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After many weeks of trying to sort out where to go on holiday we have now decided tto look into leaving a van in France.  we feel that it would save money on the crossing and as we want to use it for 12 months of the year it would be worth it.

Anyone had experience of this any feedback greatly received.

Sennen

Try Here

www.camp-france.com

We store our caravan in France, you have to prove to the French Douane that it is tax paid within the EU or otherwise you have to pay the French TVA.  We bought our van from a Jersey resident and it came with the storage which for this year is €230 and that is undercover on concrete and as the owners live on site it is secure.  You will see travelling around that lots of 'Fermes' offer storage.  I would not advise trying to get away without paying any form of VAT as storage sites are regularly checked by the Douane and your van could be taken away if you cannot provide proof of payment. (We live a copy of our receipt stuck to the window - the original we carry in person.

As for motorised vehicles I am not sure of the procedure but I do know from a friend who has recently taken up residence in Dol that she had to have her car checked out by a French garage and it had to be re-registered onto French plates.

Would VAT, or its equivalent, be an issue in the case of private purchases of secondhand vans?

Bertie.