On June 2nd, 2020, France entered its second phase of deconfinement, which authorizes certain hotels and restaurants to open with limitations. Borders are still (generally speaking) closed and some museums and monuments are either preparing to reopen or opened with limitations (restricted number of visitors, use of mask, hand sanitizers everywhere, and interactive exhibits closed).
Quick note, this is likely changing by June 15, when the country enters another stage of deconfinement, and I’m pretty sure they will be fully back to normal by then (or close to that).
My family is living in France (temporarily) and because our time in the country is limited, we decided to travel a bit before we return to the US. That said, first we did some research to find areas that were less hit by the virus, and that met our travel needs. For instance, many hotels are allowed to open for a limited number of guests, but are not allowed to open their dining services and areas. This meant that we had to travel with grocery bags of breakfast items and snacks, which we did and it worked out well (we have a car).
If you don’t have a car, stop at local markets (big names in France are Carrefour, Monoprix, Aldi, Intermarche, Auchon, Lidel, Casino…) just remember that some of the big chains close on Sunday, especially in smaller towns – check the internet first.
Still, traveling with children under normal circumstances is daunting enough, let alone right after the peak of an international pandemic that, regardless of your political and scientific views, undeniably killed thousands of people.
So, here are a few tips for those who will venture back into the world of tourism (just our personal views and experiences, only travel if you feel safe, and each family has different needs):
- Train your kids to wear masks: Currently, children under 12 aren’t required to wear masks inside most buildings and museums in France, but are required to wear them on long flights. I believe the general rule is for children over 4 years old, but that can vary per airline/country/tourist attraction. Either way, because we will fly to the US soon we started our kids on mask-wearing (even our 4 year old when supervised) on public outings that included activities indoors (supermarkets, exhibits etc). They are doing well, and hopefully when it comes to flying for nine hours straight they will be ready.
2. Pack LOADS of snacks: I do this already, but since I feel safer not eating in crowded areas with them right now, I’m packing a little extra. That doesn’t mean we don’t go out to eat, just that when we do I choose places that are less crowded so I can limit their exposure to unmasked people, and we opt for outside seating. Also, extra snacks means we have to stop less, so we find picnic areas for lunch, chill a little, and move on. Quick note: French meals at sit-down restaurants are normally a two-hour deal, so think about that and whether your children will sit through it or not. We have learned to buy delicious sandwiches in boulangeries (they’re everywhere) and we only stop for formal meals at dinnertime. More on this later.
3. Buy tons of HAND SANITIZERS! This. Right there. Since confinement in France, you’ll find hand sanitizers everywhere. I have multiple travel bottles, and every time we transition to another activity I have them use it. Disclaimer, I’m NOT a germaphobe, and I’ve even made use of the 5-second rule in the past. BUT, these are different times, my children have a disorder that could put them slightly at a greater risk for complications (nobody knows for sure), and I don’t want to risk being carriers of something that could be deadly to others (even if scientists recently started questioning the idea of the symptomless carrier).
Bottom line, since we still don’t know everything there is to know about the virus, the many complications that it can cause, and what treatments are safe and more efficient, I’ld rather err on the side of caution; which doesn’t mean I’m locked up either (we are lucky enough since we aren’t unquestionably in a group in risk).
4. Pack extra clothes and small bags. This is just something I’m going to do when we travel by train to Paris. Our route back home requires a night in Paris (and a night in NY too!). Since both cities were hit hard with COVID19, and the virus is still circulating at a higher rate than in other regions, I’m packing extra clothes so we can bag them after being in public transportation, and wash them later when we get back home. I haven’t seen any articles on this and I don’t know how effective it is, but I’m trying it anyway. If it sounds silly to you, just disregard this one.
5. Pack extra activities or toys. Since you will probably want to keep your kids closer to you and avoiding public spaces (as in climbing trees or running around and eventually touching public surfaces) bring extra toys to keep them entertained as you sit at a restaurant, or wait at the airport, train station, and so on. Most parents normally do this already, so for many this is just a friendly reminder.
Finally, Don’t panic! Trust me, even with all the precautions above your kid might still touch his/her face, eyes, mouth (God forbid!) Breathe, tell them (bribe them if you have to!) not to do it again, but just remember that (most likely) everything will be ok and they will not get COVD19.
Let me know what you think, or send me any thoughts or questions you might have as we slowly return to our normal traveling world.
Good luck! Have fun!
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