Guide to French Poste Office - La Poste

1. Introduction to La Poste
2. French Postal Tariffs and Services
3. Parcel Delivery
4. Private Parcel Delivery
5. Parcel Delivery Problems
6. French Postcodes
7. La Banque Postale
8. Complaints Procedure
9. Glossary of French Postal Terms

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3. Colissimo & Chronopost Parcel Delivery in France

Parcel deliveries through La Poste can either be made by the main service, called Colissimo, or by an express service called Chronopost.

The Chronopost express delivery service has an associate status with La Poste with an agreement to send express parcels and letters from La Poste offices. They are mainly used by the business community, but equally available for sending parcels between private households.

The Chronopost next day delivery tariffs within France can be found at Chronopost. They also offer delivery to a collection point, as well as home delivery. Using the Chronopost 'Chrono 13' service allows mail to be delivered the next day before 1 p.m., Monday to Friday. A 2kg parcel costs €35, rising to €85 for 30kg package.

There are various types of offers within these two services, notably relating to the speed and level of security of the service. They also offer packaging (emballage) for the goods, but at a price.

Colissimo deliver parcels up to 30kg in weight. The sum of the length, breadth, or height cannot exceed 1.50m and the length must be less than 1 metre.

The Colissimo service undertakes to deliver within 48 hours in France. Indicative dates for international delivery using their Colis International service are 4 to 9 days, depending on destination. In both cases parcel tracking (suivi) is provided.

Neither is there any need to go to the local post office to post your parcel, as you can do it on-line from your home, when the parcel will be picked up by the postman in your letterbox. Both national and international (mainly European) delivery. More details at Colissimo-En-Ligne.

The basic tariffs are shown on the following tables. Note that small packages no greater than 3cm thick and 2kg in weight can be sent using the cheaper letter delivery service.

The rates below are for home delivery.

Table: National Parcel Tariffs - Colissimo (2023)

There is also a cheaper service for delivery to a collection point (point de retrait) in France.

The basic Colissimo service for delivery of parcels within France offers no signature on delivery, or acknowledgement of receipt back to the sender.

If you need proof of delivery then you need to send the parcel Colissimo recommandé, for which there is an additional charge.

The charge for recorded delivery is €2.50 or €4.00 , depending on insurance value (€50 and €200).

The tariffs from France to the UK are the same as those to Europe, with a €3 supplement, irrespective of weight. This supplement should be added to the Zone A rates given below.

Table: International Parcel Tariffs - Colissimo (2023)

Zone A: European Union, Switzerland and UK

Zone B: Other European Countries (outside of the EU), Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Norway

Zone C: Africa, Canada, the USA, Near and Middle East

If the parcel is being sent outside of the European Union, then you will also need to complete a customs declaration. You can find the form at Douane Déclaration CN23. You would be best advised to undertake the process at your local post-office, as the online service is yet to be operational.

We consider the issue in more detail in our Newsletter article Brexit: Taxes and Charges for Parcel Delivery to France.

All international deliveries require a signature on delivery, although you need to pay more if you want a signed delivery receipt, called avis de réception. However, as this service relies on the postal service in another country to provide the receipt it cannot be relied upon.

There is an automatic insurance of your parcel in the event of loss or damage, but you need to check on the amount that applies on the particular level of service you have chosen. Above a value of €200 you can also take out additional insurance cover (Ad Valorem), but with a limit on the maximum amount, depending on the destination.

For high value items with a value of up to €5,000 you can use the service Valeur déclarée.

In all cases, you will be given a waybill that you will need to complete that will be stuck to your parcel. The document will contain the name and address of both sender and receiver, as well as the package number. You retain a tear-off portion of the waybill as proof of posting.

If you require packaging or express delivery then you need to ask for current rates at La Poste.

There is a cheaper international service for books and brochures called Livres et Brochures. Strictly speaking, the service can only be used for posting educational, scientific, or cultural material relating to France, but we have it on good authority that the service is used by many savvy users to send any type of book! The service is not widely publicised, and you may well find counter staff do not know about it, or they are unwilling to let you use it.

If you are receiving a parcel and you are not at home the postman will leave an avis de passage notifying you that they have called, with possibly a note that when they will call again, or and advising the parcel can be retrieved from your local bureau de Poste within 15 days. For registered letters, you can also request a second visit the next day by calling 3631 before 7pm on weekdays or before noon on Saturdays.

In the next section we review the private parcel delivery service in France.

Next: Private Parcel Delivery

Back: French Letter Postal Tariffs