Alcohol allowance from France to UK: the 24 bottles worth every litre

By Jérôme Pont (Calais Vins) and Olivier Vermisse (Olivier Vins)

TL;DR

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What's the alcohol allowance from France to UK?

The rules are set by HMRC and apply to anyone arriving in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) from France or any other country outside the UK.

Here's the full customs allowance UK travellers get on alcohol:

Type of alcohol	Allowance
Still wine	18 litres (~24 bottles)
Sparkling wine / Champagne	9 litres (~12 bottles)
Beer	42 litres
Spirits (>22% ABV)	4 litres
Fortified wine (port, sherry)	9 litres

A couple of things to flag: the sparkling wine and fortified wine allowances share the same 9-litre pot, so you can split them. And the still wine allowance is entirely separate: you get both.

That's a generous duty free allowance from France to UK. Used well, it's a serious boot-load of excellent wine.

Personal use vs commercial: the rule that changes everything

The allowances above apply to goods for personal use or as a gift. The moment you're buying to resell, you're in commercial territory — and the rules change completely.

HMRC can ask questions if your quantity looks commercial. Stick to personal use, and you're fine. Bring a receipt: it's the simplest way to show you paid retail prices.

Does the allowance apply per person?

Yes — and you cannot combine your allowance with anyone else's. Each traveller aged 18 or over gets their own full allowance.

So a couple travelling together can bring back 48 bottles of still wine between them. A family of four adults? That's 96 bottles. The maths gets very interesting very quickly.

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Why buy your wine at Calais Vins or Olivier Vins rather than at the airport?

Airport duty-free shops are convenient. They're not cheap, and the selection is thin.

Calais is different. Calais Vins (managed by Jérôme Pont) and Olivier Vins (managed by Olivier Vermisse) are two superstores a few minutes from the ferry and Eurotunnel terminals. Here's why we think it's worth the detour:

• TAX FREE prices: you buy including French VAT, but the VAT is refunded to your bank account within 48 hours — an instant saving on every bottle (see the VAT refund process below)
• 15% OFF for UK customers on top of already competitive prices
• Two superstores in Calais, stocked with hundreds of references you simply won't find airside
• Expert advice in-store: our teams know these wines personally and speak English
• Far wider selection: from £3.66 Bordeaux to Premier Cru Champagne, all under one roof

The duty free allowance EU to UK is exactly the same whether you buy at the airport or in a Calais superstore. The difference is what you get for your money — and our bottle-by-bottle price match shows savings of up to 60% versus UK retail.

How the VAT refund process works

It's simpler than it sounds. Here's the step-by-step:

1. Shop as normal: you pay the full price including French VAT at the till in either store.
2. Collect your tax-free form: the shop issues you a tax-free form with a barcode — keep it with your purchases.
3. Scan at the border: when leaving France at the ferry terminal or Eurotunnel, locate the customs kiosk and scan the barcode on your form. No queuing at a desk, no paperwork to post.
4. Refund in 48 hours: the VAT refund is processed automatically and credited to your bank account within 48 hours.

The effective price you'll see on our shelf tickets and in this article already reflects the post-refund amount — so there are no surprises.

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Is wine cheaper in Calais than in the UK?

Significantly, yes — and the numbers are worth spelling out.

Take a bottle that anyone in the UK will recognise: Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut. Olivier Vermisse recently checked London retail prices and found it selling for around £51. The same bottle is priced at €46.90 at Calais Vins — which comes down to €39.87 after the VAT refund, or approximately £34.55 at £1 = €1.15. That's a saving of over £16 on a single bottle of Champagne.

Multiply that across 12 bottles of sparkling wine — your full Champagne allowance — and you're talking about savings of £190 or more on Champagne alone, easily covering the cost of the crossing. We've broken down the full Champagne price comparison between the UK and France if you want to see the numbers in detail.

For still wines, the gap is just as striking. A bottle that costs £10 in a UK wine merchant can often be found for £5–£7 in Calais, sometimes less — and there are structural reasons why wine is so expensive in the UK that go well beyond VAT alone. And with our additional 15% discount for UK customers, the effective price drops further still.

"The Veuve Clicquot example is one I give British customers every week. They do the maths at the checkout and they can't believe it. More often than not, the savings on Champagne alone are enough to pay for the Eurotunnel return." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Frethun

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Our 24 picks: the bottles worth every litre of your allowance

We've tasted all of these. Every price shown is after the VAT refund, converted at £1 = €1.15. These are what we'd put in our own boot.

White wines (5 picks)

Petit Perrière Sauvignon Blanc — Loire | White | €5.95 | £4.40 after VAT refund
An excellent alternative to the big Loire names — Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé — at a fraction of the price. Crisp, fresh, and unmistakably Loire. Buy six and you won't regret it.

