Regulations for visiting France

[boatmike]

Now we have Brexit I assume we need to comply with a certain amount of form filling and regulation. I have an ICC and my boat is registered under SSR . All VHF licences are in place and I have an operators licence. Being an old fart I remember a time when we had to fill in a "notification of departure" and keep a copy on board and fly a Q flag on return until cleared by customs on return. Are we back to that? Do we have to enter France at a "Port of entry" say Cherbourg? Or can I sail directly to St Vaast ? Are there any special Covid related regs? Please help an old fart out with a bit of guidance as it's a long time since I visited France and would welcome advice from those up to date with current requirements. Thanks in advance..

 

[Tranona]

Look here forums.ybw.com/index.php?threads/cherbourg-in-formalities-experience.582255/ answers most of your questions. The boat is not an issue - just the normal documents which you have, the problem is checking people into Schengen which can only be done at designated entry points such as Cherbourg.

RYA and CA of course have detailed guidance but as you see from the thread and similar ones, the current situation is in a bit of flux as people get used to the new rules, and the coming "visa" system.

 

[LadyInBed]

Someone's not been reading some of the current posts ?

 

[Sandy]

Ring the marina that you are planning to visit and get the most up to date information.

 

[ashtead]

Just don’t try to watch the football though ?

 

[Sea Devil]

Now we have Brexit I assume we need to comply with a certain amount of form filling and regulation. I have an ICC and my boat is registered under SSR . All VHF licences are in place and I have an operators licence. Being an old fart I remember a time when we had to fill in a "notification of departure" and keep a copy on board and fly a Q flag on return until cleared by customs on return. Are we back to that? Do we have to enter France at a "Port of entry" say Cherbourg? Or can I sail directly to St Vaast ? Are there any special Covid related regs? Please help an old fart out with a bit of guidance as it's a long time since I visited France and would welcome advice from those up to date with current requirements. Thanks in advance..

the only issue you have that is new is the 90/180 day rule for Brits entering into the EU... You must get your passport(s) stamped into the EU on the boats and your arrival... That means going to a port that has Douane officials or Port Police present - mainly Calais, Dieppe, Le Havre, Ouistreham, Cherbourg and Roscoff... At other ports you must either take public transport to the Customs office or a taxi (Uber)... and the same for leaving....; Other than registration doc and 3rd party insurance you are good to go

 

[Haraka]

I recently returned from 4 years in France to UK via Guernsey. I filled in a Formulaire PAF (Google it) that was emailed to me by French authorities and I filled it in in advance and emailed it back to them the morning I left ( to make sure I did actually leave from the declared port). The form can be used for departure or arrival. I am sure the requirement only to enter/exit via specific ports has been removed.
I did not get my passport stamped out of France, but will take a copy of my Formulaire PAF (which has my passport details on it) with me when I next enter Schengen. Could take a little explaining, if I enter via Hungary maybe!
I also filled in the UK counterpart and emailed it to the 3 UK addresses required the day I sailed into UK. Then I called Yachtline 45 minutes out from Dartmouth. After due questioning I was told I could lower my Q flag - disappointing, because I hadn’t yet raised it!
As I understand it Q flag is required entering Schengen, UK and Channel Islands (who came down to the pontoon to thank me for flying it).

 

[Sea Devil]

I did not get my passport stamped out of France, but will take a copy of my Formulaire PAF (which has my passport details on it) with me when I next enter Schengen. Could take a little explaining, if I enter via Hungary maybe!
I also filled in the UK counterpart and emailed it to the 3 UK addresses required the day I sailed into UK. Then I called Yachtline 45 minutes out from Dartmouth. After due questioning I was told I could lower my Q flag - disappointing, because I hadn’t yet raised it!
As I understand it Q flag is required entering Schengen, UK and Channel Islands (who came down to the pontoon to thank me for flying it).

I suspect you will have a dreadful time next time you enter the EU as because it is the stamps or scan of your passport that decides if your 'clock' has stopped ticking - the exit stamp - Be really interesting to know how you get on as there are stories of folks overstaying by a day or two and being fined and banned from the EU for several years..... But you may be right....

 

[Daydream believer]

. That means going to a port that has Douane officials or Port Police present - mainly Calais, Dieppe, Le Havre, At other ports you must either take public transport to the Customs office or a taxi (Uber)... and the same for leaving....

I would query Dieppe & Le Havre. The nearest customs office is 50 miles away in Rouen. The ferry port customs are only there for ferry arrival/departure & I was informed by a CA member that the CA say that they will not handle yacht arrivals.
Obviously things change but check first as Dieppe is a great place to go & Le Havre is good for the surrounding areas.
Ouistreham ?? Do not know.
But from post #7 you can see that there is conflicting info. Personally I would stick to Calais or Cherbourg & make sure my passport was properly stamped both ways.
Better still go to Ostend & all points east-

 

[Sea Devil]

I would query Dieppe & Le Havre. The nearest customs office is 50 miles away in Rouen. The ferry port customs are only there for ferry arrival/departure & I was informed by a CA member that the CA say that they will not handle yacht arrivals.
Obviously things change but check first as Dieppe is a great place to go & Le Havre is good for the surrounding areas.
Ouistreham ?? Do not know.
But from post #7 you can see that there is conflicting info. Personally I would stick to Calais or Cherbourg & make sure my passport was properly stamped both ways.
Better still go to Ostend & all points east-

From the perspective here in Boulogne sur mer where I am based the requirement is to find a Port Police / Douane officer and these exist in all French ports were international ferries arrive - Now they may not be on duty 24/7 but as most ferry ports have at least 1 sailing and 1 departure a day it is reasonable to expect Port Police to be around every day.... The problem visiting UK boats seem to have is transporting themselves to French Port Police offices so in places like Dieppe, Le Havre, Ouistreham it should be OK at worst only at ferry arrival or departure times... But I could be wrong...

