France Closes Borders of Caribbean Islands St. Barth’s, St. Martin & Guadeloupe

by McNab Editorial Team

This week the Government of France closed the country’s borders to non-European Union members. This included its overseas territories of St. Barth’s, St. Martin and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. The closures took effect from Wednesday February 3, 2020. Under this new order, travel to France and its overseas territories is currently limited to those with “compelling reasons.” These include personal or family order, health reasons or professional reasons that cannot be delayed.

 According to a statement by Nils DuFau, President of the St. Barth’s Tourism Board, the local St. Barth’s government is working with the French government in the hopes it may be exempt from these measures in the near-term.

It is noted persons currently on vacation in St. Martin and St. Barth’s will be able to return to their homes, according to the Prefect of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin Facebook page.

Previous Restrictions

Previously, St. Barth’s had been open since June 2020. Restaurants, boutiques, businesses and beaches remain open. For travel to St. Barth’s, visitors (ages 10 and up) are required to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test. The date the test was administered must be within 72 hours (three days) of their arrival. Antigen tests are not accepted to enter St. Barth’s.

Earlier in January, Guadeloupe also had imposed its own new seven-day quarantine for all travelers, except for those arriving from sister island Martinique. This was in addition to requiring a negative PCR test upon arrival, taken within 72 hours of travel. Following the seven days, another test was required.

This article is adapted from luxuryadvisor.com.

Image courtesy of the Financial Times.

Related Articles