French Post Office, a few historical facts
The history of La Poste, the French Post Office service dates back to 1477, when King Louis XI established royal postal routes to connect with his vassals.
Mailboxes appeared at the beginning of the 17th century, as the French state established a service dedicated to the secure distribution of official communications within its administrations. For those who have known France for decades, the acronym PTT is familiar, as it formerly stood for Post, Telegraph, and Telephone, the three public services that merged in the 20th century.
In 1991, the PTT was restructured and split into two separate entities: La Poste and France Télécom. The rise of the internet inevitably led to a decline in traditional mail, challenging La Poste’s historical monopoly on mail delivery and forcing it to adapt to competition. La Poste has thus embarked on a vast modernisation and diversification initiative, investing €1 billion to modernise its services: diversification into banking services, development of international partnerships with express carriers, modernisation of its distribution networks, and the transition to more environmentally friendly electric vehicles.
Below is an overview of the essential services offered by La Poste to facilitate your stay in France.
How to send letters from France?
If you prefer sending letters and postcards, using the French Post Office service system is simple!
- Find the nearest post office. Located throughout the country, they are accessible to everyone.
- You can also use one of the 144,600 mailboxes strategically placed across France. Their distinctive dark yellow colour and blue logo make them easy to spot!
- Each mailbox has two compartments. The first is for letters within your department, ensuring quick delivery locally. The second is for letters destined for other departments or international destinations, clearly marked with “Département” or “Paris-Banlieue” (Department or Paris-Suburbs if you are in the capital) and “Autres Départements – Etranger-International (Other Departments – International).
- Collection times are clearly displayed on each mailbox.
Which postage for your letter, postcard or parcel?
Sending letters, postcards, or parcels in France is just as easy as with most postal services worldwide:
For detailed and up-to-date information on postal rates, services, and other postal matters, I recommend visiting the official La Poste website. There you will find comprehensive resources, including rate guides, service descriptions, and postage calculators, to help you plan your shipments.
When considering postage for your letters, postcards, or parcels in France, here’s what you need to know:
- the cost is determined by their weight.
- For letters and postcards weighing 20g or less, a standard postage rate applies. However, the heavier the item, the higher the postage cost.
- To calculate the postage for letters and cards weighing more than 20g, please consult French Post Office’s updated postage rates. .
- For sending parcels, you have two main options:
- Colissimo: This service guarantees delivery of parcels up to 30kg within 48 hours or 2 business days. Colissimo is available at all French post offices.
- Chronopost: Offering express delivery for packages up to 30 kg, Chronopost operates through 75 branches and 7,500 counters, covering 120,000 post offices in France. This service is available to both businesses and individuals looking for express delivery options.
For detailed and up-to-date information on postal rates, services, and other postal matters, I recommend visiting the official website of La Poste. There you will find comprehensive resources, including rate guides, service descriptions, and postage calculators, to help you plan your shipments.
