Removals from Stratford to France
Of the four routes we run, France is the one we drive most — and from East London, the quickest to reach. It’s the natural first move abroad for a lot of Stratford households, whether that’s a permanent move to the south-west or kitting out a bolthole in Normandy. Here’s how the Stratford-to-France run works.
Who moves Stratford to France
A broad mix. Young professionals relocating for work near Paris or Lyon. Families trading an E20 flat for space in the Dordogne or the Lot. And a steady stream furnishing a second place in Normandy or Brittany — close enough to nip back to London, far enough for a proper change. Each is a slightly different job, mostly because of what customs expects, which is why we ask early.
What we move — and what to think about
Most France loads are ordinary household contents, and they travel well. The things worth flagging early are the ones people assume are simple: a wine collection wants proper handling rather than a box in the sun; garden furniture and tools that have lived outside need a clean, because soil and plant matter are exactly what a border check looks for. Half-furnishing a holiday home? A part-load lets you send some now and more later, rather than shipping a whole house you don’t yet need.
The route
From Stratford it’s onto the A12 and A11, round to the M25, then a choice of crossing — Dover for the ferry or the Eurotunnel at Folkestone. Once we’re on French soil the autoroutes open up: the A16 down the coast, the A1 toward Paris, or a longer haul south to Provence and the Riviera. We regularly reach Paris & Île-de-France, Normandy & Brittany, the Dordogne and plenty in between.
Customs and paperwork
This is the part people dread and needn’t. Since the UK left the EU, household goods crossing to France need an inventory, a transit declaration for the goods moving through the EU, and — for a permanent move — the transfer-of-residence paperwork that can bring your belongings in without duty when the conditions are met. A second-home move follows a different path, so we confirm which you’re making before a form is filled. It’s process, not obstacle, and it’s ours to handle. Collecting from Stratford and all of E15/E20; weighing routes? Compare it with Spain.
Stratford-to-France questions
Do you go to rural France, or just the cities?
Both — and rural is where a lot of the work is. Farmhouses in the Dordogne, village houses in the Lot, a barn conversion down a lane with no number. We plan the last few miles at the survey so the lorry isn’t meeting a single-track road for the first time on moving day.
Is a second-home move different from emigrating?
On the customs side, yes. A permanent move can use the transfer-of-residence route; furnishing a holiday home is treated differently and the paperwork follows suit. We ask which it is early, because it shapes the forms — better sorted now than at the port.
Can you collect from my tower before we head off?
That’s the norm for us. We book the service lift and loading bay at your Stratford block, load inside the window, then take the A12 down to the crossing. The French end is the same wherever you start — only the first leg changes.
Moving from Stratford to France?
Send the two addresses and whether it’s a permanent move or a second home — that one detail shapes the customs side. We’ll come back with the route and a written quote.