List of border crossing points in France explained

The following is a list of border crossing points in France (French: link=no|points de passages frontaliers, or French: "PPF") forming the external border of the Schengen Area. By contrast, the term points de passages autorisés (French: "PPA") refers to the crossing points at the border between France and other Schengen countries (i.e. internal borders of the Schengen Area).

At the main border crossing points that receive traffic from outside the Schengen Area, the Police aux Frontières carries out immigration checks, whilst Customs are responsible for customs checks. At smaller regional border crossing points that receive limited traffic from outside the Schengen Area, Customs are responsible for carrying out both immigration and customs checks.[1] [2]

PARAFE self-service gates have been installed at a number of border crossing points to facilitate passage for eligible travellers (European Economic Area, Andorran, Monegasque, San Marinese and Swiss biometric passport holders aged 18 or over).

Air borders

Border crossing point French agency responsible for checksNature of presenceFlights to/from outside the Schengen Area
ImmigrationCustoms
Abbeville – Buigny-Saint-Maclou AerodromeCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Agen – La Garenne AerodromeCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentSeasonal scheduled flights (London Gatwick)
Albert – Picardie AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Amiens – Glisy AerodromeCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Angers – Loire AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (London City)
Angoulême – Brie – Champniers AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Annecy – Haute-Savoie – Mont Blanc AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Annemasse AerodromeCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Auxerre – Branches AerodromeCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Avignon – Caumont AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Birmingham, Exeter, London City, Southampton)
Bastia – Poretta AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal scheduled flights (London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester)
Beauvais–Tillé AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn request outside peak seasonRegular scheduled flights (Bacău, Bucharest-Henri Coandă, Chişinău, Cluj-Napoca, Dublin, Edinburgh, Fez, Glasgow-Prestwick, Knock, Manchester, Marrakech, Nador, Pula, Sofia, Tangier, Târgu Mureş, Timişoara)
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Southampton)
Besançon – La Vèze AerodromeCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Béziers Cap d'Agde AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Bristol, London Luton, Manchester, Southampton)
Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Dublin, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester)
Bordeaux–Mérignac AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (Agadir, Algiers, Casablanca, London Gatwick, London Luton, Marrakech, Tunis), seasonal scheduled flights (Bristol, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Montréal-Trudeau, Oran, Southampton)
Brest Bretagne AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonRegular scheduled flights (London City, Marrakech)
Brive–Souillac AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (London City)
Caen – Carpiquet AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (London Southend)
Calais–Dunkerque AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonInfrequent charter flights
Calvi – Sainte-Catherine AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal charter flights (London Stansted)
Cannes – Mandelieu AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonInfrequent charter flights
Carcassonne AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Dublin, Liverpool, London Stansted) and seasonal scheduled flights (Bournemouth, Cork, East Midlands, Glasgow-Prestwick)
Chalon – Champforgeuil AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Chambéry AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds/Bradford, London City, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton) and seasonal charter flights (Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Moscow-Domodedovo)
Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Cherbourg – Maupertus AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal scheduled flights (Southampton)
Colmar AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Deauville – Saint-Gatien AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal scheduled flights (London City) and charter flights (Agadir, Marrakech)
Dijon - Bourgogne AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Southampton)
Dinard–Pleurtuit–Saint-Malo AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonRegular scheduled flights (East Midlands, Guernsey, London Stansted) and seasonal charter flights (Leeds/Bradford)
Épinal – Mirecourt AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Figari–Sud Corse AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal scheduled flights (London Gatwick, Manchester)
Grenoble-Isère AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal scheduled flights (Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Guernsey, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester) and seasonal charter flights (Kyiv-Boryspil, Moscow-Vnukovo, Southampton, Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion)
