with anyone or sit anywhere else.
Also, they recommend that you stay in your seats at all times except for bathroom breaks. Therefore, no long walks up and down the aisle are allowed.
Food
Although they don’t serve drinks or snack on board, they do serve meals. It’s not a hot meal but a wrap or sandwich in a bun with some other goodies and water. It’s better than nothing at all which I thought was going to be case.
Formalities
There is a document that needs to be filled out on the plane. You can print it out from home HERE or they hand it out before boarding or on the plane. It pretty much is a document that explains why you are traveling, your information, and your seat information for the plane. I assume it’s in case someone catches the Covid-19 and they need to contact people that could have come in contact with that person. So, don’t forget to bring a pen!
If you are planning on traveling with your spouse or partner, make sure you have proof with you, or else you’ll have a hard time getting into France. Bring your marriage certificate or proof that you live together and have been for a long time (utility bills for example).
Traveling through France during Covid-19
Our travel journey during Covid-19 from Canada to France didn’t stop in Paris. We had to go all the way to Mulhouse in Alsace. It’s a region in the East of France that borders with Germany and Switzerland.
To get from Paris Charles de Gaule Airport to Mulhouse, we had to take an RER train to Paris and then a train from Gare de Lyon (train station in Paris) to Mulhouse.
In the RER, there weren’t too many people, but it also wasn’t rush hour. You have to wear a mask and leave empty seats around you as indicated. They have painted dots on the platform for people to know where to stand and keep their distances from each other while they wait.
In the train from Paris to Mulhouse, you also have to wear a mask and stay in your seats as much as possible.
The little care kit that was given to each of us in the airplane really came in handy during our travel journey, even after we landed. We didn’t see any disinfectant dispensers at the RER stations or at the train station.
So there was our little travel adventure during Covid-19 from Montreal to France. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave a comment down below.
