Get your Australian product needs to be fulfilled while sitting at home in France

France is part of the EU customs union, so any parcel arriving from Australia is treated the same way it would be entering Germany, Spain or the Netherlands: French VAT (TVA) applies from the first euro of declared value, and customs duty applies above EUR 150 of goods value. The good news is that once paperwork is in order, the route from our Gold Coast warehouse to a French address is a well worn one.

HotSnail gives you an Australian delivery address. Order from any Australian retailer that ships within Australia, we receive at our warehouse, then forward to your French address with the correct EU customs paperwork.

What French buyers order from Australia

The mix of categories we forward to France tilts towards lifestyle and skincare:

• Aesop skincare: Australian RRP is meaningfully lower than the Paris boutique price, even after VAT.
• Jurlique and Sukin skincare.
• Surf brands: Rip Curl, Billabong, Quiksilver. Many of these labels were founded in Australia and have a strong following on the French Atlantic coast.
• R.M. Williams boots and Australian leather goods.
• UGG boots (genuine Australian made labels).
• Australian wine as a curiosity import. Note French wine drinkers tend to prefer specific Penfolds and Shiraz expressions not stocked locally.
• Opals and Australian jewellery.
• Specialty pantry items: Vegemite, Tim Tams, manuka honey.

Shipping options and transit times

• AusPost International Express: 7 to 12 business days door to door, tracked end to end, 20 kg cap. Handover to La Poste for last mile.
• AusPost International Standard: 12 to 25 business days, cheapest option.
• DHL Express Worldwide: 5 to 7 business days, full tracking.
• Colissimo International via La Poste partnership is sometimes used for residential delivery.

French customs, TVA and import duty

French customs (Douanes) processes inbound parcels following the same EU framework as the rest of the bloc:

• TVA (French VAT): applies on every parcel from the first euro. Standard rate is 20% (reduced rates apply for some books and food). TVA is calculated on goods value plus shipping plus insurance.
• Customs duty: applies only on parcels with a goods value over EUR 150. Rates depend on the tariff classification (HS code).
• IOSS: The Import One Stop Shop lets registered sellers collect VAT at checkout on goods up to EUR 150. As a personal forwarding service we do not register parcels through IOSS, so TVA is collected on delivery in France.
• Handling fee: La Poste and Chronopost charge a processing fee (often EUR 8 to EUR 15) for VAT collection on personal parcels.
• French Douanes is known for thorough inspections. Accurate declarations and original invoices reduce delays significantly.

Prohibited and restricted items for France

France follows EU rules on novel foods, supplements and plant health. Items HotSnail will not forward include fresh meat and dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables, plant material and seeds, CBD products in some forms, supplements with ingredients not on the EU novel foods register, ivory and wildlife products, and counterfeit branded goods. France additionally restricts certain knives and edged tools. Wine and alcohol can be forwarded but attract specific French alcohol excise (droits d'accise).

Addressing your parcel

Standard French address format: recipient name, street number then street name on one line, then a line with the 5 digit postcode and city. For business addresses you may see a CEDEX suffix on the postcode, which is a high volume mail box code (for example 75001 PARIS CEDEX 01). Include a mobile number for DHL and Chronopost deliveries.

How HotSnail helps

Open an account to get an Australian delivery address. We consolidate multiple parcels, photograph and weigh each on arrival, prepare EU compliant customs paperwork, and quote the forwarding cost before anything ships.