I don’t have a problem with proving that I’m a bona fide resident, I’m pleased to say. It’s just the vaccination thing that’s the problem…
Indeed - I really hope this is sorted - I don’t mind the Schengen rules but not being able to visit at all is starting to get to me.
It gets worse - DFDS have now cancelled my ferry because of Storm Bella!
After all that effort!
Pshaw! I shan’t be beaten. Now booked on Le Shuttle so Kent, here I come!
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A quick update. I managed to get a late night booking on Le Shuttle that would get me back within 72 hours of my NHS Covid test.
Getting into the Folkestone terminal was quite slow as the uk police were checking everyone had a covid negative test result.
I passed through UK formalities result - they just wanted passport and -'ve result confirmation.
Then on to the French kiosk, with bundles of paperwork, attestations etc readily available.
“Passport and Covid test, please?” I handed them over, he glanced at them: “All good, thank you” and waved me on.
The drive south was slower than I’d expected - the foul weather played its part but in the north the traffic levels were more like the first weekend in August.
I’m home now, with fires lit and the house rapidly warning. My fingers are crossed that i won’t have to return to the UK for a long time 
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Your car has french reg? Proof positive that you are resident, who else would go through the irritation of the ANTS website to re-register a car, or pay the high cost to buy a car here… no need for other bits of paper.
But anyway, relax…and breathe.
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And the client wanting you back in January for a reshoot? Your experience I would have thought would make a great video. 
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Our understanding of why the NHS test is not suitable for international travel is that they do not associate the test with your passport hence not accepted at Border Control. #HappyChristmas
From my experience, and advice from the French border team, evidence of a negative NHS test is suitable for immigration purposes. The wording surrounding the NHS test is quite cleverly written: “COVID-19 testing for the purposes of international travel is not available on the NHS.” ( From fitfortravel.nhs.uk)
But if you have had the NHS test because you had symptoms, were in contact with someone with symptoms, or (in my case) were selected as part of a test programme, then a negative result will be acceptable for travel (at least into France) for 72 hours after the test.
My result was sent to me as a very simple email from the NHS confirming my the date of the test (but not the time), my name, and the fact that the result was negative. It wasn’t linked with my passport and there were no qr codes etc that could be scanned. The French border official looked at it for no more than 2 seconds before handing it back to me with a smile and sending me on my way.
I have been following your experience with bated breath @_Brian and am so very pleased you got home safely! Up until Covid, we had been going back to the UK for reasonably brief visits to do with work (and finally managing to sell my house) and hope not to have to do it again in the near future. It was very useful to read people’s comments too so thank you!
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Thanks Angela! And thanks to everyone for the encouragement and helpful hints 
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how true!
pleased the system eventually worked for you Brian… I have been caught here in UK having travelled back last week (arriving on 15th December). I hoped to profit from the much touted Test to release 5 day quarantine; this failed to function miserably as most of the Government approved test centres are in the South. I’m in Newcastle so had to send for a test by post which duly arrived and was returned by post. Net result: test negative on Christmas Day - full 10 days after arrival - zero benefit- especially as test was dated on 20th December, so neither use nor ornament for return travel. Local Boots on the other hand did deliver a negative test within 24h of testing with passport number attached etc…
I hope you get back soon…
I did try to get a test with Boots but the process seemed very strange. I had to enter my passport details (including a scan) and pay £120 before they would let me through to the booking portal to see when testing and results would be possible.
Furthermore, the Ts&Cs specified no refunds so I gave up with Boots!