Recovering an invoice from a French debtor follows precise rules. The amicable reminder, then the formal notice (mise en demeure), must set out the sum due, late-payment interest and the penalties provided for under French law. If this fails, the judicial route usually runs through an order to pay (injonction de payer) before the competent commercial court, a fast procedure where the debt is certain, liquidated and due.

For a foreign company, three obstacles come up every time: distance, which makes reminders less effective; language, since a French debtor responds far better to a letter in French; and knowledge of the local courts, essential to act quickly and correctly. Timing matters too: the older an invoice, the harder it is to recover, and some claims become time-barred. Entrusting the case to a partner present in France removes all three obstacles at once.