Residents » Overview » When You Leave

You'd be well-advised to tie things up officially when you leave Paris; all that form-filling at the beginning means that there is plenty to be undone so it's not a simple case of jumping on a plane and waving your friends goodbye.

• Shipping – shipping is very expensive. Keep in mind that customs in France can be rigid so make sure that you have the proper paperwork for whatever you’re shipping (or carrying) out of the country. Unless you deeply love your furniture, your motorcycle or your refrigerator, just sell it. Websites like www.paris.craigslist.org, www.ebay.fr, and www.fusac.fr are all excellent resources for selling (and buying) household contents.

• Landlord – be sure that you leave your apartment precisely as you found it, so fill in holes and touch up the paint, otherwise you may never see your deposit. Fighting landlords is difficult enough in France. You certainly don’t want to be in a battle from thousands of miles away.