City Guides

Reims for newcomers: Centre-Ville, Saint-Remi and Clairmarais, the TGV to Paris in around 45 minutes, no registration requirement in France, updating the carte grise.

Moving to Bordeaux: districts from Saint-Pierre to Caudéran, parking application 11 days ahead, Crit'Air, no customs in the EU, around 1,635 km from Berlin via Paris.

With around 358,000 inhabitants, Nice is France's fifth-largest city. Apply for a space for the removal van 5 working days ahead, pedestrian zone 7.

Moving to Montpellier: Écusson and Antigone as pedestrian zones, apply for a parking space 12 days ahead, no customs in the EU, around 1,531 km from Berlin.

Toulouse for new residents: Capitole, Saint-Cyprien, Rangueil and Blagnac, short-term parking in the centre, the ZFE low-emission zone and no registration duty in France.

Moving to Marseille: 16 arrondissements, ZFE-m low-emission zone also for lorries, no customs within the EU, around 1,542 km from Berlin with two to three days' driving.

Moving to Grenoble: around 1,255 km from Berlin via Basel and Geneva, no EU customs, parking space application to the city, pedestrian zone, Mairie and districts on the Drac.

Moving to Lyon: nine arrondissements between the Rhône and the Saône, reserve parking online a week ahead, no customs within the EU, 1,234 km from Berlin.

Zielona Góra (Grünberg) has around 139,000 residents, 17 incorporated villages and the Winobranie wine festival in September. Around 226 km from Berlin via the S3.

Paris has 20 arrondissements, an AOT instead of a parking restriction (15 days ahead) and moves only from 7 am to 8 pm. Plus: districts, flat hunting, 1,050 km from Berlin.

Versailles lies around 17 km west of Paris: quartiers from Notre-Dame to Porchefontaine, parking-space permit, bulky waste days and no registration requirement.

Moving to Białystok: around 766 km from Berlin via A12, A2 and S8, about 12 hrs by lorry incl. breaks, no customs in the EU, Zameldowanie within 30 days at the Urząd Miejski.