This was posted on the Javea Connect group today and we thought it may be useful to those who intend to drive back to the UK soon. The author is unknown as it was copied and pasted from another group.
“Just travelled back from VillamartÃn Spain to the U.K. for a couple of months by road. I thought I would go through the experience to hopefully help anyone else out doing the same thing.
Covid 19 PCR test completed as required to cross the Spanish / French boarder.
Arrived at Valencia / Catalan boarder on motorway, the road was blocked diverting traffic through a motorway service area where a security point was in operation to check where you were going and for what. Delay of about 10 minutes and showing boarding card for Euro Tunnel was all that was required.Spanish / French boarder just drove straight through.
Was starting to regret having the PCR tests as a Antigen test is all that is required to get into the U.K. and lots of paperwork.
Arrived at 1st French autoroute toll booth. Police everywhere to check that a PCR test had been completed on entering the country. Quite a few Belgium, German, Dutch vehicles parked up on side of road and at Toll administration block so can only guess they had failed to do their tests and where being fined, paying for a test at the office or both.
Our papers were in order so a 5 minute delay, so all happy.
Services in Spain all open. Journey through France was straight forward. Services on motorways all open but restaurants closed. Off the motorway only essential shops open.
Curfew in France was from 7pm until 6am. You can travel in the Curfew but need to fill in a form available on the French government site for Covid information only in French. 1 form per person and transiting through or returning home are both legitimate reasons to be on the road.
Most rest areas are also open as usual. Euro Tunnel is open and trains running every 2 hours instead of 15 minutes due to a lack of business. Only about 100 cars on our train and arriving at the terminal was the 1st time we saw a U.K. registered car in our entire journey. It was quite a shock as we kept hearing about the mass exodus of Brits from Europe due to the 90 days but that was obviously not the case.
Out of all the cars on the train around half we’re German, French, Polish etc now that was a surprise. The layout of the tunnel internal route has been changed and a new boarding system introduced all very straightforward just keep your eyes peeled. Again if the paperwork was not in order people were being turned away from the terminal. French border control was closed and just drove straight to British passport control so French don’t appear to interested in the 90 day rule enforcement.
Long queue and slow moving check in included passport, 2 and 8 day PCR test proof of purchase, Current Covid test proof and completed travel decloration form for each passenger.
The hold up was mainly due to people not having the correct forms or not sorting the forms ready for inspection. One vehicle took in excess of 15 minutes – ours took less than 5 minutes.
The 2 and 8 day Covid tests can only be brought from the government Covid website. The good news is that there are now several suppliers and competition for the business has now reduced prices. Ours were £169 each there was one for £160 but the site information appeared sketchy and amateurish presentation put us off. When bought, a code is issued which is needed to complete your travel declaration form. So book the tests 1st. The travel declaration form is the usual government nightmare asking loads of questions of which a fair few are asking the same question that was asked 5 questions ago but worded differently. These forms need to be filled out between travel time and 48 hours before.
Good luck you will need plenty of time and the patience of a saint. Arriving back you have a strict 10 day quarantine, our packs ordered on Monday had arrived on Wednesday before we had got back. Both my partner and I, had our first government telephone checks on Thursday. Each telephoned within 30 minutes of each other and a few questions to answer and a lecture on all the rules.
At 56 years of age my mum thinks I am still in short trousers, the U.K. government thinks I am still in nappies the way they go through the rules 
Hope this helps anyone traveling back by road!”
Cover Photo: Como Funciona
