Entering France via Isle de Chausey

[chrisD]

I know there has been lots of discussion on entering France, but does anyone know specifically whether you can make Isle de Chausey your first stop between Jersey and the French mainland? And if so, do it “informally” or by filing paperwork?

 

[Roberto]

It's a long time since I was last there, but there was a very, very limited human presence, I doubt any immigration official.
Like a French wanting to enter the UK at the Minkies

 

[doug748]

You should enter France by a specific port after sending the paperwork in advance, you could call in to another port a say nothing and you are unlikely to be rumbled but, should the worst happen, you would have little in hand to defend yourself.

However, there is a special scheme for boats travelling from the Channel Isles:

UK cruisers can now enter France through any port - Yachting Monthly

This accommodates the fact that there are loads of resident CI boats going to France for short term trips and it mirrors the special arrangement they always had with the EU - the CI's never having been part of that institution. I have no idea if the scheme only relates to CI residents or registered boats, the link is old and there are no doubt better guides available if you root about. Local yacht clubs may provide better information.

Personally I would be inclined to check in at Granville and carry on from there.

.

 

[Bobc]

I know there has been lots of discussion on entering France, but does anyone know specifically whether you can make Isle de Chausey your first stop between Jersey and the French mainland? And if so, do it “informally” or by filing paperwork?

Why would you want to do that? Just go to Granville and get stamped in.

 

[Sandy]

I know there has been lots of discussion on entering France, but does anyone know specifically whether you can make Isle de Chausey your first stop between Jersey and the French mainland? And if so, do it “informally” or by filing paperwork?

You can only enter France via a 'port of entry'. I'd be interested to hear your story if you are stopped and boarded by French officials.

On arriving in France, on a visit to stop my 90 day clock, I was quizzed at length because I had not stamped out of Europe. Friends entering The Netherlands without an exit stamp have had on the spot fines of €500.

One of the many great benefits in being a third country.

 

[lustyd]

You can only enter France via a 'port of entry'.

You can only check in at ports of entry, you can enter wherever you like but you'll need to go and check in

 

[Frogmogman]

There was a special system being tried out at Saint Quay-Portrieux and Saint Cast this summer which seemed pretty good. Not sure if it’s being extended for 2023.

 

[Sandy]

You can only check in at ports of entry, you can enter wherever you like but you'll need to go and check in

Not a discussion I want to have with a boat full of officials with guns and 500 hundred years of English/French maritime history.

 

[lustyd]

Not a discussion I want to have with a boat full of officials with guns and 500 hundred years of English/French maritime history.

How do you suppose they differentiate heading towards one port and heading towards another? If you've not checked in, you're still on your way to France. If you've arrived, go and check in, but there won't be a boat full of guns in the marina. If there was, tell them you're on your way to check in. For some reason people have a view of borders as seen in airports. In the real world, borders are fuzzy things that people cross and then check in.

 

[Sandy]

How do you suppose they differentiate heading towards one port and heading towards another? If you've not checked in, you're still on your way to France. If you've arrived, go and check in, but there won't be a boat full of guns in the marina. If there was, tell them you're on your way to check in. For some reason people have a view of borders as seen in airports. In the real world, borders are fuzzy things that people cross and then check in.

The French have a system of 'Semaphores', as a result of the historical activities of the near neighbours across the channel, Their task is to monitor the activity along the coast 24/7 and are fascinating places to visit if you get the chance, all staff speak really good English. AIS is a great give away, the radar kit I saw was cutting edge and their huge binoculars allowed me to read the name of ship on the hull 10 miles offshore. Then there was the classified stuff that I was not allowed to see. In comparison we have the wonderful NCI.

Every time I've met the Maritime Gendarmerie, Douane, Gendarmerie or local police I have noticed they carry at least a sidearm.

Personally, I like to be legal in a country, getting my passport marked with a note by a Border Force equivalent will really restrict my travel options; we all have different tolerance of risk.

 

[Frogmogman]

Guns or not, they are very unlikely to shoot you !! You are however quite right about the level of surveillance from the semaphores, Sandy.

 

[Roberto]

OT

 

[ashtead]

Would not seem you have entered the Scillies in post 12. I don’t really see how you can check in at the isle de Chausey -is there a hidden floating bureau in the summer? I guess if you were on your way to st cast which is a delightful and welcoming marina all would be well anyway given the absence of formalities there.

 

[Sandy]

Guns or not, they are very unlikely to shoot you !! You are however quite right about the level of surveillance from the semaphores, Sandy.

I know that they are unlikely to shoot me ? Just always a bit on edge when I see people carrying firearms in public places even though I held a firearms licence for years.

 

[chrisD]

thanks for your interesting responses. I‘m not much the wiser as to whether you can file on-line and enter a non entry port first, especially if I run the risk of being improperly threatened with guns.

 

[Frogmogman]

I know that they are unlikely to shoot me ? Just always a bit on edge when I see people carrying firearms in public places even though I held a firearms licence for years.

I know, me too. I’d rather the only officers with guns were the real expert marksmen, rather than every Tom Dick and Harry.

Years ago, in the little town in SW France where I then lived, there was an early morning break in at a jewelers shop. The robbers had arrived in two cars, and when the rozzers arrived, abandoned one to block the road, making off in the other.

One of the local plod, a Constable Bourgeois, jumped out of his car, pulled out his six-shooter, and blazed away at the escaping villains like John Wayne.

He hit 3 parked cars and 2 shop fronts. Thank goodness the good burghers were all still abed; it could have been carnage otherwise.

 

[Sandy]

thanks for your interesting responses. I‘m not much the wiser as to whether you can file on-line and enter a non entry port first, especially if I run the risk of being improperly threatened with guns.

The simple answer is non as you need your passport stamped, but if you stop there before checking in and get boarded you might or might not get some sort of penalty. As it is early days in the world og third country rules there is no real experience of what happens in the real world.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I was there 2 years ago absolutely no possibility of getting your passport stamped, some small houses and a cafe but nothing else and no officials.

 

[Yealm]

The other easier way to enter France, of course, is to reverse Brexit

 

[lustyd]

At this point it seems more likely the UK will have a revolution and overthrow the government, given how annoyed everyone seems to be