Reader question: Can I take a Covid test at Bordeaux airport before flying back home to the UK?
Before travelling between countries, most people will need to present evidence of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within the last 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Bordeaux Airport does offer a Covid testing service to anyone needing to fulfil this travel requirement.
All airport staff and passengers with travel documents can get tested with or without an appointment. Everyone else can book their slot on the doctolib.fr website.
The testing centre is located in Hall A of the airport and is open seven days a week from 07:00 until 17:00, including public holidays.
PCR test results will be received within 24 hours, while antigen tests take about 20 minutes.
Further information can be found on the airport website.
Travellers should note that some countries require PCR tests and will not accept antigen test results. You will be able to find out more about this in the advice issued by the airline or the government of your destination country.
What about other airports in France?
Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Passengers travelling from Orly or Charles de Gaulle can go to the airport for pre-departure PCR or antigen tests.
Those wishing to take a test at these airports must book beforehand on the doctolib.fr website and must present their booking confirmation and flight tickets to access the terminal.
PCR test results will be received within 48 hours, and travellers should allow one to two hours for an antigen test.
Since July 5, passengers travelling from Charles de Gaulle have also been able to take a rapid PCR test, which will produce results within one to two hours.
At these airports, antigen tests cost €30 while PCR tests cost €50.
The Orly test centres are open seven days a week, from 07:00 until 17:00 for antigen tests and 07:00 until 19:00 for PCR tests. Further information is available on the centre website.
The Charles de Gaulle test centre is located in Terminal 2E and is open from Monday to Saturday, 07:00 until 17:00 and on Sunday from 07:00 until 12:30. Further information is available on the centre website.
Paris Beauvais
Paris Beauvais has a PCR and antigen test centre which is open from Monday to Thursday, 07:00-15:00 and Friday to Sunday from 07:00-11:00 and 16:00-20:00.
It is located just outside the Arrivals Hall in Terminal 2.
Anyone can go there to get tested, with or without an appointment, although you can also book your slot on the doctolib.fr website.
PCR test results should be received within 24 hours. Further information can be found on the airport website.
Lyon-Saint Exupéry
Lyon Airport has a PCR and antigen testing centre in its Terminal 2. It is open seven days a week including public holidays, and those wishing to get tested do not need an appointment.
PCR test results can be expected in 24 hours, while antigen test results should arrive within half an hour.
As in most airport testing centres, antigen tests cost €30 while PCR tests cost €50.
Further details can be found on the Lyon Airport website.
Marseille Provence
Marseille Provence Airport offers PCR tests with results within two or eight hours, and antigen tests with results in under 30 minutes for passengers with an appointment. This testing centre is located in Arrivals in Hall B of Terminal 1.
Antigen tests can also be taken without an appointment from 08:00 until 17:00 in Departures in Hall B of Terminal 1.
Finally, antigen and PCR tests can be accessed between 08:00 and 17:00 in the forecourt outside the Terminal 2 building.
Further information and bookings can be found on the airport website.
Nice Côte d’Azur
The pharmacy located in Nice Airport’s Terminal 2 is offering PCR tests seven days a week, from 08:30 until 18:30, even if you are not travelling.
The results will be sent to you from 07:00 the following day for tests carried out before 12:30 and from 13:00 the following day for tests carried out after 12:30.
Antigen tests are also available every day between 08:30 and 19:30, with results within 30 minutes.
Montpellier-Méditerranée
Passengers travelling from Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport can until October 3 carry out PCR and antigen tests in the Departures section of the terminal.
The service will be open Monday to Friday from 07:00 until 14:45 and on weekends from 08:00 until 15:45. These hours may change depending on flight schedules.
Travellers do not need an appointment, but can book their PCR test here.
Antigen tests will produce results within 20 minutes (although this could take up to 45 minutes depending on demand), while PCR test results will be received within 24 hours.
Toulouse-Blagnac
Toulouse Airport is offering a PCR and antigen testing centre in Hall C (Arrivals).
According to its website, the centre is open every day from 08:00 until 15:30 for antigen tests. For PCR tests, it is open Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 15:30, Saturdays between 08:00 and 11:00 and Sundays between 08:00 and 14:00.
For further information and bookings, please see the Toulouse Airport website.
Nantes Atlantique
Passengers travelling from Nantes Airport can take an antigen test without an appointment as long as they have a ticket for that same day. It is recommended that you arrive at the test centre at least two hours before your plane begins boarding.
The centre is also open to people who are not travelling, but they must book in advance via the doctolib.fr website, as must passengers who need to take a PCR test.
The test centre is open every day of the week, from 07:00 until 19:00.
Toulon Hyères
Toulon Airport’s test centre is open seven days a week from 12:00 until 20:00, apart from Saturdays, when it is open from 07:00 until 15:00.
It is situated in the Departures area, and will only carry out tests for people with an appointment, which can be booked on the doctolib.fr website.
Passengers can go there to carry out a PCR test.
Lille
Lille Airport has a Covid test centre inside its terminal building for anyone who wishes to get tested.
It is open seven days a week from 07:00 until 17:00 for PCR and antigen tests with or without an appointment. Slots can be booked on the doctolib.fr website.
PCR test results should be received within 24 hours.
Further details can be found on the airport website.
Brest Bretagne
Brest airport has a centre in the terminal hall, which is available to anyone who would like to get tested.
The airport website states that the centre is open for PCR and antigen tests on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – including bank holidays – from 07:00 until 15:00.
It is also open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 17:00 until 20:00 and Sundays from 09:00 until 14:00 for antigen tests that are booked in advance via doctolib.fr
Passengers wishing to carry out an antigen test should do so two to three hours before their flight.
Antigen tests cost €30 while PCR tests cost €45 and rapid VitaPCR tests cost €50.
PCR test results should be ready within 24 hours.
Rennes Bretagne
Rennes airport has a test centre that is open to passengers, airport staff and members of the wider community.
People can get tested with or without an appointment, which they can book via the doctolib.fr website.
The centre is located on the first floor of the terminal building.
Opening hours are subject to change depending on flight forecasts, but are currently:
- Monday: 07:30 - 15:00
- Thursday: 07:30 - 15:00
- Friday: 07:30 - 15:00
- Saturday: 07:30 - 15:00
- Sunday: 08:00 - 14:00
This includes public holidays.
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