Since 1st October 2011, La Poste (the French post office) is selling green stamps (timbres verts). Instead of taking 1 day, the letter will take 2 days to reach its destination. It can only be used within France.
This green stamp is more eco-friendly as it will travel by train rather than plane.
It is €0.57 instead of €0.60 (normal post). I have recently started to use the new stamps for sending letters.
I will be saving some money (not a lot!) and the planet at the same time!
In France, you get the visit from your postman/post lady and from the fire brigade (pompiers) in December. They all come to sell you a calendar to raise money. If your neighbours’ children play football, they might also visit you for the same reason! The calendar will have photos of each team. Not that you are very interested to have them on your wall! The money goes to the club.
I never know how much to give them. I always think I have to be generous with the fire brigade as if our house is on fire and I was tight they might remember me and not rush!!
I think the minimum to give is €10. But you can give whatever you want. There is no minimum.
If you need to send an important letter in
I have just helped an English client to reapply for a British passport and to ensure paperwork will not get lost in the post I am going to send it by registered post (en recommandé).
Visit your local post office and ask for “envoi en recommandé”. They will give you a slip (see photo) where you will have to write your name and address and the same information for the recipient.
The post office staff will date-stamp the multi-part docket, give you one which will be your receipt. Once the recipient has received your letter, you will get another copy of the docket which will also be date-stamped. This will be the proof that the letter has been received. It will cost you around €5.
How to go about redirecting your post when you live in If you move back to the
Visit your local post office and ask for a form call “réexpédition du courrier”. The minimum is 6 months and the maximum is 12 months but can be renewed for another 6 months.
When you fill in the form, you will need to write:
- the name of all the family members
- the old and the new addresses
- starting date you wish the post to be redirected
- date and sign the form
- and pay! (either cash or by cheque. Post offices in
The tariff for post redirection within France for 6 months is €23 and €41 for 12 months (April 2010).