"The Petit Perrière is the bottle I recommend first to anyone who loves Sancerre but doesn't love the Sancerre price tag. The terroir is Loire through and through — you get that signature grassy, mineral Sauvignon without paying for the appellation name." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

Ardèche Chardonnay Gravettes — Ardèche | White | €5.95 | £4.40 after VAT refund
Just as good as the famous Grand Chardonnays of the Ardèche, but at a much lower price. A brilliant everyday Chardonnay that punches well above its weight.

Viognier Secret de Famille — Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné — Rhône | White | €6.50 | £4.80 after VAT refund
Viognier is one of the trendiest grapes in France right now. This one from Jaboulet delivers the floral, peachy character of the variety at a tiny price. It's the kind of bottle that makes guests ask where you found it.

"Viognier is having a real moment. Customers who've only ever tried it in expensive northern Rhône wines are genuinely surprised when they taste this Jaboulet at under £5. It has all the aromatic generosity of the grape — apricot, white flowers, a little spice — without any of the heaviness you sometimes get at higher alcohol levels." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Calais

Chablis Ammonis 2023 — Sylvain Rozier — Burgundy | White | €13.95 | £10.31 after VAT refund
Sylvain Rozier has selected a superb Chablis with beautiful minerality and citrus notes. A genuine Chablis experience for around £10. If you're using your wine allowance from France to UK, this is exactly the kind of bottle that justifies the trip.

"Sylvain Rozier is a name I trust completely. This Ammonis 2023 has everything you expect from a good Chablis — the flint, the green apple, the tension on the finish — but at a price that frankly embarrasses what you'd pay for the same quality in the UK. It's the bottle I always have at home." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

Touraine Chenonceaux Sauvignon — Domaine Denis Bardon — Loire | White | €9.95 | £7.35 after VAT refund
A rather rare Sauvignon grown in the shadow of the famous Château de Chenonceaux, one of the most beautiful châteaux of the Loire Valley. You won't find this one on a UK supermarket shelf.

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Red wines (11 picks)

Malbec Original — Maison Rigal — South West | Red | €6.30 | £4.66 after VAT refund
Cahors is the spiritual home of Malbec in France — and Rigal are the specialists. Rich, dark fruit at a price that makes no sense. Stock up.

"People often think of Argentina when they hear Malbec, but the grape was born in Cahors. Rigal have been making it there for generations. This Original has that characteristic dark plum and violet character, with just enough structure to stand up to a good steak. At under £5, I genuinely don't know how they do it." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

Syrahvissante — Domaine Louis Chèze — Rhône | Red | €9.50 | £7.02 after VAT refund
A fruity, easy-drinking Syrah from the celebrated Domaine Louis Chèze. High-flying winemaking at an everyday price. One of our favourite discoveries from the Rhône this year.

Le Canon du Maréchal — Domaine Cazes — Roussillon | Red | €7.60 | £5.62 after VAT refund
A recent discovery: Domaine Cazes' Grenache-Syrah blend is full of fruit and generosity. Organic, too. The 2024 vintage is particularly good.

"Cazes is one of the most respected organic producers in the Roussillon, and this Canon du Maréchal is a proper discovery. The 2024 has an energy to it — ripe but not heavy, the fruit is fresh and the finish is clean. It's the kind of wine I open for friends who say they don't drink organic wine, and they're always converted." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Calais

Notaris 2018 — Clos du Notaire — Côtes de Bourg | Red | €16.95 | £12.53 after VAT refund
This Côtes de Bourg has beaten many Grand Crus de Bordeaux in blind tastings. Ready to drink, complex, and exceptional value. It's the kind of bottle that converts Bordeaux sceptics.

"The Notaris 2018 is the bottle I pull out when someone says Bordeaux isn't worth it anymore. It has beaten classified growths in blind tastings — real ones, with experienced palates — and it costs a fraction of the price. The 2018 vintage was exceptional across the right bank and this is drinking at its peak right now." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

BDX Le Jus — Stéphane Derenoncourt — Bordeaux | Red | €9.95 | £7.35 after VAT refund
Stéphane Derenoncourt — the winemaker behind the renaissance of Pavie Macquin — wanted a densely fruity Bordeaux without heavy tannins. This is it. The 2023 vintage is drinking beautifully right now.

Château La Rose Bois Montet — Côtes de Bordeaux | Red | €4.95 | £3.66 after VAT refund
A Bordeaux rouge at a tiny price — and genuinely good. Stop the Bordeaux bashing: this is proof the region delivers at every level. At £3.66, it's the easiest decision on this list.

