I was in Paris a few weeks ago, and had to get a negative PCR test before flying home (Canada), and wanted to give English speaking tourists some tips on my experience in case you needed it. My wife and I flew on a Sunday and planned to get a test on a Friday….but we forgot. This forced us to get a test on a Saturday which was a pain. Here is what we learnt, so you don’t have to:
– Lots of Pharmacies in Paris are closed on Saturdays, often without notice, or in contrast to what their websites say. So be prepared for this. We found locations through a website like [this](https://www.airfrance.com.br/BR/en/common/page_flottante/trouver-laboratoire.htm)
– Lots of pharmacies have pop-up tents outside of their main building. So this is on the street and is normal. These pop-ups have no phones, obviously. Just a person in a booth taking paperwork and payments.
– We found a location that did PCR tests (no booking in our instance) and showed up before 9am in Bastille to get a test. By 9:30 there was a line 10 people long, so be on time. They seem to perform tests at certain – non-busy times only.
– The paperwork we filled out was obviously in french with no translation, so bring a phone to help you translate. There is no confirmation or anything, so be sure to write your email clearly.
– lots of anxious tourists fighting over spots in line because they flew the next day. The spot in line doesn’t seem to matter. Non-rushed PCR tests are not done on site, but I believe bulk transferred off site to a processing facility
– PCR tests seem to cost approx 45 EUR each. Cheaper for antigen.
– We also got a test at Charles De Gaulle as we didn’t want to miss our flights. The Russybus to CDG is the cheapest way to get there and runs every hour or so, but costs 13.70 each way and takes about an hour from Opéra. They advertise WIFI on the bus, but it never worked for us.
– One of the airport wings is shut down right now, so its a bit of a walk from the bus to the testing station.
– This CDG COVID19 testing facility is very busy but efficient. You can signup online prior to going there which will put you in a quicker line to get a test. You will get an email that confirms your address, so thats comforting. Lots of nervous travelers here also, don’t be those people!
– You fill in your info, get a sticker, pay, then are called by a number system into a room for your test. The test was nasal and seemed a little….pedestrian. The test at the pharmacy was both nostrils and she went deep (heh), the airport testers only did one nostril and very shallow.
– I saw some people pay the 100EUR fast test, I believe they promised the results in 2 hours.
– Both the test at a pharmacy and at the CDG airport results came back at about 9pm that day (test taken about 9am and 2pm). So under 12 hours. BOTH test results came back via email within 2 or 3 minutes of each other. So its clear that tests are done at the same facility.
– when we checked into our airline at CDG, we did have our negative tests checked (as per Canadian requirements) but only once. So it felt a bit of a letdown.
– So yeah the pharmacy option is clearly less ‘official’ feeling, but in no way less trustworthy if you aren’t getting a fast-track. if you are flying the next day and get your test in the morning/afternoon, i think you will be fine. they advertise 24-36 hours, but that seems very generous.
– hope this is helpful to someone!
– merci france ! J’ai passé un agréable moment à visiter votre grand pays!