I’m sitting on my caravan pitch, listening to the cicadas sing in the pine trees shading my camping table and in front of me the sun sparkles as it hits the gentle waves of the Med.
It’s the same view I have enjoyed for the last 45 years. I was just six when we discovered Camp du Domaine, a French gem of a campsite right on the beach in the Cote D’Azur and we’ve come back every year since.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
3
The Sun’s Travel Editor Lisa Minot, pictured here with her friend Kimberly Keith, is currently on holiday in the south of France
And although that view has not changed, this year has been a very different experience.
Masks are obligatory in the shower blocks and campsite shop and restaurant. You’re wary when you stroll through the small streets of La Faviere as holidaymakers crowd the bars and restaurants.
But after months in lockdown, we were willing to take the risk and continue our holiday as normal when the quarantine was dropped and France was put on the list of countries deemed safe by the FCO.
Two weeks on, the number of cases in France has risen faster than back in the UK and there is a very real possibility that the quarantine will be reimposed before we return home.
3
Lisa has been coming to Camp du Domaine, a French gem of a campsite right on the beach in the Cote D’Azur since she was six years old
As a journalist able to work from home, it was a risk I could take but for millions of holidaymakers who have saved long and hard for their week or two in the Mediterranean sunshine, this simply isn’t the case.
Many will now have to cancel breaks in Spain because of the reintroduction of quarantine means a week or two’s holiday could turn into a month, financially impossible for most.
For those arguing we should all simply book a holiday in the UK instead, it isn’t quite as simple as that.
While many millions of us are willing to stay at home and enjoy exploring our glorious coasts and countryside, the surge in demand and lack of supply means even a staycation may be out of reach.
Prices in popular holiday spots in the UK are going through the roof.
3
As the number of cases in France has risen faster than back in the UK, there is a very real possibility that the quarantine will be reimposed before Lisa and her family return home
Families are being quoted thousands for a week’s stay at a caravan park in Cornwall – and for very similar money can get seven nights’ in an Greek all-inclusive hotel, including flights.
What we are unfortunately going to have to accept is if we want to get a break this summer, going ANYWHERE is going to involve a risk – financially and health-wise.
GROUNDED
Jet2 cancels all holidays & flights to mainland Spain after air bridge axed
KENT WAIT
First look at London Resort theme park’s hotel and shopping zone – due in 2024
GROUNDED
Jet2 cancels flights and holidays to Spanish islands until August 10
HOL-P!
Brits warned book 2021 UK hols now as places are already full – and prices rise 50%
LOOKS SUITE
Staycation on the cards? These are TripAdvisor’s best hotels and B&Bs in the UK
FETA CHECK FIRST
Latest travel advice for Greece including quarantine rules and flights
Those booking package holidays at least have the reassurance that should their destination suddenly be taken off the list of safe destinations by the FCO, they can claim their money back or re-book for another time.
But any money spent on a trip during this terrible time is going to come with risks – and we are going to have to accept that going forward.
While many may disagree with the government’s decision to adjust and reimpose quarantine at very short notice, it’s unfortunately something we are going to have to live with.
Continue Reading: Source Link