Moving from the USA to France
From New York, California, Texas, Florida or anywhere in the US to Paris, Lyon, Provence, the Riviera or anywhere in France.
Popular areas we cover
From United States
- New York and New Jersey
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
To France
- Paris and Île-de-France
- Lyon
- Provence
- the Côte d'Azur
- Bordeaux
- Toulouse
How the United States → France route works
Your belongings are packed at your US home and loaded into your own container (FCL) or a shared one (LCL), from the nearest US port.
Containers usually arrive in Le Havre (north) or Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille (south), are cleared through French customs and delivered to your new home.
Customs from the USA 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.
French customs asks for a detailed inventory with values, dated and signed, in two copies, and form Cerfa 10070 for vehicles and valuable items. Goods for a second home are taxed in full.
Checklist for clearance
- Valid passport and French long-stay visa or residence permit
- Detailed inventory with values, in two copies
- Proof of your US residence for the past 12 months
- Proof of your settlement in France (residence permit, lease 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 |
|---|---|
| Own container (FCL) from the East Coast | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Own container (FCL) from the West Coast | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Shared container (LCL) | Add 2 to 4 weeks |
| Air freight (small volumes) | 1 to 2 weeks |
How a move to France works
- Free quote. Tell us your origin, destination in France and approximate volume. You receive an online estimate and a detailed quote within 24 hours.
- Survey and planning. Your coordinator rechecks the volume, locks the transport mode and lists the customs rules you fall under on your way to France.
- Packing and collection. We bring the packing materials to your home, inventory each piece and load everything on moving day.
- Transport. Your belongings travel by the mode that fits your route to France: dedicated truck or shared load within Europe, sea container or air freight otherwise.
- Customs clearance (where required). Customs paperwork for France is prepared and filed on your behalf (French customs file (inventory, Cerfa 10070) for non-EU moves).
- Delivery and set-up. We deliver at your new address and, if you asked for it on the quote, unpack boxes and reassemble furniture.
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
Like every international mover, we build your price to France from a few concrete factors:
- Volume — measured in cubic metres (m³) — the main cost driver. Our online volume calculator helps you estimate it room by room.
- Distance and route — from your origin address to your new home in France.
- Transport mode — groupage, your own truck, shared or full container, air for urgent small shipments.
- Services — packing, furniture dismantling and reassembly, fragile item crating, storage, delivery to an island.
- Access — top-floor flats with no lift, narrow lanes, long carries, external hoists when the stairs will not do.
- Customs — brokerage, declaration and port handling charges on routes to France that cross a customs border.
- Insurance — priced as a percentage of what you tell us your belongings are worth.
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 States
Read before you move
- Shared load, dedicated truck or container: which option for your move?Groupage, dedicated truck, shared or full container: how each transport mode works, how long it takes, what it costs and which one suits your move abroad.
- 20ft or 40ft container: what fits and which one you needDimensions, usable volume and what really fits in a 20-foot, 40-foot and 40-foot high cube container for an overseas move — and when a shared container is the better choice.
- 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 USA to France?
- Not if you qualify for the change of residence exemption and move your main home to France.
- Which French port will my container arrive in?
- Usually Le Havre for Paris and the north, or Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille for the south.
- Should I ship my American appliances to France?
- Usually not large ones: France uses 230 V and different plugs. Small dual-voltage electronics are fine.
- Can I ship my American car to France?
- It is possible, but the car must meet EU standards to be registered, which can be costly for US models. Check before shipping.
- How long does a move from the USA to France take?
- 6 to 10 weeks door to door from the East Coast, 8 to 12 from the West Coast, by sea container.
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Ready to plan your move to France?
Two minutes to an online estimate, 24 hours to a written quote.
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