sending luggage ahead
 

My daughter is studying in Madrid this semester and will meet us in Paris for Christmas. She has about a week to travel before meeting us. Does anyone know how/where she can send a bag or two ahead to Paris to pick up later so she doesn't have to haul everything with her as she travels?

Same as here - Fedex or UPS are good bets. Railway system's once checked luggage but rarely do anymore.

Keep in mind that sending luggage to certain countries in Euorpe (Spain for one) will require you to pay customs duty on your own clothes. France is not one of those countries, so I hope your daughter understands that she will have to carry the additional baggage with her on her return to Madrid.

If you're staying in a hotel in Paris, why not ask them if they will accept the shipment (made via DHL or other shipping company) and hold it for your arrival? They probably have a storage room available.

THIS might be an excellent time to act not as an "enabler" but to encourage her to pack ONLY what is needed and carry it with her.

Hi orly,

>She has about a week to travel before meeting us.<

I assume that she will be with you for another week.

That sounds like one 22" suitcase.

France is charging duties on packages sent from other countries.

just read it here:

http://www.anamericaninparis.com/flash.html

sol_veracruzano, Gracias amigo, thanks for the update on shipping packages to France. It looks like they're discovered yet another way of making a few euros. We usually send larger items UPS, but everything has to go through the customs clearing house. We'll have to check to see what's up.

Spain has always been a pain when it comes to shipping your own clothes for an extended trip, so we decided some time ago to either carry what we need, or buy locally and ship it home later.

OK - I'll ask - how much "everything" does she plan on taking? Packaging and sending a lot of stuff might be a bigger hassle than simply packing lighter. Most young travelers get really adept at packing light after a few weeks in Europe because of all the trains/buses, walking, etc.

Is her schools in Madrid ending and she plans to head home after Christmas in Paris or is she on a semester break and just traveling?

If she's heading home after the trip, ship it Fedex or DHL.

There is a blog now on the SlowTrav site by a family that's spending a year in Europe and that investigated sending packages ahead of time. The conclusion the author drew after investigating a lot of possibilities was that dividing things into small packages and sending them through the regular U.S. mail was by far the least expensive method.

Thanks to all of you who were able to offer helpful suggestions

orly
Read Peter Greenberg's Tips on Fodor's main page. He suggests : Luggage Free;
Virtual Bellhop; or Luggage Express.
I looked at one briefly and think it costs about $7.50 per pound depending on where you are going.