Moving from the UK to Europe, or coming home? Gentlevan is a family-run European removal company based in Oxfordshire, moving households between the UK and mainland Europe in both directions since 2011.
We handle everything from a few pieces of furniture to a full house: shared loads for smaller moves, dedicated vehicles for complete households, optional packing, customs paperwork and UK storage, all with one company and one number to call. Our own fleet runs from vans up to a 36-tonne road train, with smaller transhipment vehicles for the streets a lorry can't reach.
Our European removal services run every fortnight to Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Gibraltar, and back again. Get a free no-obligation quote and see how straightforward a move to Europe can be.
We run regular European removals to and from these countries. Choose a destination for local detail, prices and transit times:
Europe is a continent of very different moves. A modern house with a driveway is straightforward: the lorry pulls up and we load. A canal house in Amsterdam, a top-floor flat in Paris or a hilltop village in Tuscany is a different job, and we plan for it before we set off. We check the access first, on Street View or from the photos and video you send us, so we arrive with the right vehicle. Where a full-size lorry can't get in, we tranship onto a smaller vehicle and shuttle the last stretch.
One of our most active European routes. Moves head for the Costa del Sol (Marbella, Málaga), the Costa Blanca (Alicante) and the cities: Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Coastal urbanisations often have narrow internal roads, height barriers and tight ramps down to underground parking.
We size the vehicle to the resort and tranship where the lorry can't reach the door. More on removals to Spain, or see our part load removals to Spain.
One of our most active European routes, from Brittany and Normandy across the short crossing to the Dordogne, the south-west, Provence and the Côte d'Azur. Paris means courtyards and stairs-only flats; rural properties mean long gravel drives and low farm gateways.
We plan the access before we set off and shuttle the last stretch where needed. More on removals to France.
One of our most active European routes: Tuscany, the northern lakes (Como, Garda), Rome, Milan and Puglia. Historic centres run ZTL restricted-traffic zones with timed access, hilltop towns have stepped streets, and farmhouses can sit a fair way off the main road.
We check the ZTL rules and the final approach before we travel. More on removals to Italy.
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Eindhoven. The classic Dutch canal house is tall, narrow and steep-staired, which is why so many have a hoist beam at the gable: a furniture lift is often the only sensible way up.
Where a lift is needed we agree it with you in advance once we've checked the access. More on removals to the Netherlands.
Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Düsseldorf, plus the smaller towns in between. City streets often need a temporary no-parking zone (Halteverbotszone) for loading, and apartment blocks can mean several floors without a lift.
We tell you at survey stage whether a no-parking zone is needed. More on removals to Germany.
Geneva, Zurich, Basel, Lausanne and the Alpine resorts. Switzerland sits outside the EU customs union, so household goods are cleared at the Swiss border on their own declaration, and mountain roads can limit the size of vehicle that reaches the door.
We plan the border paperwork and the vehicle together. More on removals to Switzerland.
Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, just across the short crossing. City-centre terraces and apartment blocks are often tall and narrow, so an exterior furniture lift through a window or balcony is common.
Where a lift is needed we agree it with you in advance once we've checked the access. More on removals to Belgium.
Steep streets, tight building entrances and strict loading rules mean a large vehicle rarely goes into the principality itself. We tranship nearby onto a smaller vehicle for the final stretch to your door.
More on removals to Monaco.
Every move crosses the Spain to Gibraltar frontier, and the border and customs arrangements are changing under the UK and EU agreement on Gibraltar. We check the current rules before each run so your paperwork matches them.
More on removals to Gibraltar.
Wherever you're moving, booking the parking bay or permit at either end is your responsibility, and we can book it for you for a small extra fee. Read our guide to removal van parking permits in the UK and Europe.
For smaller moves, your belongings share the vehicle with other households heading the same way, so you only pay for the space you use. Typically 40-60% cheaper than a dedicated vehicle, with the same care at every stage.
