Moving from Canada to France
A transatlantic move where one piece of paper matters most: the change of residence certificate you collect before you leave Canada. Here is the honest brief on cost, shipping to Le Havre, and the paperwork.
Costs are indicative ranges for 2026.
The honest summary of this move.
Moving a household from Canada to France is a well worn transatlantic lane with a smooth customs path, as long as you arrange one document before departure. For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared sea container runs roughly 4,200 to 8,500 US dollars in 2026, arriving in about five to eight weeks door to door from Montreal or Halifax to Le Havre or Marseille.
The document that catches people out is the change of residence certificate, the certificat de changement de residence, issued by the French consulate covering your region of Canada. You request it before you leave, and French customs, the Douanes, use it together with your detailed inventory to clear your used household goods free of duty and tax. If you are not moving for work, plan for this step early, because a consulate appointment can take time.
Customs is otherwise generous to genuine movers. If you have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months and you are transferring your main home to France, personal belongings you have owned and used for at least six months can generally enter free of duty and value added tax. You declare them on the customs form for duty free entry of personal property, Cerfa form 10070, and you must bring everything within twelve months of your move, with the full inventory presented on the first shipment.
For residence, France issues a long stay visa that doubles as a residence permit, then a carte de sejour for longer stays, applied for through your local prefecture. Early on you will want a French tax number, the numero fiscal, and you register for health cover to obtain a carte Vitale. Budget in euros, and expect a deposit and agency fees when you rent.
What it costs, by home size and method.
The numbers below are indicative ranges for Canada to France in 2026. It is a busy ocean lane from the Canadian east coast, so volume and your French delivery region drive the price more than anything else.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in US dollars. The main drivers are volume in cubic metres, your sailing from Montreal or Halifax, the French port and onward delivery distance, packing scope, and the season. A summer move costs more, since June to August is peak demand on this lane.
- + Best value for a 2 to 3 bedroom home
- + You pay only for the space you use
- - Fixed sailings and consolidation add time
- + Sealed, your goods only, fewer handoffs
- + Pays off for a 3 bedroom home or larger
- - Expensive for smaller loads
- + Fastest option across the Atlantic
- + Good for essentials during the wait
- - Costly by volume, best for a few boxes
A sane timeline for this move.
With five to eight weeks at sea and a consulate document to collect, the plan is about the visa, the certificate, and the order of your first weeks in France.
Sort your visa
Confirm your route, usually a long stay visa that works as a residence permit, such as the salarie work visa, the passeport talent, or a visitor visa, and apply through the French visa service for your region of Canada.
Request the certificate
Ask the French consulate covering your province for the change of residence certificate, the certificat de changement de residence, and start the valued inventory you will hand to customs.
Get three surveys
Have movers run video or in home surveys for an accurate volume and a binding quote that names the French port and your delivery address. Confirm your sailing from Montreal or Halifax.
Pack and load
The packing crew comes one to two days before collection. Goods are inventoried, sealed, and trucked to Montreal or Halifax for the ocean voyage to France.
Clear customs
Your destination agent presents the Cerfa 10070 declaration with the change of residence certificate and inventory so your used goods clear free of duty and value added tax.
Register and settle
Validate your visa, apply at the prefecture for your carte de sejour where needed, obtain your numero fiscal, register for health cover toward a carte Vitale, and open a French bank account.
Bringing your household goods into France.
France welcomes the household goods of genuine movers transferring their main home, but the relief depends on the change of residence certificate and a careful inventory.
If you have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months and are transferring your principal residence to France, used personal belongings that you have owned and privately used for at least six months can generally be imported free of customs duty and value added tax. French customs assess the claim against your detailed inventory and your proof of a prior home in Canada.
The pivotal document is the change of residence certificate, the certificat de changement de residence, issued by the French consulate for your region of Canada, supported by the customs declaration for duty free entry of personal property, Cerfa form 10070. You must transport your goods within twelve months of the change of residence, and the inventory you present on the first shipment must list everything you intend to bring, even across several trips.
You may not sell, lend, or otherwise dispose of the relieved goods within twelve months of their entry into France. Restricted and prohibited categories are taken seriously and include weapons, certain plants and foods, and protected species products. Pets from Canada must meet European Union entry rules, including a microchip, a rabies vaccination, and the right paperwork. A Canadian car can be imported but must be made compliant for French registration, so many movers sell before leaving.
Verify before you move. The twelve month residence rule, the six month ownership condition, the change of residence certificate, and the Cerfa 10070 process change, and the European Union is modernising customs declarations. Confirm the current position with French customs and your destination agent before your goods ship.The realistic routes for this corridor.
Canadians need a long stay visa to live in France, generally arranged before departure and then validated or converted into a carte de sejour. These are the routes movers on this lane use most.
For Canadians with a French employment contract. The employer supports the application, and the long stay visa is validated as a residence permit after arrival.
A multi year residence route for qualifying skilled workers, researchers, founders, and investors, often with simpler renewal and family rights.
For people with sufficient means who will not work in France, popular with retirees and remote situations. You commit not to take French employment.
For spouses and family of French citizens or residents, subject to relationship and resource conditions.
How to choose a mover for Canada to France.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped from Canada to France in the past year. A mover that runs the lane often knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for Canada to France.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Canada to France?
For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared container typically costs from about 4,200 to 8,500 US dollars in 2026. Volume, your French delivery region, and the season drive the price. Base your budget on a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from Canada to France?
Plan on roughly five to eight weeks door to door for a shared container from Montreal or Halifax to Le Havre or Marseille, including consolidation, the ocean voyage, customs, and delivery. Air freight lands in one to two weeks at a much higher cost.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to France?
If you have lived outside the European Union for at least a year and are transferring your main home, used household goods owned and used for at least six months generally enter free of duty and value added tax, declared with the Cerfa 10070 and a change of residence certificate. Confirm current rules before shipping.
What is the change of residence certificate?
It is the certificat de changement de residence, issued by the French consulate covering your region of Canada. French customs use it with your inventory to grant duty free entry to your used belongings, so request it before you leave.
What is the carte de sejour and numero fiscal?
The carte de sejour is the French residence permit you apply for at your local prefecture, while the numero fiscal is your French tax number. You also register for health cover to obtain a carte Vitale.
Should I ship my car from Canada?
Often not. A Canadian car must be made compliant for French registration, which can be costly, and the shipping adds up. Many movers sell before leaving and buy locally.