Duty-Free and Tax-Free Shopping in Cannes and at Nice Airport
by Eniko Gasko
Shopping on the French Riviera can mean very different things: luxury boutiques in Cannes, perfume and cosmetics, local products, or last-minute purchases at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.
For visitors who live outside the European Union, there is another question as well: whether purchases made in France may qualify for a VAT refund.
The terms duty-free and tax-free are often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same thing.
Tax-free shopping in France
France allows eligible visitors who normally live outside the European Union to reclaim VAT on qualifying purchases.
French Customs currently states that the traveller must:
- normally reside outside the EU,
- be at least 16 years old,
- be visiting France for less than six months,
- and make qualifying purchases of more than €100 including VAT in the same shop on the same day.
Not every retailer offers tax-free sales, so it is worth asking before paying.
The merchant issues an export sales form with a PABLO barcode. This document is essential: French Customs explicitly warns that without the appropriate export form, the VAT refund cannot be obtained later.
Ask for détaxe before leaving the shop
If you intend to claim VAT back, tell the retailer before the transaction is completed.
You may be asked to show your passport or another accepted identity document proving that you normally reside outside the EU. The merchant then prepares the PABLO tax-free form and asks you to select the refund method.
Keep both the form and the purchased goods accessible.
The tax refund itself is not paid by French Customs. The retailer or refund operator handles the reimbursement after the export formalities have been successfully validated.
The important point is where you leave the EU
The tax-refund procedure must be completed when you make your final departure from the European Union.
If Nice is the airport from which you fly directly to the United States, UK, Switzerland or another non-EU destination, Nice is normally where you complete the customs procedure.
If, however, you fly from Nice to Paris and then from Paris to the United States, Paris is normally your final EU exit point.
If you leave through another EU Member State, the customs authorities of that country validate the export documentation.
This is worth considering when booking connecting flights, especially if the transfer time is short.
Do it before checking your luggage
French Customs requires the traveller to be able to present both the tax-free documents and the purchased goods if requested.
The procedure should therefore be completed before checking in luggage containing those purchases.
At French international departure points, PABLO electronic terminals are used to scan the barcode on the export form. A successful validation displays an confirmation message and serves as the customs endorsement.
For expensive purchases or several tax-free forms, allow extra time rather than leaving the procedure until shortly before boarding.
Shopping in Cannes
Cannes is particularly convenient for tax-free shopping because many international luxury brands are concentrated within a relatively compact area around the Croisette and Rue d’Antibes.
The advantage of shopping in town is time.
You can compare models, sizes, colours and prices without airport pressure, and eligible purchases from participating retailers can be processed for tax refund at the time of purchase.
For higher-value fashion, jewellery, accessories or cosmetics, this is generally a more relaxed experience than making a decision immediately before departure.
The important question to ask is simple:
“Do you offer détaxe?”
If the answer is yes, arrange the paperwork before leaving the shop.
Duty-free shopping at Nice Airport
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport has undergone a major overhaul of its retail areas. The airport announced in May 2026 that around forty shops across its terminals had been redesigned as part of a wider 6,300 m² retail renewal.
Aelia Duty Free operates in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with shops in airside departure areas and some arrival zones. Current product categories include perfumes, cosmetics, spirits, champagne, fine foods and regional gifts.
This is different from claiming VAT back on something purchased earlier in Cannes.
Airport duty-free or travel-retail pricing depends partly on your destination and on the product category.
Nice Airport Shopping online
Nice Airport now also has an official online shopping platform with more than 7,000 products.
Passengers can enter their flight details up to 30 days before departure, and the system determines whether duty-free or duty-paid pricing applies according to the destination. Purchases can then be collected in store, delivered to a VIP lounge or even delivered to the boarding gate.
For travellers who already know what they want to buy, this can save time at the airport.
It is also useful for comparing airport prices before arriving at the terminal.
Duty-free does not automatically mean cheapest
Airport shopping can be convenient and sometimes attractive, especially for travel-retail exclusives, perfumes, cosmetics, champagne or spirits.
But duty-free does not automatically mean the lowest possible price.
A boutique in Cannes may have a promotion, a different retail price or a tax-refund arrangement that results in a better final cost.
For expensive fashion, jewellery or accessories, it is worth comparing:
- the city retail price,
- any VAT refund available,
- and the airport price.
The convenience of buying at the airport may still make it worthwhile, but it should not be assumed to be cheaper in every case.
Hand luggage and airport purchases
Airport shopping can be particularly useful for travellers carrying only hand luggage.
Perfume, cosmetics, wine and other liquids bought after airport security are sold under airport security procedures, making them easier to travel with than liquids purchased in town and carried through security.
Connecting flights can complicate this, however, especially if another security screening is required.
For expensive or liquid purchases, ask the shop how the item will be packaged if you have a connection.
A practical way to decide
For a carefully chosen luxury purchase, Cannes usually gives you more time and choice.
For perfume, cosmetics, gifts or something forgotten before departure, Nice Airport may be more convenient.
For eligible non-EU residents buying in Cannes, the important thing is not to confuse tax-free shopping through VAT refund with airport duty-free retail.
They are two different systems.
A little planning — asking for détaxe in the shop, knowing where you finally leave the EU, and allowing time for PABLO validation — can make the whole process much easier.