Shipping to France: the complete guide

France is one of Europe's largest and most e-commerce-savvy markets, which makes it one of the most natural places for online retailers to expand. High internet usage, strong purchasing power, reliable payment methods, and a modern delivery network all add up to real opportunity.

This guide covers what you need to ship to France with confidence: which carriers to use, what it costs, how long delivery takes, and the customs, address, and VAT rules to get right before your first parcel goes out.

Why it's worth shipping to France

France is one of Europe's biggest e-commerce markets, and for cross-border shipping that's good news. If you ship from within the EU, you won't face customs restrictions on parcels sent to mainland France.

The one exception is France's overseas territories. These regions are legally part of France but sit outside the EU customs area, so carriers like DPD, GLS, and UPS either don't deliver there or add a surcharge. For those destinations, a postal carrier such as DHL is usually your best option.

French overseas territories include:

• French Guiana

• French Polynesia

• Guadeloupe

• Martinique

• Mayotte

• New Caledonia

• Réunion

• Saint Barthélemy

• Saint Martin

• Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Please note: when you ship to any of these territories, you'll need to attach a customs declaration to your parcel.

Customs declarations: CN22 and CN23

When you ship to the overseas territories above, a customs declaration tells customs officials what's inside your parcel and what it's worth.

• Use a CN22 form for smaller items worth less than €370.

• Use a CN23 form for parcels, regardless of value, and attach it to the outside.

For a deeper look, see our full guide to CN22 and CN23 customs declarations.

The main carriers for shipping to France

Sendcloud connects you with leading European carriers, so getting your parcels to France is straightforward. Here's who handles the final delivery in France for each carrier:

How much does shipping to France cost?

Shipping costs depend on the size, weight, and delivery speed of your parcel, and they vary from carrier to carrier. Do you need standard delivery, or something faster like DHL Express or UPS Express? Would you like tracking added on? Compare rates and pick the carrier that fits each shipment. With Sendcloud you can weigh carriers side by side and choose per order.

How long does delivery to France take?

Delivery time depends on the carrier and service you choose. Standard cross-border services usually deliver to mainland France within a few business days, while express services arrive faster.

How to write a French address correctly

French addresses follow specific conventions:

• The last name is written in all capitals, to set it apart from the first name.

• Street and city names are capitalized too.

• The house number comes before the street name, not after.

Example of a French address:

Monsieur Frederic ROBERT
29 RUE DE RICHELIEU
75001 PARIS
FRANCE

You can write the destination country in English or French.

What do CEDEX and CIDEX mean?

Some French addresses include CEDEX or CIDEX after the city name.

CEDEX is roughly the French equivalent of a business bulk-mail postal code. Only companies can apply for one through La Poste, and it means faster delivery straight from the sorting center. In larger cities, a number follows CEDEX.

CIDEX is used in rural areas and residential developments. It refers to a bank of mailboxes where each resident has their own compartment, so the carrier doesn't have to deliver to each home one by one.

Track your parcels to France

Use Tracking to keep customers in the loop on every shipment to France. With branded tracking you get:

• A tracking page in your own branding

• Customers who never have to visit the carrier's website

• Personalized tracking emails matched to your store's look

• More transparency, and more trust

• A place to promote campaigns or your Instagram feed

• More repeat customers and higher satisfaction

VAT when shipping to France

For commercial shipments, French VAT applies and is paid to the French state (calculated on the net value, including shipping costs). The standard rate is 20%, with reduced rates of 10%, 5.5%, or in special cases 2.1%, depending on the goods.

Items you can't ship

As an online retailer, you're always responsible for what's inside your international parcels. These items generally can't be shipped:

• Alcoholic beverages

• Hides from wild animals

• High-value goods (art, antiques, gemstones, gold, and silver)

• Dangerous goods

• Firearms

• Furs

• Ivory and ivory products

• Live animals

• Money and negotiable securities

• Perishable goods

• Personal belongings

• Plants

• Pornographic material

• Seeds

• Tobacco and tobacco products

• Watches worth more than USD 500

Packaging checklist for shipping to France

Poor packaging doesn't just risk damaging your products, it can delay transport too, and a write-off can end in a claim or disposal of your shipment. Avoid damage by checking:

• Are you using new shipping boxes?

• Is the box matched to the weight, size, and fragility of your goods?

• Is the item cushioned inside with bubble wrap, air pillows, packing paper, corrugated inserts, or foam?

• Did you seal the box with reinforced tape?

• Is the shipping label clearly visible, with any old labels removed?

Watch out for French public holidays

Deliveries can slow down around French public holidays. Fixed-date national holidays include New Year's Day (January 1), Labor Day (May 1), Victory in Europe Day (May 8), Bastille Day (July 14), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints' Day (November 1), Armistice Day (November 11), and Christmas Day (December 25). Movable holidays like Easter Monday, Ascension Day, and Whit Monday shift each year, so check the calendar before peak periods.

How Sendcloud helps you ship to France

Ready to ship to France without the hassle? Sendcloud gives you flexible shipping options, competitive rates, and personalized track & trace, plus an easy way to handle international returns. Get in touch with us.