Last day to send Christmas parcels by La Poste
Today is the last day you can send parcels by normal La Poste mail - named "Colissimo" for parcels - if you want to ensure they arrive by Christmas.
Whether finishing off your own Christmas shopping online or sending parcels to loved ones across France, the Christmas deadline for sending through normal La Poste mail is December 20.
However, you have two more days to send parcels through the express mail service Chronopost if you are yet to finish your present shopping; their deadline is December 23.
To ensure that any parcels ordered online will arrive by the morning of Sunday December 24 by Chronopost, online retailers must be open on Saturday December 23 and have the Chrono Dimanche delivery option enabled.
Christmas Day is on Monday, but no postal services will operate.
La Poste has put in several services recently to make delivery and pick-up of mail even easier, including its “Pickup Station” automatic lockers, which work 24/7, and are found in transport hubs, university buildings, Post Offices and commercial centres.
La Poste also offers its “Predict” service for Chronopost customers, which allows you to track their parcel in real time, and enables the recipient to ask for another delivery slot or address if needs be.
In the month of December until Christmas, it is said that La Poste will process and deliver over 4,000 parcels per day - a rise of 40% compared to the rest of the year.