La Rochelle – Île de Ré AirportCustomsCustomsOn request outside peak seasonSeasonal scheduled flights (Birmingham, Bristol, Cork, Dublin, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds/Bradford, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester)
Lannion – Côte de Granit AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Le Havre – Octeville AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Lille AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (Algiers, Oran, Tlemcen, Tunis)
Limoges – Bellegarde AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London Stansted, Newcastle, Southampton)
Lorient South Brittany AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Lyon–Saint-Exupéry AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (Agadir, Algiers, Annaba, Batna, Béjaïa, Biskra, Bodrum, Bucharest-Henri Coanda, Casablanca, Chlef, Constantine, Dakar, Djerba, Douala, Dublin, Istanbul-Atatürk, Jijel, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Marrakech, Monastir, Moscow-Domodedovo, Oran, Sétif, Sfax, Southampton, Tozeur, Tlemcen, Tunis, Yaoundé), seasonal scheduled flights (Antalya, Bodrum, Izmir, Montreal–Trudeau, Split, Yerevan) and charter flights (Burgas, Dubrovnik, London Luton, London Stansted, Shannon, Varna)
Marseille Provence AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (Agadir, Algiers, Annaba, Antalya, Antananarivo, Batna, Béjaïa, Biskra, Bodrum, Casablanca, Chlef, Constantine, Dakar, Djerba, Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Marrakech, Monastir, Moscow-Sheremetyevo, Oran, Sétif, Sfax, Tlemcen, Tozeur, Tunis, Yaoundé) and seasonal scheduled flights (Bristol, Dublin, Montreal–Trudeau, Quebec City, Toronto-Pearson, Yerevan)
Metz–Nancy–Lorraine AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Algiers), seasonal scheduled flights (Constantine, Oran) and seasonal charter flights
Montpellier–Méditerranée AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Casablanca, Fez, Nador) and seasonal scheduled flights (Algiers, Leeds/Bradford, London Luton, Oran)
Nantes Atlantique AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsOn request outside peak seasonRegular scheduled flights (Agadir, Casablanca, London City, Marrakech) and seasonal scheduled flights (Djerba, Dublin, Larnaca, London Gatwick, Manchester, Monastir, Montréal-Trudeau, Shannon, Southampton, Toronto-Pearson, Tunis)
Nice Côte d'Azur AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (Algiers, Agadir, Bucharest-Henri Coandă, Casablanca, Constantine, Djerba, Doha, Dubai, Dublin, Istanbul-Atatürk, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted, Marrakech, Monastir, Moscow-Sheremetyevo, St Petersburg, Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion, Tunis) and seasonal scheduled flights (Belfast-International, Beirut, Birmingham, Cork, Djerba, Nottingham/East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kyiv-Boryspil, Larnaca, London City, Manchester, Monastir, Montréal-Trudeau, New York-JFK, Newcastle, Olbia, Praia, Shannon, Southampton, Toronto-Pearson, Tozeur)
Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (London Luton) and seasonal scheduled flights (Liverpool)
Charles de Gaulle AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights
Paris Orly AirportPolice aux frontièresCustomsPermanentRegular scheduled flights (Abidjan, Agadir, Aleppo, Algiers, Annaba, Antananarivo, Bamako, Batna, Béjaïa, Biskra, Bodrum, Constantine, Dakar, Damascus, Djanet, Djerba, Essaouira, Fes, Havana, Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen, Izmir, Kayes, London City, London Heathrow, Luxor, Marrakech, Mauritius, Miami, Monastir, Montréal–Trudeau, Newark, Oran, Ouagadougou, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat, Santiago de Cuba, Sétif, Sfax, Southampton, Tamanrasset, Tangier, Tehran-Imam Khomeini, Tlemcen, Tozeur, Tunis)
Pau Pyrénées AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (London City) and seasonal scheduled flights (Dublin)
Perpignan–Rivesaltes AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Birmingham, Dublin, London Stansted, Southampton)
Poitiers–Biard AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (Edinburgh, London Stansted, Manchester)
Quimper–Cornouaille AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestSeasonal scheduled flights (London City)
Rennes–Saint-Jacques AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Southampton) and seasonal scheduled flights (Cork, Dublin, Exeter, Manchester, Shannon)
Rodez–Aveyron AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (London Stansted) and seasonal scheduled flights (Dublin)
Rouen AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Saint-Brieuc – Armor AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights
Saint-Étienne–Bouthéon AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestRegular scheduled flights (Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen)
Saint-Nazaire Montoir AirportCustomsCustomsOn requestInfrequent charter flights

Land borders

Metropolitan France's only land border with a non-Schengen country is with Andorra, while the Channel Tunnel forms a railway link with the United Kingdom. The overseas departments and territories of France are not part of the Schengen Area. French Guiana borders Brazil and Suriname, whereas Saint-Martin borders Sint Maarten.

