Rates.

All the different rates can be found in the booklet called "Tarifs généraux", which you can obtain by simply asking at any post office. The rate depends on the country of destination. It is useful to know, however, that standard letters (less than 20g) can be franked with a 3,00 FF stamp stamp for anywhere in France or other European Union country. Post cards only need a 2,70FF stamp.

Letters.

Post boxes are yellow and can be found fairly frequently along the street. You will find them in particular near public places. The frequency of the collections depends on where the post box is situated and on the day of the week. Note that there are usually no collections on Sundays. If you post your mail early on in the day, it will arrive (in France) in France the next day, or if not, definitely the following day.
You can buy stamps in post offices as well as in tobacconists and in shops which sell post cards, or you can frank your mail directly at the post office counter. To send mail by recommended post in order to be able to trace it and have a proof of delivery, or for large packages, you need to go directly to a post office.

Packages.

You can wrap your packages yourself or alternatively, you can buy ready-made boxes in different sizes and shapes at all Post Offices, and even ready-franked. To actually send the package, there are two different tariffs : Colieco, which takes between three and seven days, and Colissimo, which is more expensive but delivery is guaranteed within 48 hours.

N.B.: La Poste only delivers packages for which its total dimensions (Length, Height and Width) do not exceed 150cm. For large parcels, you need to contact the SERNAM (which limits its packages to 4 metres), or a different private transporter (look in the Pages Jaunes under "Transports"). 

Express Mail.

To send mail by a courier service, you can use the Chronopost service available in post offices. Of course there are other companies that provide the same service. You can find their addresses for your departement in the Pages Jaunes, under "Transports en messagerie Express, coursiers internationaux" or "Transports l&eagrave;gers et coursiers r&eagrave;gionaux et nationaux".

Practical Informations.

The economy rate (2,70 FF) can be used for letters weighing less than 20g, and on average the delivery time will be slightly slower.

If you mail has to go the same day (in some cases the post mark is proof), post offices in cities have collections until the evening as well as on Sundays.

If you do not know the post code it is useful to know that there is a web site that gives you French post codes.

If you need the complete address of your correspondent and you know which department or town he/she lives in, you can try to obtain his/her address by telephoning Directory Enquiries (12) or on Minitel 3611.

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