 

[Daydream believer]

From the perspective here in Boulogne sur mer where I am based the requirement is to find a Port Police / Douane officer and these exist in all French ports were international ferries arrive - Now they may not be on duty 24/7 but as most ferry ports have at least 1 sailing and 1 departure a day it is reasonable to expect Port Police to be around every day.... The problem visiting UK boats seem to have is transporting themselves to French Port Police offices so in places like Dieppe, Le Havre, Ouistreham it should be OK at worst only at ferry arrival or departure times... But I could be wrong...

If you are based in Boulogne perhaps you would do us a favour. There is a customs office about 1.5 miles from the harbour in an industrial estate.
Could we badger you to nip along & ask if they would accept british yachts turning up & asking for their passports to be stamped. The other issue is opening times. If one wants to leave at a weekend & the customs is shut what happens then?

We love coming to boulogne & wanted to do our annual club 6 day cruise there. We have a favourite bar on the right just inside the old town opposite the gardens in front of the church & really miss it.
No way do we want the hassle of Calais first, neither by sailing there or by bus etc. from Boulogne.

We have also been told that the pontoons are busted & not open to visiting yachts this year. But that could just be the HM not wanting us there as the fishermen must hate us.

 

[Sea Devil]

Sadly the offices away from the harbour are purely administrative..I go there to get my Green Passport Bateau so that will not work - No actual police - only admin folks... You can get a UBER to calais or perhaps a taxi - Uber cost around 65 euro EW and takes 30 minutes... but if you ask in the marina office I am sure they can do a deal with a taxi to drive you to the Calais office wait and drive you back.... It's actually Port Police - French border force who do the stamping...

The new pontoons are going back in tomorrow and the following day and there are stacks of visitors from Belgium and the Netherlands sailing in and the marina office is finding them places in Basin Napoleon if they stay more than a night. I know that the marina treasures it's British visitors and is very concerned about the new regulations and the pontoon disaster!
There are updates about the pontoons Accueil | Port de plaisance de Boulogne-sur-mer in English....

I don't think there are any issues with the local fishermen as the offshore boats are in a basin a long way from the main port and anyway a dozen or so Scottish and English freezer lorries arrive every day to deliver fish to the Findus and other packaging plants also further back from the main port - The fishermen know it is not Brit Yachties who are creating the problem...

That cafe is indeed lovely and there is another 'quaint' one up in the Old (fortified) town where I live called the Vole - Say hello to Jan from me.... The old town is well worth getting the free bus from outside the church up the hill to Porte Neuf - and wandering round...

 

[st599]

The other issue is opening times. If one wants to leave at a weekend & the customs is shut what happens then?

Simple, you wait until Monday morning - many a happy hour spent waiting at Heathrow for Customs to open.

 

[Sea Devil]

Simple, you wait until Monday morning - many a happy hour spent waiting at Heathrow for Customs to open.

In the ports of entry and ferry ports if there are ferries at the weekend (almost all) then the Port Police /Douane will be open all weekend....

 

[st599]

In the ports of entry and ferry ports if there are ferries at the weekend (almost all) then the Port Police /Douane will be open all weekend....

Indeed, but the question was what happens if you want to leave and the office is shut. The answer is you have to wait until it is open. It's up to the individual to get stamped out correctly.

 

[Sea Devil]

Indeed, but the question was what happens if you want to leave and the office is shut. The answer is you have to wait until it is open. It's up to the individual to get stamped out correctly.

well the simple thing would be to move your boat and crew along the coast to a port of entry... Once you are checked into your first French port you can then travel from French port to French port without checking in again... There is a form that the marina will fill out for you but it is not really your concern

 

[Habebty]

I like Boulogne too.

I just received this from the RYA via an email link to their website.....

extract from their website
On arrival, non-EU crew will need to see the PAF to carry out customs and immigration formalities. If your chosen port is not a Port of Entry then you may well have to travel to the nearest PAF office to do this. Many are not close to marinas and many are not open 24 hours.
Until the situation becomes clearer it may well be prudent to choose a Port of Entry as you first port of call in France. The official Ports of Entry on the French Channel coast are (in order along the coast from east to west): Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne, Dieppe, Le Havre, Honfleur, Caen/Ouistreham, Cherbourg, Carteret, Granville, St Malo, St Brieuc/Légué, and Roscoff.

Sailing your pleasure craft to and from France (rya.org.uk)


Not sure I believe them though?

 

[TiggerToo]

Oh The Joy.

Or should that be

Ode to Joy (with accompanying music).

Not

 

[Daydream believer]

I cannot see how Boulogne can be designated a port of entry for pleasure craft if there is no customs office for such vessels as kindly clarified by Sea Devil in #12
It was on an earlier list, but then deleted at a later date & I am not convinced that the RYA have actually realised this.

 

[Habebty]

I cannot see how Boulogne can be designated a port of entry for pleasure craft if there is no customs office for such vessels as kindly clarified by Sea Devil in #12
It was on an earlier list, but then deleted at a later date & I am not convinced that the RYA have actually realised this.

I have emailed them.