The permitted quantities are not the same if you are returning from an EU country or from abroad.
It is possible to bring alcohol outside the EU zone and into French overseas territories from the age of 17.
Purchase receipts should always be kept in case of inspection.
When we travel, we all like to bring local alcohol to share with those around us. Some also wait until they are in duty free to stock up on reasonably priced spirits or strong alcohol. Before checking out, it is important to know the number of liters you are allowed to take home. And for good reason, it varies from country to country, especially if you’re in the European zone or not.
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How much alcohol can you bring from an EU country?
To return alcohol after a stay in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland or even Italy, you must be of legal age and respect the quantities authorized per person. Since you stay in the European Union, the conditions are pretty good. It is thus possible to bring back up to ten liters of strong alcohol or spirits (greater than 22 degrees) such as whiskey, gin, vodka, limoncello, liqueur. For alcohols considered intermediate products, such as sweet wine, port or vermouth, the passenger is allowed to bring back up to twenty liters of drinks. For wine, we increase it to 90 liters (including max. 60 liters of sparkling wine) and up to 110 liters of beer. Note that all these quantities are cumulative, but it is up to you to do the calculation before the return trip. After staying outside the European Union, the conditions are different.
How many liters of alcohol can you bring from abroad?
For all countries outside the European Union, communities, overseas departments, regions and territories, the Channel Islands and the Canary Islands, it is possible to return alcohol from ten to seven years. The quantities to be respected are as follows: four liters for still wine, sixteen for beer, one liter for alcohol above 22 degrees (whisky, rum, liqueur, etc.), two liters for drinks up to 22 degrees (Port, Madeira, Vermouth , Muscat, Banyuls, etc.) and one liter for undenatured ethyl alcohol higher than or equal to 80 degrees. Here again, the amounts are cumulative.
Please note that a decree originating in the Antilles allows residents of a European Union country to bring a few bottles of rum into mainland France. You are therefore entitled to carry up to 10 liters of alcohol above 22 degrees in your suitcases.
Are the conditions the same in border areas?
Conditions are still different in border areas. When returning from Andorra, we go for a maximum of five liters of wine (non-sparkling), three liters of intermediate alcohol and one liter of strong alcohol or non-denatured alcohol above 80 degrees. For border crossings with Switzerland, it is possible to bring back four liters of beer, 0.5 liters of wine (non-sparkling) or intermediate alcohol and 0.25 liters of strong alcohol or undenatured alcohol above 80 degrees.
Whether you are returning from a European Union country, from abroad or in border areas, you are subject to several sanctions if you do not comply with the permitted amount of alcohol. First, the excise duty will have to be paid directly to the customs inspector or by electronic payment. The offender will also have to pay a fine of 750 euros, to which, in the most extreme cases, a prison sentence of one year can be added.
Finally, your vehicle can be impounded, as well as the products, if it was used to transport alcohol.