Can we donate furniture to French charity shop before move?

Reader question: We are moving back to the UK from our home in south-west France but are not taking our furniture with us. We would like to donate the items to a charity shop. Do you have recommendations?

There are several charity shops that accept donations of bulky items including furniture. 

The most well-known is probably Emmaüs, which often offers home collection services for larger items. 

You can find your nearest Emmaüs shop via its website, which also has useful filters for stores that offer home-collection. 

Once you have identified the closest appropriate store, you can contact it with the details provided.

Alternatively, other charities including Secours Populaire and Croix-Rouge may be interested and may in some cases be willing to collect. 

Some parts of the country have establishments called ressourceries, aimed at creating work opportunities for those in difficulty. These often refurbish or recycle used household items and furniture.

The official Que faire de mes déchets (‘what to do with my waste’) website has a section specifically for furniture. You can put in your address to find services near you, including charity shops and associations, available in list format and a map. 

Filters show places where you can sell the furniture (if it is in good condition), repair it or upcycle it, or take it to local tips/collection points. 

Consider also posting in local social media groups for smaller charities/associations that are willing to take furniture.

Finally, if there is no suitable place to donate your furniture, the last resort would be a council déchetterie (tip), or otherwise some communes organise roadside pick-up services for bulky items (encombrants).