France lockdown: Can gardeners work at clients' homes?

Reader question: Can gardeners continue to work during this lockdown? When the rules say homeworkers can continue what jobs are included? What documents are needed?

Yes, gardeners can continue to work during this lockdown.

The government published a document specifying which professions can continue working at clients’ homes:

• Childcare at home
• Assistance to the elderly and disabled
• Home maintenance (housework and DIY / gardening)
• Delivery of meals, linen and groceries
• Computer and administrative assistance
• Tutoring

Plumbers, electricians, heating engineers, painters, etc. are also allowed to continue working.

More information on the rules can be found in this government press release (in French).

Certain home service workers are not permitted to continue during the lockdown, such as hairdressers, beauticians and cleaners.

What documents are needed?

The above-mentioned home services that are authorised to continue their activity can only do so if they carry an exemption certificate and/or proof of valid business travel.

If you are employed as a gardener by a company, they should fill out a justificatif de déplacement professionnel for you. It must be signed by your employer and you can continue to use the same one for each work trip.

If you are self-employed, you should use the normal form, an attestation de déplacement dérogatoire and check the first box: “Déplacements entre le domicile et le lieu d’exercice de l’activité professionnelle ou un établissement d’enseignement ou de formation, déplacements professionnels ne pouvant être différés, déplacements pour un concours ou un examen”.

France lockdown: The exemption forms you need

Read more:

Which shops can stay open during lockdown in France?

France lockdown: Are DIY shops still open?