Ski bookings soar with France poised to ease restrictions

From Monday 14 March, France will end the use of Covid-19 vaccine passports domestically, and lift its mandate on face coverings in indoor public spaces, although they will still be required on public transport. Suspending the health pass will also ease the daily testing requirements for unvaccinated teenagers.

The move comes as another welcome boost for the ski sector, which has endured a third winter heavily curtailed by the Covid crisis. Club Med managing director UK and northern Europe, Estelle Giraudeau, said she expected sales to rebound strongly in the coming weeks and months.

“We’re delighted at the recent announcement that from 14 March, France is suspending the health pass, meaning unvaccinated children and teens will no longer need to test daily," she said.

Giraudeau said the restrictions had been a “roadblock” in ski season traffic, adding she expected people would be “eager to make last-minute bookings” for Easter now the rules are set to be relaxed – while warning some resorts were already close to being sold out.

"Club Med had a very strong start to the year with record-breaking sales weeks that saw revenue figures up 245% compared to the same weeks in 2019," she said.

"With families being our core audience, we expect a boom in sales throughout March and April, particularly around the Easter break as customers look to take advantage of the relaxed restrictions."