Best for: flats, partial moves, second homes and flexible dates
How it works: we group moves heading the same way, confirm your collection window a few days in advance, and deliver within the agreed timeframe, keeping you updated throughout.
A vehicle sized to your move and reserved for your belongings only: no other stops, no other shipments. The fastest way to move between the UK and Europe, in either direction.
Best for: full house removals, high-value items, fixed schedules
What's included: fixed-date collection and delivery, exclusive use of the vehicle and the most direct route to your door.
A part load, also called a shared load, is the most cost-effective way to move to Europe when you don't have a full vehicle's worth of belongings. Your things travel alongside other households heading the same way, so you pay for your share of the space rather than the whole lorry, typically saving 40-60%. It suits a flat, a studio, a partial move or a second-home top-up, which is why shared-load prices start from £1,200.
The trade-off is timing: part loads run on our bi-weekly services rather than a fixed day, so they suit dates with a little give. Every household is kept separate and labelled on board. See our dedicated pages for part load removals to Spain, part load removals to France and part load removals from Italy to the UK, or get a part-load quote for anywhere we cover.
The price of a European removal comes down to three things: how far, how much, and whether you share the vehicle. Below are typical starting-from prices for our shared (part) load service; your exact figure depends on your volume and the access at both ends. Packing is optional and quoted separately, and you get a written quote that is the price you pay.
Moving to the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland or Gibraltar, or a full house on a dedicated vehicle? Get a free online quote and we'll price your exact route, in either direction.
Coming home is half of what we do. Our vehicles run back from the Continent every fortnight, so a move from Europe to the UK can often travel as a return load on a route we're already running, which keeps the cost down. We collect from your European address, look after the UK customs side including your Transfer of Residence (ToR1) application, and deliver anywhere in the UK, or into our UK storage with 2 months free while you find your next home.
Collections from Paris, Normandy and Brittany on the short crossing, through to the Dordogne, Provence and the south. Full detail on our removals from France to the UK page.
Shared space on our return runs from Italy, so you pay only for the room your belongings take. See part load removals from Italy to the UK.
Return loads from the costas and the Spanish cities. Our guide to moving back to the UK from Spain covers the paperwork and timing.
Moving back from somewhere else? We collect from every country on this page. Tell us where you are and when you need to be home, and we'll find the next run heading your way. Ask for a return-load quote →
A European move travels further and is handled at more points than a move across town, so you choose how your furniture is protected when we prepare your quote.
Furniture is wrapped in quilted removal blankets for the journey, and the blankets come off at delivery. Right for most moves.
Your fragile pieces export wrapped: glass tops, mirrors, TVs, pictures and lamps. The rest of the furniture travels in quilted blankets.
Every piece of furniture fully export wrapped in bubble blanket, cardboard and export tape. Ideal for long journeys, shared loads and storage.
For chandeliers, marble, artwork and antiques, made-to-measure wooden crates can be added to any level, priced per item. Enhanced and Premier are priced by how much is wrapped; see export wrapping and wooden crating for the price guide.
On our European moves each box and piece of furniture gets its own numbered QR label, and furniture is photographed as it's labelled. We scan the labels as your belongings are loaded and again as they come off at your new home, so we can see straight away that everything has arrived.
Getting your belongings there safely and on time is the whole job. Here's what that looks like on every international move we run:
Every move starts with the survey: we look at your items and the access at both ends, then tell you what vehicle is needed, whether a lift or a parking bay is required, and what the timing looks like.
We work with an experienced customs agent on our European moves, and the written inventory we make on every job is the basis of the customs entry, so your belongings clear without surprises.
As a family business you deal with our own office from quote to delivery. No call centres, no brokers, just people who know your move.
Our own fleet, from vans up to a 36-tonne road train, with transhipment vehicles for tight streets. Our own crews load, drive and deliver, so your belongings stay with Gentlevan all the way.
