Yes, of course, it's Brexit. It is one of the Brexit benefits that French officials used to just be obstructive counts, but now they are wonderful human beings just doing their job, and anything that goes wrong (such as inconsistent responses to vaccine paperwork) is nothing to do with them but one of the many disastrous consequences of Brexit.
My recent experience of deliberate Brexit billhooks is that going from the UK to Germany, you can no longer use the biometric passport readers (although Canadians and Singaporeans can, for some reason - perhaps they recently joined the EU). But entering the UK, all EU citizens can still use the biometric passport readers. It is just deliberate obstructionism. And I know some Remainers will say 'Well if you leave the club, you lose the benefits.' but what about international reciprocity, and what about choosing not to be a member of a club that turns out to be a vindictive bustard club?
We have had the Douane aux Frontieries on the UK side of the channel crossing for many years long before Brexit. I complained yesterday to just about every official I met, to noavail. To their credit every French official I spoke to (mainly from P&O) was very sympathetic but could offer no help or advice - The UK border police (especially the outward journey kn0bjockey who just shrugged and said “it’s the French”) where next to useless, coming home after I stopped to ask some questions then subjected me to a roadside grilling on where I had been and what I was doing! I’ve got a 4x4 full of ikea wardrobes and the silly c4nt asks if I’ve hidden any body else in there! I wasn’t in the mood for B0llox at nearly midnight!
The fact is I was hoodwinked by an over zealous official who was factually incorrect and refused to inspect my paperwork - my Covid pass on my iPhone was correct, my wife’s on her android was displayed differently - she has the font setting higher so you have to scroll down to see the full pass - Le Frog didn’t want to.
In hindsight I should have just driven round again and or argued my position - I was after all in a single lane que of cars, somebody with a brain would have come if I refused to move!
Also the UK Police at the next checkpoint 20m further on should have given me some advice rather than just saying “Do what the French say - we can’t control them” then giving me an address in Dover that didn’t actually have any LFT tests!
I will be writing an complaint email to the French consulate and embassy in the UK, I doubt it will ever get read let alone a response, but I will copy in UK border police, Dover Port Authority, P&O and just about any one else I can think of.
The flip side is the journey was a success after 12 months of Boll0x and no help from IKEA UK on when the wardrobe carcasses would be delivered - the French IKEA couldn’t have been more helpful and made a pleasant change - they could not have been more helpful in the store 10 out 10 for service.
Always knew it would cost me a few quid (fuel and ferry) but saved a few as same material cost in France as UK (50E as opposed to £50) and a tank of diesel at 1.75E as opposed to £1.85
Spent on a whirlwind visit to Citie Europe for cheese, wine, and a couple of crates
