Languages

The official language in France is French and there are a number of government laws that state commercial advertising and government communications must be in French.  Other languages are recognised including a large amount of European languages from neighbouring countries such as Catalan and Basque which are commonly found in the south of France in places such as Biarritz, German, Dutch and English.  When addressing labels on your parcels you’ll need to be careful to write addresses correctly and ensure the spelling of any French street names or towns are accurate to prevent any possible delays to your parcel delivery.

Weights and Measurements

France uses metric units of measurement, and is credited as the country to produce the definitive International System of Units.  To this day the secretariat of the International Committee for Weights and Measures is in Sevres, Hauts-de-Seine, France.

Sending any parcels to France will require you to use the metric system, the same that is used in the UK, when sending any parcels or completing any customs declaration forms.

Currency

France, along with a number of other European countries adopted the Euro in 2002 as their de facto currency; previously it had been the French Franc (F or FF).  The French population were able to exchange Francs for Euros up to the 17^th of February in 2005 with 100 Francs equalling roughly €15.

Time Zones

France is one hour ahead of the UK, residing in the Central European Time Zone that is GMT +1.  In the summer, France goes forward one hour and this is known as Central European Summertime (GMT +2).

Public Holidays and Dates of Interest

France has a list of 13 officially recognised National Public Holidays, many of which coincide with the same events in the UK.  When sending parcels to France it is recommended to avoid these dates when sending urgent parcels or letters as there will likely to be a delay.  At the very least it is recommended to advise your parcel’s recipient of the possible delays before you arrange your delivery.

·         New Year’s Day – 1^st of January

·         New Year’s Day (in Lieu) – 2^nd of January

·         Easter Monday – Monday after Easter

·         Labour Day – 1^st May

·         Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) – 8^th of May

·         Ascension Day – 17^th of May

·         Whit-Monday – 28^th of May

·         Bastille Day – 14^th of July

·         Assumption Day – 15^th of August

·         All Saints Day – 1^st of November

·         Armistice Day – 11^th of November

·         Armistice Day (in Lieu) – 12^th of November

·         Christmas Day – 25^th of December

Customs Information

With France being a fellow member of the EU, sending a parcel to France is not considered as “exporting”, instead it is referred to as “moving” which means that the process of sending a parcel to France is much easier and requires no customs declaration forms (CN22, CN23 or a commercial invoice). However, if you are sending or receiving in large quantities you may need appropriate licenses.

Import restrictions

France has a number of import restrictions that may be familiar in the UK and other countries. In France, due to the laws regarding the use of the French language items with labels need to be in French (apart from vodka and whiskey) and measurements of liquid/beverages need to be in metric units as previously covered. 

A list of the restricted goods or those that require import licenses to bring into France includes:

• Agricultural products (Cheeses, grains and seeds)
• Antiques and artwork
• Endangered species of animals and plant life
• Drugs (prescription and non-prescription)
• Cosmetics
• Non-perishable food and alcohol

Export restrictions

Exporting goods from France is quite common with many French products being popular around the world such as wines and cheeses, but a number of items will be restricted or prohibited from exporting so it is worthwhile to check before you try to send them to the UK or any other country.

The items that are classed as ‘prohibited exports’ are:

• Biological products, specifically Dura Mater (the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord.)
• Radioactive elements used as lighting conductors.
• Products that contain phenolphthalein and some Glycol ethers.

FAQ's

Not everyone will have sent a parcel overseas before so you may have questions about the parcel delivery process when you are planning to ship to France.  Here are just a few frequently asked questions we have heard from our customers, if you have any other questions then feel free to get in touch via the Live Help feature on the site.

Do I need to fill out any customs declaration forms for shipping to France?

Customs declaration forms and commercial invoices are not required when shipping parcels to France due to it being a fellow EU country.  If you were sending parcels from or to outside of the EU then you would need either a CN22 or CN23 customs declaration form (dependant on the parcel’s value) or a commercial invoice detailing the parcel’s contents, value and origin.

How long will my parcel take to arrive in France?

Many people travel to France in their cars via the ferry or Channel tunnel so understandably many deliveries can be completed very quickly.  With one of the couriers here at Parcel2Go, Parcelforce able to offer quick 48 hour deliveries to France via its Euro 48 service (prices starting from £14.09 + VAT).

Do I have to pay any taxes on my parcel delivery?

Generally the parcel sender will not need to pay any taxes or customs fees.  With parcels ‘moving’ between EU states it won’t require any customs documents and duty or tax normally will not normally apply.

Does the recipient have to pay any taxes?

Depending on the nature of the parcel, i.e. what its contents are, then the recipient may need to pay import taxes or duty on the parcel.

How much does it cost to ship to France?

A number of couriers are available to book a delivery to France at Parcel2Go.com; they include DHL, Parcelforce and FedEx Express.  Prices for deliveries to France start at £14.09 + VAT.

What happens if the recipient is not in when my parcel is delivered?

If the recipient is not at home when the courier tries to deliver your parcel then they will normally leave a calling card for the recipient to rearrange the delivery for a different date or collect from a local depot.  If time passes and no attempts have been made to rearrange the delivery then it will be returned to the sender.  It is therefore important to include your return address on the parcel to ensure it is returned to you if there are problems.

Does my parcel need to go via airmail?

Due to the many different transport links going between France and the United Kingdom parcel deliveries can be sent via airmail,delivery trucks which can travel to France using the ferry or by high speed train going via the Channel Tunnel.

Useful Links

France Parcel Delivery – Our France delivery page has all of the services that deliver to France as well as information about the country itself.

Download Commercial Invoice Form – Download our commercial invoice form that needs to accompany your parcel if sending to France from anywhere outside of the EU.

eBay Shipping Tool – If you have sold items online at eBay we have a dedicated shipping tool for you to use.

Parcel Tracking – Our parcel tracking page allows you to track your delivery ordered through us with any of the couriers and parcel delivery firms available on the site.

Sea Freight Enquiry – Visit our sea freight page to look into sending your parcel via the sea as opposed to the air.