Postage rates: France 2024

Sending postcards and letters from France

1. French domestic postage rates at a glance 

2. French international postage rates at a glance 

Below you will find the main international air-mail postage rates for France, and the cheapest - or rather, least expensive -  rates for sending parcels from France.

For all other postal rates (notably pre-paid envelopes, recorded delivery, heavier items), it is best to visit a local post office.  

It is advisable to include an air-mail sticker on international mail, though this is not essential. Virtually all international mail within the European Union is sent by airmail unless surface mail is faster.

   Last collections from mail boxes in urban areas are usually around 4 p.m., but later from main post offices. In rural areas, letter boxes are often emptied just once a day, frequently before midday.   Stamps can be bought in post offices, but often also from "tabacs", or tobacconists selling postcards.

2.1. Postcards and simple letter rates from France 2024

How much does it cost to send a postcard abroad from France ? 

Destination	Cost:
All countries worldwide (same price everywhere)	€1.96

How much does it cost to send a letter up to 20 gm from France ?

Destination	Cost (airmail)
All countries worldwide (same price everywhere)	€1.96

2.2. Documents and heavier letters  

How much does it cost to send heavier international mail from France?

(for books & brochures, see below)

There is only one tariff category for letters : it is called "priority international letter". There is no second-class or economy rate, nor surface mail rate, for letters

LETTRE PRIO Internationale
Weight/ Destination	Whole world ( same price everywhere)
20-100 gms	€ 4.15
100-250 grams	€ 9.85
250-500 gms	€ 14.55
500  gms - 2 kg	€ 26.50

2.3. Small packages - parcels

2.3.1. Standard rate ; use the Lettre prio internationale rates up to 2 kg, if appropriate  (packets no more than 3 cm deep), but  be ready to insist  when handing over your package for franking..... see above.   For other packages, see Colissimo below.

2.3.2. Colissimo International - fast package rate,  - anything up to 30 kg for Europe, or up to 20 kg for other countries..  

Colissimo International Main destinations	Europe (see list of countries) (For UK, add 3 € Brexit supplement to all rates)	Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Russia etc	Rest of world
Up to 500 g	€ 14.25	21.40	31.60
Up to 1 kg	€ 17.60	25.55	35.15
Up to 2 kg	€ 19.935	27.9	48.50
Up to 5 kg	€ 25.50	35.90	70.80
Up to 10 kg	€ 42.05	59.40	133.80
Up to 15 kg	€ 61.80	80.60	190.15

Colissimo packages are accepted up to 30 kg, at degressive rates (7kg, 8 kg, etc.)

While the existence of a "priority" rate supposes the existence of another non-priority rate, this is no longer the case. There is no longer any eco or slow international parcel rate from "La Poste". For alternative options, use a different carrier (see above)

2.3. Books and brochures

The latest info available provides tarifs as of January 2019. The Livres et brochures rate is for books, brochures and printed documents in the French language or French regional languages, not containing advertising. It is available for bookshops, businesses and private individuals, as indicated clearly in the "Tarifs préférentiels" section of this page of the La Poste website.
2024 rates:

Books and brochures - international
Weight/ Destination	Great Britain Netherlands Germany, Switzerland, and all other countries in  the European Union	Rest of World (Including USA, Canada, Australia)
up to 100 gms	€ 0.63	€ 1.03
100-250 grams	€ 1.11	€ 1.97
250-500 gms	€ 1.65	€ 2.89
500  gms - I kg	€ 3.20	€ 5.59
1 - 2 kg	€ 4.30	€ 7.66

 
For more information concerning the sending of books or borchures over 2kg, see French postal rates site.