Moving from the UK to France
To Paris, Brittany, Normandy, the Dordogne, Provence or the Alps: door-to-door removals from anywhere in the UK, customs included.
Popular areas we cover
From United Kingdom
- London and the South East
- the South West
- the Midlands
- the North
- Scotland
To France
- Paris
- Brittany
- Normandy
- the Dordogne and Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Provence and the Côte d'Azur
- the Alps
How the United Kingdom → France route works
Your belongings cross the Channel by the tunnel or a short ferry from Dover, Portsmouth or Plymouth, then continue by road to your new home.
We file the UK export and the French import formalities, so your truck is not held at the border.
Customs from the UK to France
Your belongings enter France free of duty and VAT under the change of residence exemption if you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, owned your belongings for at least 6 months, and are moving your main residence to France.
Goods for a second home are taxed in full. French customs asks for a detailed, valued inventory in two copies, and form Cerfa 10070 for vehicles and valuable items.
Checklist for clearance
- Valid passport
- Detailed inventory with values, dated and signed, in two copies
- Proof of your UK residence for the past 12 months
- Proof of your settlement in France (residence permit, tenancy or property deed)
- Form Cerfa 10070 for vehicles and valuable items
Transport options and transit times
Door-to-door transit times are indicative and depend on the season, the exact addresses and, where required, customs clearance.
| Mode | Typical door-to-door time |
|---|---|
| Dedicated truck | Up to 5 days, plus customs clearance |
| Shared load (groupage) | 1 to 3 weeks, plus customs clearance |
| Air freight (small volumes) | 1 to 2 weeks |
How a move to France works
- Free quote. Give us your departure address, your new home in France and a rough volume. We send an online estimate right away and a written quote within a day.
- Survey and planning. We validate the volume with you, pick the transport mode and go through the customs rules that apply on this route to France.
- Packing and collection. A packing crew comes to your address, prepares every item and loads the truck or the container at your door.
- Transport. By road across Europe, or by sea container between continents — whichever best fits your route to France.
- Customs clearance (where required). We prepare and file the documents for clearance in France (French customs file (inventory, Cerfa 10070) for non-EU moves).
- Delivery and set-up. Delivery to your new home, unpacking and furniture reassembly if included in your quote.
One coordinator follows your move to France from the first call to the final delivery.
How the price of your move to France is calculated
Your price to France is built from a handful of concrete variables, the same for every international mover:
- Volume — in cubic metres: it drives most of the price. Use our room-by-room calculator for an accurate figure.
- Distance and route — from your origin address to your new home in France.
- Transport mode — shared road load, a truck booked only for you, FCL or LCL by sea, or air for very small cargo.
- Services — packing, furniture dismantling and reassembly, fragile item crating, storage, delivery to an island.
- Access — walk-up floors, pedestrian streets, long carries from the truck, and hoists where access is tight.
- Customs — declaration fees and port or airport handling, when the route to France crosses a customs border.
- Insurance — a small percentage of the declared value — scalable to what you want covered.
Typical volumes, as a guide:
| Home | Typical volume |
|---|---|
| Studio | 10 to 15 m³ |
| 1-bedroom flat | 15 to 25 m³ |
| 2-bedroom home | 25 to 40 m³ |
| 3-bedroom home | 40 to 60 m³ |
| 4-bedroom house or larger | 60 m³ and more |
Our online estimator gives you a starting price for road moves within Europe in two minutes. For sea and air freight, and for any move with customs, you receive a detailed written quote — reply within 24 hours.
Other routes to France
Other routes from United Kingdom
Read before you move
- Moving abroad with pets: microchip, rabies vaccine and travel rulesMoving your dog or cat abroad: microchip, rabies vaccine, EU pet passport, UK animal health certificate and tapeworm treatment rules.
- Moving from the UK to Europe after Brexit: customs, documents and timingSince Brexit, a move from the UK to Spain, Portugal, France or any EU country is an export and an import. What changed, how to bring your belongings duty-free, and how to plan your move.
- How to choose the best international moving companyWhat separates the best international movers from the rest: quotes, customs, insurance, red flags and the questions to ask before you book.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I pay customs duties when moving from the UK to France?
- Not if you qualify for the change of residence exemption and move your main home. Shipments to a holiday home are taxed in full.
- Why does French customs need a valued inventory?
- To check that your goods are used personal belongings covered by the exemption. It must be dated, signed and provided in two copies.
- Can I bring my UK car to France?
- Yes, duty-free if you have owned it for at least 6 months and it is on your inventory. Customs then issues the certificate needed to register it in France.
- Can I furnish my holiday home in France from the UK?
- Yes, but the goods are not exempt: duties and VAT apply to the whole shipment.
- How long does a removal from the UK to France take?
- Up to 5 days by dedicated truck, or 1 to 3 weeks by shared load, plus customs clearance.
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