Rugs and tapestries as pledges: what institutions require

The 4,000 euro threshold in Paris

The Crédit Municipal de Paris states that only rugs and tapestries allowing a loan of more than 4,000 euros are accepted. An ordinary decorative rug is therefore unlikely to reach that level of valuation at public auction.

Turning the threshold into a valuation

Since article D514-8 caps the loan at two thirds of the valuation, going above 4,000 euros requires a rug valued at more than 6,000 euros by the appraiser. That is the calculation to make before rolling up the piece and transporting it.

Compulsory quarantine, then disinfection

In Paris, every rug deposited is placed in quarantine on arrival, then treated by disinfection. The rule appears both on the list of accepted items and on the appointment preparation page of the institution on rue des Francs-Bourgeois.

A category shared with furniture

The Paris list places rugs under the heading "Period or designer furniture and rugs". Antique textiles are thus treated as valuable furnishings, in the same way as signed or period pledged furniture.

Bordeaux says no to rugs

The Crédit Municipal de Bordeaux explicitly refuses rugs, as it does furs, ivory and coral. An owner in the Gironde will therefore have to turn to another institution, as the Bordeaux institution publishes no exception for antique pieces.

Reims, Toulouse: the lists say nothing

Neither the Reims pawn loan page nor the Toulouse pre-contractual information sheet mentions rugs. Silence means neither acceptance nor refusal: you need to telephone the institution, describe the piece and ask whether an appraiser can examine it.

Moth damage is not covered

The Paris general terms of 1 May 2026 exclude any compensation for damage caused by insects, worms or temperature changes. For a wool or silk rug, this clause carries more weight than it does for a piece of jewellery.

Loss of the rug: the compensation rule

If the item is lost during the deposit, the Crédit Municipal de Paris pays the valuation set at deposit plus a flat 25%, after deducting the sums still owed. An undervaluation at the outset therefore also reduces protection in the event of a claim.

Which rate for a loan of this size

Above 4,000 euros, a Paris loan falls into the 9.90% APR band up to 6,000 euros, then into the 5.30% band. The Paris pawn loan rates include a 1% storage fee.

One year on deposit, renewable

The Paris contract is concluded for one year and can be renewed with the institution's agreement, after a fresh valuation. If the value of the rug has fallen in the meantime, the borrower repays the difference, and the total cannot exceed two years under article D514-7.

Having your rug sold through the institution

The Paris general terms allow you to request the sale of the item three months after deposit, at the latest one month before the contract ends. Sales are announced ten days in advance and 15% of the hammer price is deducted.

After the auction: claiming the surplus

If the price obtained exceeds the capital, interest and fees, the excess goes to the depositor. In Paris, this surplus (boni) is paid to a bank account against a copy of an identity document and passes permanently to the institution two years after the sale.

Institutions and rules applying to rugs

• Crédit Municipal de Paris: Rugs and tapestries accepted for a loan above 4,000 euros, with quarantine and disinfection.
• Crédit Municipal de Bordeaux: Expressly refuses rugs, as well as furs, ivory and coral.
• Crédit Municipal de Reims: Does not list rugs among its accepted items; acceptance must be asked of the institution directly.
• Code monétaire et financier, article D514-8: Caps any loan on a non-metal item, rugs included, at two thirds of the valuation.

Depositing a valuable rug step by step

1. Assess your chances: without a likely auction value above 6,000 euros, the Paris loan threshold of 4,000 euros will not be reached.
2. Call the local institution, as Bordeaux refuses rugs and other institutions publish no rule about them.
3. Roll the rug up clean and dry, underside outwards, and gather the invoice, certificate of origin or earlier appraisal.
4. Present the piece to the appraiser, accept quarantine and disinfection, then check the amount on the valuation slip.
5. Keep track of the one-year due date and pay interest and fees to renew, or repay to take the rug back.
6. If it goes to sale, watch for the notice published ten days beforehand and claim the surplus within two years.

Thresholds and fees for a pledged rug

File to prepare for a rug

• Valid identity document bearing your photograph
• French proof of address in your name
• Personal bank details for a current account in the same name as the ID
• Invoice, certificate of origin or earlier appraisal of the rug
• Proof of income for any loan of at least 10,000 euros in Paris

Typical mistakes with a pledged rug

• Carrying a rug valued at a few hundred euros all the way to Paris, when only a loan above 4,000 euros is accepted.
• Turning up in Bordeaux with an antique rug, when the Gironde institution refuses them with no published exception.
• Ignoring the clause excluding insect and worm damage, a concrete risk for wool during a one-year deposit.
• Confusing the public institution with a private rug buyer offering a cash purchase: that is not a pawn loan.
• Letting the due date pass without renewing, then finding the rug listed in a sale announced only ten days beforehand.

General information, up to date as of October 2026 and non-contractual: always check the terms with the Crédit Municipal or the institution concerned.