Need to ship a package to Le Puy! Help!

[CHICAGOSTYLE]

My girlfriend and I will be starting our Le Puy to Santiago Camino at the end of next week. We have partnered with a Catholic non-for-profit called the "Parish Peace Project (PPP)" that focuses on non-violence initiatives here in Chicago. Our goal is to use our camino as a way to raise awareness for their good work and hopefully raise some funds for them.

As part of this, the non-for-profit had some shirts designed and made for us that list by name kids that have been killed here in the last 3 years and the names of young people that have signed up as peacekeepers with the PPP.

Problem is, there was a delay and the shirts won't be done until after I leave! This is such an important part of our mission because this represents the innocent victims and the peacemakers by bringing them on the pilgrimage with us.

I need some help finding a solution here. Where can I have something shipped in Le Puy? Would the pilgrims office potentially accept it, possibly the Cathedral, or maybe the post office would hold it for us?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

In Christ,

Tommy B.

 

[whariwharangi]

Its called Poste Restante. It gets mailed to you to pick up at a particular post office. Usually there is a time limit for how long the post office will hold it.

La Poste is France's postal service
https://www.laposte.fr/particulier

 

[CHICAGOSTYLE]

Great! Thanks whari!

 

[Bajaracer]

Be careful of having things shipped from the US to France, duties may have to be paid, so be prepared to deal with French Customs.

 

[CHICAGOSTYLE]

Hey Baja,

How does that work? It's only going to be a few t-shirts so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[MinaKamina]

Hiya, in this digital time and age you may want to consider to e-mail the design and have your T-shirts printed in France.

 

[dougfitz]

Hey Baja,

How does that work? It's only going to be a few t-shirts so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

It works like this: the clothing and equipment you bring with you as luggage are considered to be personal belongings as a general rule, and are exempt from customs and excise duties. Things that you send will not be considered this way, and will be subject to duties based on their commercial value. This would result in them being held by customs until they were cleared by whomever is receiving them paying the assessed duties. This happens in most countries. What differs in my experience is the value at which an obligation to pay duties is assessed. You would need to find out if the commercial value of the items were going to exceed the trigger level for France. If they didn't, it should be easy, and the items released to the postal service. Otherwise ...

 

[MinaKamina]

Hey Baja,

How does that work? It's only going to be a few t-shirts so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Customs PLUS costs of declaration must be paid over the price of the T-shirts AND the shipping

It works like this: the clothing and equipment you bring with you as luggage are considered to be personal belongings as a general rule, and are exempt from customs and excise duties. Things that you send will not be considered this way, and will be subject to duties based on their commercial value. This would result in them being held by customs until they were cleared by whomever is receiving them paying the assessed duties. This happens in most countries. What differs in my experience is the value at which an obligation to pay duties is assessed. You would need to find out if the commercial value of the items were going to exceed the trigger level for France. If they didn't, it should be easy, and the items released to the postal service. Otherwise ...

French customs say this (in French):
http://www.douane.gouv.fr/articles/...-commercial-franchises-douanieres-et-fiscales


Shipments between individuals

The goods contained in items sent by an individual established in a non-member state of the European Union (third country), to another individual resident in France or in the European Union, are exempt from customs duties and VAT, provided that the value of the goods does not exceed EUR 45 and that they are imported without any commercial character (occasional reception for personal or family use and free of charge).

Beyond this value, you must pay the French customs duties and taxes in force.

As far as I am aware, the cost of transport is included in the value of the goods.

I guess this rule of exemption does NOT apply when the manufacturer ships the T shirts directly to France. However, if someone unpacks the T shirts in the USA, rolls them up and puts them in a box with a note and a towel, then sending used goods should not be a problem.