"Stop the Bordeaux bashing. I hear it every week from British customers — 'Bordeaux isn't what it was', 'too expensive', 'not worth it'. And then I open a La Rose Bois Montet and they go quiet. It's honest, well-made claret at a price that makes no argument possible." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Calais

La Providence Margaux 2023 — Margaux | Red | €19.95 | £14.75 after VAT refund
A very good Margaux for under £15. Who knew? You'll find it at our stores — and nowhere else at this price. This is what buying alcohol from France is all about.

"A genuine Margaux for under £15 — I defy anyone to find that in the UK. The 2023 vintage in Margaux was exceptional for quality at every level of the appellation, and La Providence is a perfect example. It has that silky, violet-scented character the appellation is famous for. Honestly, it's the bottle I'm most proud to have on our shelves right now." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

Parallèle 45 Rouge — Maison Jaboulet — Côtes du Rhône | Red | €7.95 | £5.88 after VAT refund
Jaboulet's iconic Côtes du Rhône, consistently excellent across every vintage. A benchmark bottle you can always rely on. We've never had a bad one.

Fleurie Cœur de Granit — Château de Chenas — Beaujolais | Red | €8.95 | £6.62 after VAT refund
The Beaujolais cru that British wine lovers favour most — and at this price, without any compromise on quality. Silky, fresh, and endlessly drinkable. A fine entry point to our broader range of Beaujolais wines.

"Fleurie has always been the Beaujolais cru that resonates most with British customers — there's something about its perfume and silkiness that fits the English palate perfectly. The Cœur de Granit is grown on granite soils that give it that extra lift and minerality. It's a wine I've been selling to the same families for fifteen years." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

Côte Chalonnaise Rouge — Cave de Buxy — Burgundy | Red | €9.50 | £7.02 after VAT refund
Cave de Buxy is well established in the UK — and in both our stores. Always outstanding value for money, every single time. A Pinot Noir that over-delivers at this price.

Maison Ropiteau Pinot Noir or Chardonnay — Vin de France | Red or White | €6.95 | £5.14 after VAT refund
Ropiteau vinifies in the Burgundian style — the Pinot Noir character is unmistakably there, even if the grapes didn't grow on a Burgundy terroir. The Chardonnay is equally convincing. Superb price-to-pleasure ratio on both.

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Rosé wines (2 picks)

Domaine Hauts du Clos — Côtes de Provence | Rosé | €9.95 | £7.35 after VAT refund
Aurélien Bouthuyne produces a great Côtes de Provence rosé that has nothing to envy from the big Provence names — except the price tag. Pale, elegant, and perfectly dry.

"Pale Provence rosé has become an obsession in the UK and frankly the prices have followed. What Aurélien Bouthuyne does with the Hauts du Clos is make a wine that's every bit as elegant and food-friendly as the famous names — the colour, the structure, the dry finish — but at a price that doesn't require a special occasion." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Frethun

Château du Carrubier — Côtes de Provence | Rosé | €7.95 | £5.88 after VAT refund
Our biggest discovery this year. A very good rosé at a tiny price — perfect for garden parties this summer. The 2025 vintage has just landed and it's already flying off the shelves.

"The Carrubier 2025 arrived and within two weeks it was our fastest-moving rosé. It has freshness, it has the right Provence character, and it's £5.88. For a garden party or a summer barbecue, I cannot think of a better answer." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

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Champagne & sparkling (4 picks)

Remember: Champagne and sparkling wine fall under the separate 9-litre allowance (roughly 12 bottles). These four are the ones we'd choose.

Champagne Rosé Demarjory — Rosé Champagne | €23.50 | £17.37 after VAT refund
Jean-Pierre Robert trained at the great Champagne houses before making his own. Just as good as the big brands — at a fraction of the price. The rosé is particularly stunning.

"Jean-Pierre Robert spent years learning his craft at the grandes maisons before striking out on his own. The result is a Champagne rosé that has all the structure and finesse of the big names — the brioche, the red fruit, the fine persistent bubbles — but produced with the care of a true artisan vigneron. When I compare it blind against rosé Champagnes at twice the price, it wins more often than it loses." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Frethun

Champagne Autréau 1er Cru — White Champagne | €24.95 | £18.44 after VAT refund
A Premier Cru Champagne for under £20. That's all that needs to be said. Elegant, precise, and a genuine step up from the supermarket own-labels.

Champagne Jacquart Mosaïque — White Champagne | €27.90 | £20.62 after VAT refund
A great Champagne house delivering a beautifully balanced blend of all three grape varieties. We love the Jacquart style: consistent, generous, and always crowd-pleasing.

