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Our funeral ambulance outside a funeral home in France
“Reliable, professional, a reasonable price, and most important of all, my brother arrived exactly on time.”
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Our funeral ambulance on an English country road

By road, in our own funeral ambulances

Most repatriations to and from the UK go by road, driven by our own team, so your loved one stays in our care the whole way. We book a flight only where the road is not possible.

Everything in the estimate

  • The paperwork at both ends
  • Collection
  • Hygienic treatment
  • A sealed coffin
  • Transport, by road or by air
  • One specialist, start to finish
A written quote on a desk

One price, in writing, before anything moves

Before anything is booked you have an itemised quote in writing, and nothing is added to it afterwards, so you can plan without surprises.

In the families’ own words

“We were so worried about the process of getting my mum safely back home to Slovakia, but every detail was handled with care, compassion and professionalism.”
Sofia BartkovaUK to Slovakia
“Our loved one died on holiday in Egypt and what felt impossible was made possible. They kept us informed every step, translated everything, and their reps in Egypt worked so hard for us.”
NatEgypt to UK
“Their pricing was competitive and the process was incredibly fast. What stood out most was the attentive and caring staff who spoke Italian fluently.”
GenovesiUK to Italy
Two of our team at the front desk of our office

One specialist, from the first call to the last

The same person holds your case, deals with the offices at both ends and tells you when each step is done, so you never have to explain it twice.

Rated excellent, 4.8 out of 5

See reviews

Repatriation to and from France

£2,700

Estimated, all inclusive

Enquire now, no obligation
  • Usually 2 to 7 days
  • Agreed in writing
  • We answer any hour

  • Our fees, and one specialist from the first call to the last
  • Collection from the hospital or mortuary
  • Hygienic treatment, and care until your loved one travels
  • A sealed coffin that meets the route’s requirements
  • All the paperwork required
  • Transport by road in our own refrigerated funeral ambulances, or by air where the road is not possible

When your loved one needs an urgent collection, usually from a home: the estimate covers collection from a hospital or mortuary. Tell us where they are on the first call and the written quote includes it, with any of the costs specific to France that apply.

The estimate for any country, in either direction, and what it covers.

Work out an estimate for another countryWork out an estimate for another country

How body repatriation works, step by step

Four steps between France and the UK, and we do all of them. You hear from us at each one, not only at the end.

  1. The first call

    You tell us where your loved one is, in France or in the UK. We tell you the cost and what happens next, at any hour.

  2. The paperwork

    The death certificate, the permit to travel and the papers the carrier needs. We obtain them in France and here.

  3. Care and transport

    Hygienic treatment and a sealed coffin. Most routes travel by road in our own vehicles, by air only where the distance calls for it.

  4. Arrival

    By road, we drive on to the funeral director you have chosen, or to ours. By air, collection at the destination is an optional extra.

The papers we obtain for you

This is the set most routes need. Where a country asks for something else, we tell you before we quote, and we obtain that too.

  • Out of England permission

    From the coroner, when the death happened in England.

  • Free from infection certificate

    Confirms there is no infectious disease, for the carrier and the receiving country.

  • Funeral director’s declaration

    Our signed declaration for the transport.

  • Embalming certificate

    Where the route or the receiving country requires one.

  • Apostille

    Where the receiving country asks for one.

  • Translations

    Certified, where a document is not in the receiving country’s language.

Procedures change from time to time, so this list may lag behind them. We keep up with every change and confirm what your case needs on the first call.

What we need from you

  • The death certificate

    Or the coroner’s interim certificate, where there is an inquest.

  • Their passport

    Or a copy to begin with. We tell you if the original is needed.

  • Your permission for us to act

    A short form we send you to sign, so we can deal with the offices for your family.

What we need from you

  • Their passport, or a copy

    Whatever you have to hand. We tell you what else is needed.

  • Any papers you already hold from France

    A death certificate or a hospital letter, if you have one. If not, we obtain it.

  • Your permission for us to act

    A short form we send you to sign, so we can deal with the offices for your family.

Repatriation between France and the United Kingdom

The whole route in plain terms, in both directions, written for someone reading it for the first time.

