Moving to France
France is a big country, and moving to France can mean completely different routes: just under a thousand kilometres to Alsace, or almost two thousand to Bordeaux. 4RELO from Wrocław plans each such journey individually – taking into account French lorry driving bans, motorway tolls and access to the destination address.
We move flats, houses and offices. Most often we move families relocating for work, and people returning from France to Poland after a few years. In both directions, one crew packs, transports and reassembles the furniture, and the whole load travels in one vehicle, with no reloading along the way.
Distances from Wrocław to French cities
| City | Distance | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Strasbourg | about 1,000 km | Dresden, Nuremberg, Karlsruhe |
| Paris | about 1,350 km | Frankfurt, Saarbrücken, Metz, Reims |
| Lyon | about 1,450 km | Stuttgart, Mulhouse, Besançon |
| Marseille | about 1,750 km | via Lyon along the Rhône valley |
| Bordeaux | about 1,900 km | via Paris or Clermont-Ferrand |
Longer routes are spread over two days, and to the south of France over three, because drivers are bound by working time rules. If your new home is not ready yet, your belongings can wait in our Frankfurt am Main warehouse, which is on the way to eastern and northern France.
Driving bans and tolls on French roads
- Weekends. Vehicles over 7.5 t may not drive from 22:00 on Saturday to 22:00 on Sunday, or on public holidays. In the summer holidays, some Saturdays come with additional restrictions.
- Motorway tolls. Most French motorways are toll roads, and the rate rises with the number of axles – one of the factors that affect the cost.
- Low-emission zones. Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Grenoble and other cities require a Crit'Air sticker, and older vehicles cannot enter the centre.
- Access to the building. The narrow streets of old towns in the south often mean unloading from a smaller vehicle.
Formalities in France after the move
France is in the European Union, so we move furniture and personal belongings with no customs duty or customs declaration. Polish citizens do not need a residence card, and France has no compulsory address registration in the Polish sense – your address is confirmed with an electricity bill or tenancy agreement, which offices and banks ask for very often.
Inventory report
When renting, the condition of the flat is recorded when you move in and when you move out. It is worth being there in person before we carry in the furniture, as it is hard to prove later that a scratch on the parquet was already there.
Home insurance
In France, tenants must have home insurance and usually show the policy when collecting the keys. It is a good idea to arrange it before unloading day.
Car
A car with Polish plates must be re-registered in France once you have established residence there. The application is made online through the national documents agency.
Moving to France, step by step
We start with a free quote – based on a pre-move survey, a video call or a list from our volume calculator. Then we agree the loading date and delivery window, bring the boxes, pack and dismantle the furniture. In France we unload, carry in and reassemble everything on site. We work under a contract, issue a VAT invoice, and our business is covered by liability insurance up to PLN 500,000.
Questions about moving to France
Are customs documents needed for a move to France?
No. Moving belongings between Poland and France takes place within the European Union, with no customs clearance. The moving contract and the inventory we prepare during packing are all you need.
Can you unload on a Saturday?
Yes, as long as the lorry arrives before Saturday evening, when the weekend driving ban begins. For longer routes, we schedule unloading for Friday or Monday.
What affects the cost of a move to France?
The volume of belongings, the distance, motorway tolls, access for carrying at both properties and the scope of packing. It also matters whether a smaller vehicle has to be used in the city centre.
Do you move belongings from France to Poland?
Yes, we carry out moves in both directions, including returns to Poland after working in France.
Does it make sense to move just one room?
Yes. We price smaller loads by volume and set the date so that the transport is cost-effective.
Moving to France for the long term?
We will plan the route around the driving bans and give you a delivery date before loading.
Free quote