Insee sends census letter to Napoleon

FRANCE'S official census body is facing questions about the accuracy of its work - after addressing a letter to the late French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

The letter from Insee caught the attention of a post office worker in the old town of Ajaccio, Corsica.

Addressed to "Napoleon Bonaparte, 3 rue Saint-Charles, Ajaccio", the occupant at the address had returned it to La Poste with a note on the envelope reading: "Died in 1821 - please forward to Saint Peter".

The post office returned the letter to its sender, Insee in the Midi-Pyrénées, accompanied with the sticker: "Not known at this address".

Insee is France's official national statistics body, gathering a wide range of data on residents and businesses.