Removals from Chatham to France
Of the four routes we run, France is the one we drive most — and the shortest hop off the M2. It’s the natural first move abroad for a lot of Medway families, whether that’s a permanent emigration to the south-west or kitting out a bolthole in Normandy. Here’s how the Chatham-to-France run actually works.
Who moves Chatham to France
It’s a broad mix. Retirees heading for the warmth and space of the Dordogne or the Lot. Families relocating for work near Paris or Lyon. And a steady stream of people furnishing a second place in Normandy or Brittany — close enough to nip back to Medway, far enough to feel like a proper change. Each of those 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: furniture blanket-wrapped, the kitchen boxed, beds broken down and rebuilt at the far end. The things worth flagging early are the ones people assume are simple. A wine collection wants proper temperature-aware handling, not a box in the sun on the tailgate. Garden furniture and barbecues that have lived outside need cleaning before they go, because soil and plant matter are exactly what a border check looks for. And if you’re half-furnishing a second home, a part-load lets you send some things now and more later rather than shipping a whole house you don’t yet need.
We’ll also be honest about what’s better left behind. Flat-pack that’s already been assembled once rarely survives a second disassembly; sometimes replacing it in France costs less worry than moving it. That’s the sort of judgement call we’ll talk through at the survey rather than quietly loading and hoping.
The route
From any of the ME postcodes it’s a short run to junction 3 or 4 of the M2, then a clean drive to the coast. We cross by the Dover–Calais ferry or the Eurotunnel shuttle from Folkestone — which one depends on the load and the timing. Once we’re on French soil the autoroutes open up: the A16 down the coast, the A1 towards Paris, or a longer haul south to Provence & the Riviera and Occitanie. We regularly deliver to Paris & Île-de-France, Normandy & Brittany, the Dordogne and beyond.
Customs and paperwork
This is the part people dread and shouldn’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. We prepare it with you and handle the lodging at the border. 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.
Why France
People move for the obvious reasons — space, weather, a slower gear — but the practical draw is proximity. France is the one European move where popping back for a weekend stays realistic, which is why it suits both the all-in emigrant and the keep-a-foot-in-Medway second-homer. We won’t sell you the lifestyle; you’ve already decided on that. We’ll just get your things there in one piece.
Starting the move from across Medway? We collect in Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham, and can route from the major UK cities too. Not sure France is the right first look? Compare it with Spain.
Chatham-to-France questions
Do you go to rural France, or only the cities?
Both, and rural is where a lot of the work is. Farmhouses in the Dordogne, village houses in the Lot, gîtes that will never have a standardised postcode — we plan the last few miles from the survey so the lorry isn’t discovering a single-track lane on the day.
Is a move to a second home different from an emigration?
On the customs side, yes. A permanent move can use the transfer-of-residence route; furnishing a second home is treated differently and the paperwork reflects that. We’ll ask which it is early, because it changes the forms — and we’d rather get that right than redo it at Calais.
Can you take a car or a trailer as well?
Often, depending on the load and the vehicle. Tell us at the survey if there’s a car, a motorbike or a trailer in the picture and we’ll tell you honestly whether it rides with the household goods or is better handled separately.
Moving from Chatham 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.