Britons face paying hundreds of pounds if they try to return from France on Friday to avoid the new quarantine restrictions. France was removed from the list of safe countries people can travel to without going into quarantine, alongside the Netherlands, Monaco, Malta, Turks & Caicos and the island of Aruba.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that Britons should “not be surprised” about the move, due to the rising cases of Covid-19.
British Airways is charging £452 for the cheapest tickets to fly direct from Paris to London Heathrow, while the same journey on Saturday can be made with the airline for just £66.
The cheapest ticket on a Eurostar train from Paris to London is £210, compared with £165 on Saturday.
It comes as the lockdown in England is set to ease further on Saturday, with more beauty treatments, small wedding receptions and live indoor performances able to resume.