Repatriation from France to the United Kingdom

France is the closest of our routes, with large British communities settled in the Dordogne, Brittany, Normandy and around Paris, and many more visitors and second-home owners crossing the Channel each year. When a death occurs in France, bringing your loved one home to the UK brings together the French authorities, the receiving arrangements in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and the transport itself. We coordinate all three, so the family does not have to travel to France or deal directly with French offices in a language they may not speak. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Because France is a member of the European Union and lies just across the Channel, the paperwork is comparatively predictable and the distance is short. The French death certificate is available in a multilingual (plurilingual) standard form, which the receiving funeral director and registrar in the UK can generally read without a separate translation.

The process in France: from the acte de décès to release

A doctor first certifies the death, and it is then declared to the local town hall (mairie), whose service d'état civil registers it and issues the official death certificate, the acte de décès, available as a multilingual extract. For a loved one leaving the country, the préfecture issues the autorisation de transport de corps, which permits your loved one to be carried out of France. We obtain these on the family's behalf while your loved one is prepared by the local funeral operator (pompes funèbres).

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) and is placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin. Because France is close, the transport is often made by road and cross-Channel ferry or shuttle, though a flight to a UK airport is also used where it is quicker for the region of departure. Our team collects your loved one from the French funeral director or hospital and stays with them through to the receiving funeral director in the UK.

Bringing your loved one into the UK

Once in the UK, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the foreign death certificate is generally sufficient. For a cremation, the coroner in England and Wales must give authority first: this is the Cremation Form 6, issued once the coroner is satisfied there is no need for further investigation (in Scotland this role falls to the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner). You can read more about the coroner's role in England in our resource centre. We liaise with the coroner's office so this is in place without delay.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from France usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact to arrival in the UK. The timing depends on the region of departure, appointments at the mairie and préfecture, and the circumstances of the death: where the death is sudden or unexplained and placed at the disposal of the procureur de la République, release can take longer.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the region of departure, whether your loved one travels by road or air, the cause of death, and local funeral-home and administrative fees. Families are often unaware that a UK-based estate or insurance policy, or travel insurance held by your loved one, may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • The doctor: certifies the death (certificat de décès) at home, in hospital or, in a sudden or unexplained death, on the instruction of the court.
  • Mairie: service d'état civil (Civil Registry): registers the death and issues the official acte de décès, available in a multilingual standard form.
  • Préfecture: issues the autorisation de transport de corps required to move your loved one out of France.
  • Pompes funèbres (funeral operator): carries out the hygienic treatment and preparation required for carriage.
  • Procureur de la République / court: in sudden, suspicious or violent deaths, orders any examination and authorises release of your loved one.
  • UK coroner / procurator fiscal: where a cremation is planned in England and Wales, authorises it via Cremation Form 6 (in Scotland, the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner).

Documents required

  • Acte de décès: the official French death certificate from the mairie, available in multilingual standard form.
  • Autorisation de transport de corps: the authorisation to move your loved one out of France.
  • Hygienic treatment certificate: confirming preparation to international transport standard.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming your loved one poses no public-health risk in transit.
  • Coroner's authority (Cremation Form 6): only where a cremation is planned in England and Wales.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to France

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to France for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements set by the French authorities, and the transport itself. France is a close neighbour, so your loved one can travel either by road via the Channel or by air. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides so that the family in France does not have to deal with UK offices in English. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are at the start.

Taking a loved one out of England and Wales follows a set UK procedure; the destination country's consular and import requirements then set the standard for the documents that must accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared. For France, an EU member state just across the Channel, those requirements are comparatively predictable.

Telling the coroner: taking a loved one out of England and Wales

Before a loved one can be taken out of England and Wales, the law requires that the coroner for the district be given at least four clear days' notice (the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954). The coroner then issues an acknowledgement, the "out of England" notice, confirming there is no objection to removal, and can release your loved one sooner where satisfied that no further enquiries are needed. We complete this notification and obtain the acknowledgement on the family's behalf. In Scotland the equivalent authority is the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner.

