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President's Council

Housing and Relocation

Housing in France, particularly in the Paris area, is difficult to find and is expensive by American standards. As in the United States, houses, apartments and rooms can be found by consulting the classified advertisements (Locations Offres Vides) or by placing advertisements in local newspapers such as : Le Figaro or the International Herald Tribune, the France-USA Contacts magazine (FUSAC) every 2 weeks, or in any other magazines specializing in real estate (De Particulier à particulier…) addresses are listed below. The internet has recently become another excellent source.

Renting and Apartment

The landlord will normally ask to be paid a rental guarantee or deposit (caution) equivalent to one or two months rent, but possibly more, plus a month’s rent in advance. This will be specified in the lease or contract (bail) which is often standard and which should be carefully read to ascertain the responsibilities of the parties. In most cases the deposit is refunded two months after you have vacated the apartment. It is also possible that the landlord may ask for the lease either to be taken out, or guaranteed, directly by the employer. In addition to the rent, each tenant has to pay utilities (charges) which usually cover miscellaneous expenses for the building.

If you have resided in the apartment or house since the 1st of January of a given year, you will have to pay local taxes, Taxe d'habitation. This tax varies from one city to another. It depends on several criteria (square meters, number of inhabitants) and the amount is fixed by the city hall. This tax is payable every year. For more information on this subject, you may contact a real estate agency, or a lawyer.

Where to find announcements :

International Herald Tribune
6 bis rue des Graviers, 92521 Neuilly Sur Seine Cedex
Tel : 01 41 43 93 85
Website : (http://www.iht.com)
Email: iht@iht.com

Le Figaro
9, rue Pillet Will, 75009 Paris
Tel: 01.56.52.80.00
Website : (http://www.explorimmo.com) or (http://www.lefigaro.fr)

France-Soir
4 rue Léon Jost, 75017 Paris
Tel: 01 56 21 00 00

France U.S.A. Contacts (FUSAC)
26 rue Bénard, 75014 Paris
Tel : 01-56-53-54-54
Fax : 01.56.53.54.53/55
Website : (http://www.fusac.org) or (http://www.fusac.fr)
Email : fusac@fusac.fr

France U.S.A. Contacts (FUSAC)
P.O. Box 115, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10276
Tel : (212) 777 55 53
Fax : (212) 777 55 54
Website : (http://www.fusac.com)
Email : franceusa@fusac.com

De Particulier à Particulier
40 rue Docteur Roux 75015 Paris
Tel : 01 40 56 35 35
Fax : 01.40.56.39.60
Website : http://www.pap.fr
This is a website that lists housing available all over France. It's a great way to find housing in through the owners.

Seloger
www.seloger.com
This is a website that lists housing available all over France. It's a great way to find housing in through different agencies.

Real Estate or Housing Companies

Real estate agencies are known as Agences de Location. They appear in the yellow pages (Professions) under Agences de Location d'appartements et de proprietés and Location d'appartements.

For AmCham France member relocation & real estate firms please follow the AmCham Service Providers link.

These companies provide a range of services ranging from arranging housing, auto registration, and immigration formalities, to school enrollment, home decorating, and cross-cultural training. There are numerous companies in France that offer these services. They can be found through the appropriate Internet search.

Shipping of Household Effects

The documents listed below are required for the duty-free shipment of personal effects & furniture by a person moving to France. (Effects and furniture are considered to be personal effects when they have been owned and used for six months or more, (or one year for an automobile,) and are intended for personal use in the new place of residence.) French regulations require that the effects be shipped within a period of one year from the declared date on the stamped Change of Residence Certification.
Please refer to http://www.info-france-usa.org/intheus/customs/1000.asp for further information.

1. A Change of Residence Certification (Certificat de Changement de Domicile) :
This document may be obtained at the French Embassy or consulate nearest the place of departure. This certification states the date of the change of residence and MUST be stamped by a French consular official.

2. Detailed Itemized List of Articles (Inventaire Detaillé) :
This is an itemized list of all personal effects and furniture, including automobiles, being imported. Each article is itemized in a comprehensive list, in duplicate, signed and dated, for goods you are importing into France as part of your move (in one or more shipments), with the identification of their value. The inventory should be as complete as possible, indicating the value in dollars and giving a description of all valuable properties, such as antiques, collector’s items, and cars.
(a) for at least six months for all personal effects, and furniture,
(b) for vehicles please refer to the French consulate in your area or the following website : http://www.info-france-usa.org/intheus/customs/5000.asp
This Inventory should be in French and must be stamped at a French Embassy or consulate.

For all questions concerning importation of works of art or other valuable items, please contact the :
Centre des renseignements statistiques
8 rue de la Tour des Dames, pièce 1110 75436 Paris Cedex 09
Tel : 0820 02 44 44
Email: crs@douane.finances.gouv.fr
Website : http://www.douane.gouv.fr

Included as Duty-Free Household Effects :
You may import personal effects (wearing apparel, jewelry, toilet articles, hunting and fishing equipment and similar effects) as well as household effects (furniture, carpets, dishes, linen, libraries, pictures and similar household furnishings) free of duty and tax, provided you meet the conditions mentioned above.

Household Effects that are not Duty-Free :
Motors imported separately from the vehicle or appliance; speed boats; pleasure craft (except canoes and kayaks); school, store & office furniture; wine, alcoholic beverages; trucks and utility vehicles; and raw materials.

Restrictions on Duty-Free Household Effects :
A person who is importing a television should go to a Radio diffusion Television office soon after arrival in France. All televisions used in France are subject to taxation (redevance audiovisuelle.) However, some American-made televisions must be drastically adapted to work in France, (which uses a SECAM L system) and the cost of this procedure is often higher than the cost of a new television. There are customs restrictions on the importation of various guns, ammunitions, and certain printed matter. Check with the nearest French Consulate in the U.S. to obtain the specific restrictions on the importation of these objects.
Warning : Household goods and personal effects imported free of duty and tax as part of your moving to France may not be sold or otherwise disposed of for a period of 1 year after they have been cleared through customs, unless duties and taxes are paid at the applicable rate. Duties and taxes must be paid before the sale is completed.

Importing a Private Vehicle to France :
For information on Importing a Private Vehicle into France from Canada or the U.S., please see following website : http://www.info-france-usa.org/intheus/customs/5000.asp

Shipping and Transportation Companies
For AmCham France member transportation firms please follow the AmCham Service Providers link.

For all of your help moving to France, contact At Your Service. At Your Service is a complete concierge service that will help you with all your moving needs to and from France.

Please note AmCham is open: Monday-Thursday 9:30-13:00, 14:00-18:00, Friday 9:30-13:00
AmCham France is not open to the public. Please call to make an appointment if you would like to come by.

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Housing and Relocation