"Jacquart is a house that serious Champagne drinkers have always known about but that the general public is just discovering. The Mosaïque blends Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in perfect balance — there's freshness from the Chardonnay, body from the Pinot Noir, and roundness from the Meunier. At £20.62 after the VAT refund, it comfortably outpoints Champagnes at £35–40 in the UK." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

Crémant de Bourgogne Réserve — Bailly Lapierre — Sparkling | €9.95 | £7.35 after VAT refund
If you've never tried a Crémant de Bourgogne instead of Champagne, now is the time. Bailly Lapierre's Crémants are genuinely stunning — and at £7.35, the comparison is embarrassing. This is the duty free alcohol limit put to very good use.

"Bailly Lapierre is the reference for Crémant de Bourgogne. They use the same méthode traditionnelle as Champagne, the same Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes — but the price is a fraction. I open this for guests without telling them what it is. Nine times out of ten they ask me which Champagne it is. That tells you everything." — Olivier Vermisse, Olivier Vins, Frethun

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The value box (1 pick)

Petit Pont Bag-in-Box 10L — Pays d'Oc — White, Red or Rosé | €28.50 | £21.07 after VAT refund
Available in three colours. When you do the maths, that's the equivalent of £1.58 per bottle. A bestseller with us for 25 years — and there's a reason for that. One 10L box counts as roughly 13 bottles against your still wine allowance, so plan accordingly.

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The Italian wild card (1 pick)

Gran Passione — Veneto, Italy — Red | €8.95 | £6.62 after VAT refund
You can't ignore the fact that Italy produces some extraordinary wines. This Veneto red is one you absolutely must try: rich, smooth, and deeply satisfying. The duty free allowance from France to UK applies to all wines, regardless of origin, so there's no reason to leave this one behind.

"We stock wines from across Europe precisely because the UK customs allowance covers all of them, not just French bottles. The Gran Passione is a Veneto red made from partially dried grapes in the Amarone tradition — but at an accessible price. Rich, velvety, with dark cherry and a touch of chocolate. British customers who pick it up on a whim always come back to ask for more." — Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins

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How to make the most of your Calais trip

A few practical points that make the difference between a good trip and a great one.

Order online before you travel. You can browse, select, and pay in advance — then scan and collect in-store. No queuing, no stress.

Both superstores are easy to reach. Whether you're coming off the ferry or through the Eurotunnel, Calais Vins and Olivier Vins are minutes away. No complicated navigation.

Bring your car. Twenty-four bottles fit easily in a standard boot. A box or two of mixed cases makes the most of the space — and your alcohol allowance duty free.

The teams speak English. If you're not sure which bottle to choose, ask. Jérôme at Calais Vins and Olivier at Olivier Vins know these wines personally and are happy to advise. That's something no airport duty-free can offer.

Still not convinced the trip is worth it? The Sun newspaper sent a journalist to find out — here's what they wrote.

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FAQ

Can I bring 24 bottles of wine back from France?

Yes — 18 litres of still wine per person, which works out to exactly 24 standard 75cl bottles. This is the official customs allowance UK travellers get when arriving in Great Britain from France. You don't pay any duty or tax on it, as long as it's for personal use.

What happens if I go over the alcohol allowance?

If you exceed your allowance, you must declare the excess and pay tax and duty on the entire category — not just the bottles over the limit. So if you bring 25 bottles of still wine, you pay duty on all 25, not just the extra one. HMRC can also seize undeclared goods.

Do I need to declare wine at UK customs?

Not if you're within your personal allowance and the wine is for personal use or a gift. If you're over the limit, you must declare it — either online before you travel or at the border on arrival. Don't risk it: the duty free allowance EU to UK is generous enough that there's rarely a reason to go over.

Is wine cheaper in Calais than in the UK?

Significantly, yes. You're buying without French VAT (refunded within 48 hours via a simple barcode scan at the border), and UK customers get an additional 15% discount. To put a real number on it: Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut is around £51 in London. The same bottle is €46.90 at Calais Vins — €39.87 after the VAT refund — which converts to approximately £34.55. That's a saving of over £16 on a single bottle. Across a full 12-bottle Champagne allowance, the savings more than cover the crossing.

How does the VAT refund work at the Calais stores?

You pay the full price (including French VAT) in store. Calais Vins or Olivier Vins issue you a tax-free form with a barcode. At the ferry terminal or Eurotunnel in Calais, you scan the barcode at the customs kiosk — it takes seconds. The VAT refund is processed and credited to your bank account within 48 hours. No forms to post, no waiting at counters.

Can I combine my alcohol allowance with my partner's?

No — each person's allowance is individual and cannot be transferred. But both of you travelling together each get the full 18-litre still wine allowance. A couple can bring back 48 bottles of still wine between them, entirely within the rules.

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Useful sources

• GOV.UK: Bringing goods into the UK for personal use (Great Britain) — the official HMRC page on alcohol allowances, duty-free limits, and what happens if you exceed them.
• GOV.UK: Declaring goods at the UK border — when and how to declare goods if you go over your allowance.