Arriving in France: the receiving formalities

Your loved one travels after hygienic treatment (embalming), placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection. In France, the death is registered with the mairie of the commune where the funeral will take place, and the receiving pompes funèbres handle the local formalities. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral director in France. You can read more about repatriating a loved one from the UK in our guidance.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a transport-standard sealed coffin. For France we can arrange a road transfer with a dedicated funeral vehicle via the Channel crossing, or a flight to a French airport where that is quicker for the destination region. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director and stays with them to the destination airport, coordinating with the receiving funeral director in France, who takes your loved one into their care for the funeral.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to France usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling a short distance of roughly 345 km by road or air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner (which can sometimes be shortened at the coroner's discretion) and the mode of transport chosen. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the destination region in France, the mode of transport, and any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees. A UK estate, a life-insurance policy or your loved one's own arrangements may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • UK coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland): must be given at least four clear days' notice before your loved one is taken out of England and Wales, and issues the "out of England" acknowledgement.
  • UK registrar: registers the death and issues the death certificate that accompanies your loved one.
  • Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment and preparation to international transport standard and provides the sealed transport coffin.
  • French consular authorities: issue the transport authorisation and recognise the documents needed for entry into France (see the note above).
  • Pompes funèbres and mairie in France: receive your loved one and register and arrange the funeral in the destination commune.

Documents required

  • UK death certificate: issued by the registrar once the death is registered.
  • Coroner's "out of England" acknowledgement: after at least four clear days' notice.
  • Hygienic treatment certificate: confirming preparation to international transport standard.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming no public-health risk in transit.
  • Sealed transport coffin: as required for international carriage to France.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from France

The core documents are the acte de décès from the mairie (available in multilingual standard form), the autorisation de transport de corps permitting your loved one to be moved out of France, and hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates for transport.

Where a cremation is planned in England and Wales, the coroner must also authorise it (Cremation Form 6). We obtain all of the French documents on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact to arrival in the UK.

The timing depends on the region of departure, appointments at the mairie and préfecture, and the circumstances of the death. Where the death is placed at the disposal of the public prosecutor, release can take longer.

No. We deal directly with the mairie, the préfecture, the funeral operator and, if necessary, the court. The family does not need to travel or communicate with the French authorities.

The whole process is arranged remotely on the basis of a simple written authorisation sent by email or WhatsApp.

Yes. Because France is just across the Channel, many repatriations are made by road and cross-Channel ferry or shuttle, which can be both quicker and more economical than a flight.

We advise on the best option for the region of departure and arrange it either way, including a flight to a UK airport where that is faster.

The quoted price covers the French documentation, hygienic treatment, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, the transport authorisation, transport to the UK and handover to your funeral director.

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the region of departure, the mode of transport, the cause of death and local fees.

Questions families ask us about repatriation to France

Before removal, the coroner must be given at least four clear days' notice and issues an "out of England" acknowledgement. Your loved one then travels after hygienic treatment, in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection.

In France, the death is registered with the mairie and the receiving pompes funèbres handle the local formalities. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.

Yes. For repatriation to France the French consular authorities in the UK issue the autorisation de transport de corps, authorising the transfer and confirming the accompanying documents before the coffin is dispatched.

We handle this step on the family's behalf, so no one needs to attend the consulate in person.

Usually 2 to 7 days, your loved one travelling a short distance of roughly 345 km by road or air. The main factor is the four clear days' notice to the coroner, which can occasionally be shortened at the coroner's discretion.

The mode of transport also affects timing, and where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation the timeline can be longer.

France is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where the French authorities require a UK public document to be legalised, it can be apostilled in the UK rather than going through a longer legalisation chain.

In practice the receiving pompes funèbres in France advises on exactly which documents the destination commune requires, and we prepare the file accordingly.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, and road-and-ferry or air transport to France with handover to the receiving funeral director.

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the destination region and the mode of transport.

Every other country, in both directions

We bring loved ones home to the UK from anywhere, and from the UK to anywhere in the world. Three more routes written up in the same detail: repatriation to and from Georgia, Germany and Greece. For the road across the continent, read about repatriation between Europe and the UK.

Talk to a specialistRepatriation routes for every country

“We were so worried about the process of getting my mum safely back home to Slovakia, but every detail was handled with care, compassion and professionalism.”

Sofia Bartkova
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