USA → France
Export Horses from the USA to France
Thoroughbred and sport-horse breeding into one of Europe's largest markets, with sales through Deauville and Arqana among the buyers we ship for.
- Arrives
- CDG
- Departs
- LAX / DFW
- Flight time
- ~8–9 hours
- Plan ahead
- 45–75 days
Paris Charles de Gaulle
Or whichever US gateway suits the animals
France runs one of Europe's largest breeding industries in its own right, Thoroughbred and Selle Français alike, with sales through Deauville and Arqana pulling in American-bred stock every year. It moves under the same EU process we use for Ireland and the rest of the EU.
As with any EU destination, the paperwork is standardized rather than country-specific, so what changes from one French shipment to the next is mostly the buyer and the routing, not the requirements themselves.
Regulatory
What a France export requires
These are the constraints that shape the timeline. The binding requirements are whatever France has in force on your day of export — we confirm the current position as the first step of every quote.
EQUI-X health certificate
Horses travel on the EU's EQUI-X certificate, issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS — the same document and process we use for Ireland and the rest of the EU.
Origin premises must be registered
The establishment where the horse originates has to be registered with USDA APHIS before the certificate can be issued.
30 days of documented veterinary supervision
The horse needs to have been under the supervision of an official veterinarian at a registered establishment for the 30 days before export — documented oversight where the horse already is, not a stay at a separate isolation facility.
Owner declaration and USDA endorsement
A signed declaration from the owner or operator attaches to the health certificate, and USDA has to ink-sign and emboss it before the horse travels. We handle the VEHCS submission end to end.
Official source
USDA APHIS publishes the International Regulations for Animal Exports (IRegs) — the U.S. government’s understanding of France's current import requirements.
By species
What we handle into France
Horses
Racing, breeding and competition horses moved door to door — barn in the United States to barn in Asia-Pacific, the Gulf or Europe.
Cattle
Brahman and other tropical and temperate breeds, bulls and group consignments — priced and protocoled by breed and destination.
Sheep & Goats
Boer and Nubian goats, breeding rams and ewes — regulated together under USDA's scrapie program, and often shipped together.
Swine, Poultry & Camelids
Swine, poultry, camelids and mixed livestock genetics — moved as single consignments or as a recurring program.
Exotic & Zoo Animals
Zoo collections, wildlife parks and private exotic consignments — including CITES-listed species — moved with the permitting handled.
FAQ
Exporting to France: common questions
Can you export a horse to France?
Yes — Thoroughbred breeding stock, Selle Français and other sport horses all move under the same EU process we use for our other European destinations.
How much does it cost to ship a horse to France?
Ask us for a written figure against your specific horse. This is a newer lane for us than our Asia-Pacific destinations, so we don't yet have enough completed shipments to publish a general range.
Is the process different from shipping to Ireland?
No — France and Ireland are both in the EU, so the same EQUI-X certificate and process apply. What differs is the airport and the buyer, not the requirements.
Is there a quarantine facility stay required before export?
No — the EU requirement is 30 days of documented veterinary supervision at the horse's own registered premises, not a stay at a dedicated isolation facility the way our Asia-Pacific destinations require.
Does someone travel with the horse?
Yes. A professional groom flies with every horse on every international shipment we handle, keeping it hydrated and with forage available, and manages the offload on arrival.
Other lanes
More destinations we run
Ireland
Export Horses from the USA to Ireland
Belgium
Export Horses from the USA to Belgium
Netherlands
Export Horses from the USA to the Netherlands
Moving animals to France?
Send us the species, the number of animals, the origin and your target date. We confirm whether the protocol is currently open and come back with a written quote at no charge. If we can’t do the shipment, we’ll email you and say why.