Since Brexit, a move to Europe takes more planning than it used to, but it remains very manageable. The removal side is ours: the vehicle, the inventory, the customs paperwork and the timing. A few things sit with you, and it pays to start them early:
For the full checklist, read our guide on how to move to Europe from the UK.
We run bi-weekly services between the UK and Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Gibraltar, in both directions. If your destination isn't listed, ask us and we'll tell you straight away whether we can do it.
A shared (part) load means your belongings share vehicle space with other households moving the same way, so you only pay for the space you use and typically save 40-60% against a dedicated vehicle. A dedicated load means the whole vehicle is reserved for your move on fixed dates, which suits full house moves and tight schedules.
It depends on the destination, the volume and whether you choose a shared or dedicated load. As a guide, shared-load (part-load) moves start from £1,200 to Spain, France and Belgium and £1,600 to Italy and Monaco. The other countries and full-house dedicated moves are priced individually. Packing is optional and quoted separately. See our starting prices or get an exact figure with a free online quote.
Only if you choose it. Every move includes our Essential level, with furniture protected in quilted removal blankets. Enhanced, where your fragile items are export wrapped, and Premier, where every piece of furniture is export wrapped, are optional upgrades priced in your written quote. Made-to-measure wooden crates can be added to any level. See protection levels.
Yes. We look after the customs paperwork for every European move together with an experienced customs agent, and we write a full inventory on every job, whoever packed the boxes, because it is the basis of the customs entry.
Yes. We collect from Spain, France, Italy and the rest of the countries we cover and deliver anywhere in the UK. We prepare your Transfer of Residence (ToR1) application and the UK customs paperwork so your personal belongings clear without unexpected duty or VAT. Because our vehicles run back from the Continent every fortnight, a move home can often travel as a cost-effective return load. See France to UK removals and part loads from Italy to the UK.
Most European moves are surveyed by video. Film each room and send the clips on WhatsApp to 07861 930529, or book a live video survey, and we'll come back with a written quote. A home survey can be arranged as an alternative for some moves, just ask.
Yes, at our secure containerised store in the UK. Every UK to Europe or Europe to UK move includes 2 months of free UK storage, with no contract penalty if you need a little longer. Our storage is in the UK only; we do not store at the European end.
Every move includes our standard limited-liability cover. MoveProtect is our optional service providing increased liability cover: you declare a replacement value for your belongings and they are covered against loss or damage in transit and in storage, with no excess to pay on a claim. Just ask about it when you request your quote.
We run bi-weekly services between the UK and Europe, so there's rarely a long wait for a slot. For dedicated moves and busy summer dates it helps to book two to four weeks ahead. For shared loads, tell us your flexible window and we'll fit you into the next suitable run.
Dedicated loads to France or Belgium typically arrive within 1 to 3 working days of collection. Shared loads usually take 7 to 14 days. Italy, Spain and Switzerland can take a little longer. We give you an estimated timeframe with your quote.
Moving to Europe, or coming home to the UK? Send us a room-by-room video on WhatsApp, or call the office, for a no-obligation written quote.
WhatsApp or call 07861 930529
Office: 01295 368198
Request Your Online QuoteOr contact us online, we look forward to hearing from you.
We're a family firm, not a booking agent. We run our own fleet, from vans up to a 36-tonne road train, and our own crews load in the UK and deliver to the door in Europe.
No brokers and no subcontractors: your move stays with Gentlevan from the first call to the last box.
A single shared-load run carries several households in one vehicle: one Channel crossing instead of five or six separate trips. We wrap with reusable blankets and plan return loads so the lorry rarely runs empty.
It keeps your cost down and the mileage per family low: usually the cheaper option and the lower-carbon one.
The feedback we hear most is about the small things: the office actually answering the phone, clear ETAs on delivery day, and furniture arriving in Europe, or back in the UK, exactly as it left.
Much of our European work comes from repeat customers and word of mouth. Read the verified reviews and see for yourself.
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