We arrange freight from Orléans, Tours and the Centre-Val de Loire region to the Czech Republic with a usual transit of 2–3 days from loading – as groupage from one pallet, a part load or a full truck, and in a temperature-controlled trailer for cosmetics and medicines. Orléans is about 1,150 km from Prague and about 1,350 km from Brno, and we deliver anywhere in Czechia and Slovakia.
Which warehouses and producers in Centre-Val de Loire do we serve?
The region south of Paris is one of France's big warehousing belts and a centre of cosmetics and pharmaceutical production, with the farmland of the Beauce and the Loire vineyards on top:
| Area | Typical goods | Trailer and loading |
|---|---|---|
| Saran, Ormes, Ingré (north of Orléans on the A10) | consumer goods from distribution centres, cosmetics | dock, fixed slot, driver quotes the order number |
| Chartres and surroundings | creams, skincare, packaging | temperature-controlled trailer, typically 15–25 °C as set by the shipper |
| Tours and nearby business parks | medicines, medical supplies, electronics | temperature log, sealed trailer |
| Blois and the Loire valley | food, packaging, wine from local vineyards | smaller warehouses, often side loading |
| Bourges and the south of the region | engineering and heavy parts | flatbed or crane loading, dimensions in advance |
| Beauce | grain, seed in sacks and big bags | clean, dry trailer, forklift loading |
If you buy from several suppliers – cosmetics from Chartres and packaging from Orléans, for example – we combine them in one vehicle; the two cities are a short drive apart.
How does loading work at the distribution centres along the A10?
The large warehouses around Orléans load almost exclusively by pre-booked appointment (rendez-vous). To keep the vehicle from waiting, we need from you or the supplier:
- the order or loading number under which the warehouse holds the shipment,
- a confirmed slot – the day and time the driver reports at the gate,
- whether the warehouse requires euro pallet exchange,
- a shipping-office contact in case of delays on the road.
A missed slot is often pushed to the next day, so we plan arrival with a buffer. Smaller producers in Tours or Blois are more flexible but still load mainly in the morning and after the lunch break.
Why does the truck from Orléans go around Paris?
The direct line through greater Paris loses hours in traffic and runs into the low-emission zone. So the vehicle passes south of Paris on the A19 and A5, crosses Lorraine past Metz to Saarbrücken and takes the German A6 via Mannheim, Heilbronn and Nuremberg to the Waidhaus/Rozvadov crossing, then on to Pilsen and Prague and along the D1 to Moravia and Slovakia. Goods from Île-de-France can be added on the way – see freight from Paris. From Tours, a load can be combined with collections further west, such as Nantes or Rennes and Brittany. Tolls are included in the price.
France bans vehicles over 7.5 t from Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00 and from 22:00 on the eve of a public holiday; Germany has its Sunday ban. A Friday collection therefore usually means delivery on Monday or Tuesday. If the pick-up lies in a low-emission zone, we send a vehicle with the right Crit'Air sticker.
Cosmetics and medicines: how should the load be prepared for a temperature-controlled trailer?
Creams and emulsions tolerate neither frost nor heat, and medicines need a documented temperature. Before loading we recommend that you:
- state in writing the temperature range the trailer must hold for the whole trip,
- build pallets so nothing overhangs the footprint, and finish them with a top board,
- say explicitly for glass and tubes whether pallets may be stacked,
- put batch or SSCC numbers on the delivery note so the consignee can put the goods away fast,
- ask for a temperature printout if your quality system requires one.
The trailer arrives clean and odour-free and is sealed after loading. Temperature-controlled shipments run direct, without transfer.
From one pallet to a full trailer: what makes sense from Tours and Orléans?
A few pallets of cosmetics or packaging go as groupage from one pallet. Shipments of roughly five to twelve pallets travel as a part load, priced by loading metres (1 euro pallet = 0.4 ldm). A full truck takes 33 euro pallets, 13.6 ldm and about 24 t; grain and seed usually hit the weight limit before the space runs out. We do not mix temperature-sensitive goods with unconditioned freight in groupage – for those we propose a part load in a temperature-controlled vehicle.
Who books, which papers travel with the goods, and what should you send?
Under EXW or FCA the buyer books the transport – that is you; under DAP the supplier does. EU goods move duty-free with a CMR and an invoice or delivery note, and medicines also carry whatever papers your distributor requires. For a quote we need:
- postcodes of collection and delivery, or the addresses of all suppliers,
- pallet count, dimensions, weight and stackability,
- temperature range and the date the goods are ready,
- loading hours and a reference number or slot.
We send a price within 30 minutes during office hours, and after confirmation the vehicle is usually arranged within 24 hours. Since 2011 we have worked with more than 500 vetted contracted carriers. Other French regions are on our page on transport from France.
Buying cosmetics from the Cosmetic Valley every month? We can fix collection days, the same temperature range and a rate for a longer period – regular transport, or simply send us a message.
Related guides: Electronics transport · Preparing pallets · Unloading without a dock