The Complete Guide to Shipping French Antiques and Fine Art Internationally
A Must-Read Interactive Guide for Transporting Antiques from France to USA and Worldwide
Understand planning, safe delivery, tariffs, and USA import regulations before you purchase.
A clear, expert guide to transporting French antiques and fine art internationally.
Plan Your French Sourcing Trip with Confidence
This guide is based on real shipments of fragile, high-value antiques and fine art, written by experts in international transport.
PROVENCE EXPORT IS
The safest and easiest solution for transporting fine art and antiques
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Receive Your Complete Guide To
International Shipping of French Antiques and Fine Art
This complimentary digital guide includes updated tariff information, customs requirements, and what to expect at every stage of transport.
A must-read prior to your next French sourcing trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sourcing Antiques
Antiques are purchased from established dealers, village brocantes, antiques markets, and fairs. Major hubs include L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Paris, Provence, Normandy, Burgundy, and the Côte d’Azur. Plan to shop on the weekends to ensure dealers are open.
Provence Export (a subsidiary of Chez Pluie Provence) is the most trusted shipper of Antiques to the US providing hassle free shipping and true door to door delivery.
We coordinate collection directly with permanent dealers, handle professional packing, prepare export documentation, and manage transport. You should keep clear records of all purchases. Any pieces purchased from temporary brocantes and fairs will need to be delivered to our warehouse in Sablet by appointment, Monday to Friday.
Cost of Shipping
Use our free instant quoting app on iPhone or Android. You can generate shipping quotes in seconds for one or multiple items while you shop.
Costs depend on volume, value for insurance, shipping method, and delivery timeframe. Our phone app provides accurate quotes before you commit.
For a small number of items, economy air freight is often the most cost-effective option. For larger shipments, full container sea freight is usually more economical.
Service options and timing
Items are packed in custom-built wooden crates sized precisely to avoid wasted volume. Most small shipments are sent by economy air freight.
Your items are professionally packed and loaded into a dedicated container from our warehouse in Sablet, then shipped directly to your US address. This service is available to clients with registered US businesses.
Economy air freight typically takes two to three weeks from dispatch. Sea freight takes several months and depends on routing, customs and port congestion.
Shipping services are similar, but full container ocean freight is available only to clients with registered US businesses, including LLCs registered at residential addresses with suitable delivery access.
Import Process
Antiques over 100 years old and original works of art are subject to a 15 percent US tariff, calculated on the item value only. Shipping and insurance are not included in the tariff calculation.
Most antiques can be imported. Items containing ivory, endangered woods, or protected cultural materials may require permits. Alcohol, vehicles, firearms, weapons and ammunition are not accepted with our services.
We complete all import paperwork on your behalf. We simple need your name, billing/shipping address, phone number and email. Also your business name if you are importing a business.
Insurance and damages
Items are fully insured through delivery to your address. Any pre-existing issues with items will be recorded in the condition report and insurance limitations apply to these. Our focus is on professional packing and damage prevention.
Damage must be reported within five days of delivery. We assess the situation and arrange professional repair where possible, or issue a partial or full refund based on the extent of the damage.