Postal systems can differ significantly between countries. The French one, called "La Poste", delivers mail throughout France and even allows you to send a registered letter over the Internet. A peculiarity of the "Poste" is that it prefers the use of capital letters on envelopes. The best way to ensure that your letter is received in France in the most timely manner is to follow French customs as closely as possible, taking into account your country's postal system.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Write the Address on the Envelope
Step 1. Follow French customs when writing the recipient's name
Write the recipient's full name on the top line of the text, near the center of the envelope. Include its title; this means you should use "Madame" for a woman and "Monsieur" for a man. "Mademoiselle" is often used for an unmarried young woman.
- You can also use title abbreviations: "M." for "Monsieur", "Mme" for "Madame" and "Mlle" for "Mademoiselle".
- In France, people usually write their surnames in capital letters, to avoid any possible misunderstanding. For example, you should address your letter to John SMITH and not John Smith.
- For example: “Mlle Brigitte MENIVIER”.
- If you are sending a business letter, write the company name on the second line. Exclude this step if it is a personal letter. For example: “Firm France”.
Step 2. Write the recipient's address on the center front of the envelope
When writing a letter for France, the recipient's address is the only thing that should appear on the front of the envelope (besides, of course, the postage). Write it in the center of the envelope, leaving a couple of inches of space between the address itself and the bottom of the envelope for the French post office printed barcodes. You should include the recipient's name (first line), address (second line), postal code followed by the city name (third line) and the country (fourth line). Make sure you capitalize all proper names, such as those of streets and cities.
- Here's an example of what the recipient's address should look like:
- John SMITH
- 118 Boulevard Saint-Germain
- 75006 Paris
- France
Step 3. Consider additional French postal rules
When sending a letter to France there are a few other things to keep in mind. Each address line can contain a maximum of 38 characters and a maximum of six lines in total are allowed.
- Some people also prefer to write the name of the street, city and country all in capital letters, although it is not mandatory.
- Do not put a comma between the house number and the street name.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Letter for Shipping
Step 1. Insert the letter into the envelope
Put the letter or what you need to send inside the envelope and seal it if you haven't already. Make sure the contents fit snugly in the envelope (plain or padded), as it could get damaged in transit, especially if it is oddly shaped.
If you are using a padded envelope or if the package has an irregular shape, write the address before inserting the contents so you will be sure that it is clear and legible
Step 2. Write your address on the back
Once you've put the letter in the envelope and sealed it, you should write your name and address on the back. The French prefer to have the return address on the side of the envelope with the closure, to show that it has not been opened or tampered with. You should include the following information:
- Name and surname, with the surname all capitalized (first line)
- Address (second line)
- City, province and postal code (third line)
- Country (fourth row)
Step 3. Send the letter to France
Take your letter to the post office and ask the clerk you find at the counter for help; will weigh it and tell you the exact postage amount. Pay the postage and the post office clerk will stamp your letter.
The stamp must be placed in the upper right corner of the envelope
Part 3 of 3: Addressing a French Recipient in the Proper Way
Step 1. Write a correct header
In the case of a formal letter, you will need to put a header with your name and address, as well as the recipient's name and address and the date. You should align your name and address to the left, followed by a break line, then align the recipient's name and address on the right margin of the page. Skip another line, write today's date, then start the text of the letter.
Your details and those of the recipient should appear as follows: name (first line), house number and address (second line), postal code and city name (third line), country name (fourth line)
Step 2. Correctly address the recipient
If you are writing a letter to France, unless it is intended for a close personal friend, you should follow the guidelines for formal writing, addressing the person in question with his or her official title, such as "Monsieur le Directeur" or " Madame the Director”.
- The French word "cher" is the equivalent of the Italian "caro". You can write "Cher Monsieur" for a man or "Chère Madame" for a woman.
- If you are writing to more than one person, you can say "Chers Mesdames et Messieurs", which means "Dear ladies and gentlemen".
- If you don't know the names of the recipients or write to a group of people, you can use the formula "À qui de droit", which is the French equivalent of "To whom it belongs".
- Remember that if you are writing the letter in French you should always use the formal "vous", instead of the informal "you".
Step 3. End the letter appropriately
Remember that the French are a rather formal people, so a letter addressed to one of them requires a little conversational closure. Make sure you choose a closing sentence that fits the situation.
- In the case of a very formal or professional letter, you can write "Je vous prie d’agréer [repeat the title you wrote at the beginning of the letter] the expression de mes salutations distinguées".
- In the case of a slightly less formal but still professional message, you can write "Cordialement" ("Cordially") or "Bien à vous" (comparable to the Italian "Best regards").
- For a letter to a friend or family member, you can write "Affectueusement" ("With affection") or "Gros bisous" ("Kisses and hugs").