In the 1991 Sangatte Protocol, France signed an agreement with the United Kingdom to introduce 'juxtaposed controls' (in French, des bureaux de contrôles nationaux juxtaposés, or 'BCNJ') at Eurostar and Eurotunnel stations.

This means that, when travelling from the UK to France by Eurostar, French immigration checks are carried out by the Police aux Frontières on British soil before boarding the train, whilst French customs checks take place upon arrival on French soil. When travelling in the reverse direction from France to the UK by Eurostar, French immigration exit checks and British immigration checks both take place on French soil before boarding the train, whilst British customs checks take place upon arrival on British soil. The exception is at Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy, where the UK Border Force no longer maintains a full presence and passengers boarding the Eurostar there clear immigration and customs on arrival in the UK.

When travelling from the UK to France by Eurotunnel, French immigration and customs checks both take place on British soil before boarding the train. When travelling from France to the UK by Eurotunnel, after French immigration exit checks, British immigration and customs checks both take place on French soil before boarding the train shuttle.

Border crossing point French agency responsible for checksNature of presenceTrains to/from outside the Schengen Area
ImmigrationCustoms
Bourg-Saint-Maurice railway stationCustomsCustomsSeasonal
(beginning of December to mid-April)		Seasonal Eurostar ski service
Calais Fréthun railway stationPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentUp to 3 Eurostar trains per day to/from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International.
Eurotunnel Calais Terminal, CoquellesPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentFrequent Eurotunnel Shuttle services to/from Cheriton, Kent.
Lille Europe railway stationPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentUp to 10 Eurostar trains per day to/from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International.
Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy railway stationPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentUp to 1 Eurostar train per day to/from London St Pancras.
Moûtiers–Salins–Brides-les-Bains railway stationCustomsCustomsSeasonal
(beginning of December to mid-April)		Seasonal Eurostar ski service
Paris North railway stationPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentUp to 16 Eurostar trains per day to/from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International.
El Pas de la Casa Andorra road crossingPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanent

Maritime borders

In 2003, France signed an agreement with the United Kingdom to introduce 'juxtaposed controls' (in French, des bureaux de contrôles nationaux juxtaposés, or 'BCNJ') at Dover on the British side and at Calais, Dunkirk and Boulogne-sur-Mer on the French side.

This means that, when travelling from Dover to France by ferry, French immigration checks are carried out by the Police aux Frontières on British soil before boarding the ferry, whilst French customs checks take place upon arrival on French soil. When travelling in the reverse direction from Calais, Dunkirk and Boulogne-sur-Mer in France to the UK by ferry, French immigration exit checks and British immigration checks both take place on French soil before boarding the ferry, whilst British customs checks take place upon arrival on British soil.

Border crossing point French agency responsible for checksNature of presenceFerries to/from outside the Schengen Area
ImmigrationCustomsCompanyForeign port(s)
Caen portCustomsCustomsPermanentBrittany FerriesPortsmouth
Calais portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentDFDS Seaways and P&O FerriesDover
Carteret portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentManche Îles ExpressGuernsey and Jersey
Cherbourg portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentBrittany Ferries
Irish Ferries		Poole and Portsmouth
Rosslare
Diélette portCustomsCustomsPermanentManche Îles ExpressAlderney and Guernsey
Dieppe portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentDFDS SeawaysNewhaven
Dunkirk portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentDFDS SeawaysDover
Granville portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentManche Îles ExpressJersey
Le Havre portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentLD LinesPortsmouth
Marseille portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentAlgérie FerriesAlgiers, Bejaia, Oran and Skikda
Roscoff portCustomsCustomsPermanentBrittany Ferries
Irish Ferries		Cork and Plymouth
Rosslare
Saint Malo portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentBrittany Ferries
Condor Ferries		Portsmouth
Guernsey, Jersey, Poole, Weymouth
Sète portPolice aux FrontièresCustomsPermanentComaritNador and Tangier

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/borders/docs/customs_bgs_final.pdf Center for the Study of Democracy: Study to identify best practices on the cooperation between border guards and customs administrations working at the external borders of the EU
  2. Web site: Circuler en sécurité en Europe : renforcer Schengen . fr . 2017-03-29 . 2020-04-18 . . la PAF a-t-elle vocation à se voir attribuer les PPF au « trafic permanent significatif en provenance de pays sources d'immigration ou qui possèdent une importance justifiant une présence policière et douanière permanente ».

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