There is a cheap parcel delivery service within France, although the French post office seem to be publicity shy about it.

Most people who send parcels within France use either the Colissimo or Chronopost French post office parcel delivery services.

The former is the regular service, with Chronopost used for express delivery.

The charges for these parcel services are frequently a source of complaint by French post office users and the pricing structure used by La Poste is certainly difficult to understand and use.

The parcel cannot be greater than 2cm in depth, and it cannot weigh more than 1kg. There are also maximum package dimensions.

The cost of the service depends on the weight of the parcel. It starts at a minimum of €1.50 for a parcel weighing 100 grams, rising to €4.50 for a parcel weighing 1kilo.

This compares with a basic tariff of €7.90 for sending a parcel using the normal Colissimo service.

There is no optional recorded delivery, and only minimal insurance cover with this service, so it is only really suitable for low value objects.

The service is also only for delivery within France and its overseas territories.

The Mini Max service is not widely publicised by La Poste, and some counter staff may not even be aware of it.

This is one reason why the French telecommunications regulatory body ARCEP (L'Autorité de régulation des communications économiques et des postes) recently had to remind La Poste of its statutory obligations to ensure effective communication of its services. As a result, you should soon be able to see more publicity about it.

In the meantime, you can read more about parcel delivery services in France at the link below, where we provide a comprehensive guide to French postal services.