15
Years in international removals
850k+
Verified customer enquiries
3
FIDI-accredited partners
Trusted International Moving Network
Accredited Relocation Specialists
Germany and France share a 451km border and are founding members of the European Union. Moving between them is an intra-EU move: no customs declaration is required for personal household goods, no import duties apply, and no border inspection of personal effects takes place. The removal truck crosses the French border without stopping for goods clearance. This is the single most important practical fact for anyone moving from Germany to France.
Approximately 130,000 German citizens lived in France as of the most recent census data, making Germans one of the largest European national groups in France. The border region is particularly active: Stuttgart to Strasbourg is just 150km and Cologne to Paris approximately 500km. Germans move to France for work (Paris financial and tech sectors, Alsace cross-border employment), for quality of life, for retirement in the south, and to study at French universities and grandes écoles. International Removals Companies is a free enquiry service. Darren Benjamin, founder since 2010 and company number 07425576, matches each Germany-to-France enquiry with one vetted FIDI-certified partner mover. That partner contacts you directly with the quote.
Free matching service. One FIDI-certified partner mover. No obligation.
Your German departure city and address, French destination address, move date, volume and access details.
Your enquiry is checked against the specific Germany-France corridor, partner mover coverage and your move date.
A vetted FIDI-certified partner mover contacts you directly with the quote. Free.
This is the most important practical difference between a Germany-to-France removal and a UK-to-France removal. Both Germany and France are EU member states bound by Council Regulation (EC) 1186/2009, which grants a full exemption from customs duties and import VAT on household effects when a person transfers their normal residence between EU member states. In practice this means:
You do need to register your new French residence at your local mairie (town hall) within 3 months of arrival, and if you are employed in France you will need to register with French social security. None of these are customs or border formalities; they happen after you have arrived and settled.
| From | To | Distance | Drive time | Dedicated vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cologne (Köln) | Paris | approx. 500km | approx. 4h30 | 1 day |
| Frankfurt | Paris | approx. 570km | approx. 5h | 1 day |
| Stuttgart | Strasbourg | approx. 150km | approx. 1h30 | 1 day |
| Stuttgart | Paris | approx. 580km | approx. 5h | 1 day |
| Munich (München) | Paris | approx. 810km | approx. 7h30 | 1 to 2 days |
| Hamburg | Paris | approx. 900km | approx. 8h | 1 to 2 days |
| Berlin | Paris | approx. 1,050km | approx. 9h30 | 2 days |
| Berlin | Lyon | approx. 1,250km | approx. 11h | 2 days |
All distances are approximate road distances. Dedicated vehicle transit times are driving time only; total move time includes loading, unloading and rest periods.
If you are a non-EU national (for example an American, Australian, Canadian or Indian national) currently living in Germany and moving to France, your right to live and work in France depends on your specific visa category. A German residence permit does not automatically give you the right to reside in France. You should check your visa situation with the French consulate before booking your removal. The partner mover does not handle immigration or visa matters.
While household goods move freely, certain items have specific requirements regardless of EU free movement: weapons and firearms require French authorisation; prescription medications need a doctor's letter; plants may require phytosanitary certificates; pets need an EU pet passport with current rabies vaccination. The partner mover will advise on anything in your shipment that falls outside standard household effects.
From approximately €700 to €1,400 depending on volume and departure city. Stuttgart and Cologne routes at lower end; Berlin and Munich routes at higher end. 5 to 10 days.
From approximately €1,200 to €2,500 depending on distance. 1 to 2 days. Direct door-to-door from your German address to your French address.
All major German airports (FRA, MUC, BER, HAM, DUS) have routes to Paris CDG, Lyon, Marseille and Nice. Urgent or high-value items only.
If your French property is not ready on your move date. Ask at enquiry stage.
All prices are indicative guides in euros. Goods-in-transit insurance included. The matching service is free.
Both Germany and France use the euro, so there is no currency exchange required for most Germany-to-France moves. If you are settling a property purchase in France from German assets, International Removals Companies can connect you with a trusted currency exchange partner for any non-euro transactions, at no charge.
International Removals Companies does not give exchange rate advice, forecasts, savings claims, urgency claims or instructions to transfer money. Confirm all details directly with the exchange partner before proceeding.
International Removals Companies is the trading name of DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company number 07425576. Darren Benjamin founded the service in 2010. The international movers we work with hold FIDI FAIM, BAR Overseas, FEDEMAC and IAM accreditations where confirmed. One vetted FIDI-certified partner receives your Germany-to-France enquiry and contacts you directly.
EU citizens (including German nationals) do not need a visa. EU free movement applies fully. Register at the French mairie within 3 months of arrival. Non-EU nationals resident in Germany should confirm their French visa situation before booking.
Cologne to Paris: approximately 1 day. Frankfurt to Paris: approximately 1 day. Stuttgart to Strasbourg: approximately 1 day. Munich to Paris: 1 to 2 days. Berlin to Paris: approximately 2 days. Groupage takes 5 to 10 days. No customs delay applies.
Groupage from approximately €700 to €1,400. Dedicated vehicle from approximately €1,200 to €2,500. Depends on volume and departure city. Indicative guides only. The matching service is free.
Call 07551 855 064 or use the WhatsApp link. Tell us your German departure city and address, your French destination address, move date and volume. We'll match you with one vetted FIDI-certified partner mover. No fee, no obligation.
One FIDI-certified partner mover. Direct quote. Free matching service. No customs complications.
Get Matched for Germany to France RemovalsFree matching service. One FIDI-certified partner mover. No obligation.