Many parcel collection points in France are overwhelmed as Christmas approaches
Heavy customer traffic leaves some struggling to cope
La Poste reports a six percent increase in the number of packages this Christmas
Hadrian / Shutterstock
Many parcel collection points across France are facing heavy customer traffic as Christmas approaches - and some are struggling to cope
La Poste expects to deliver more than 180 million parcels across November and December 2025, an increase of six percent compared with last year.
This includes 100 million Colissimo packages, 60 million via Chronopost and 20 million through DPD France.
Commercial collection points are also under pressure, particularly those in built-up areas.
At La Défense in Hauts-de-Seine, queues at the Pick & Smile point can stretch for several hours, reports Le Parisien.
“We have over 5,000 parcels,” said manager Stéphane Dehais.
Overwhelmed collection points
Elsewhere, newspaper Le Figaro reports that collection points are issuing similar warnings across the country:
A sports and workwear shop in Sathonay-Camp, Rhône, alerted customers on social media to collect parcels promptly as its daily volume exceeds 500.
In Bressuire, Deux-Sèvres, a small e-cigarette shop displaying a “Point relais saturé” (overwhelmed collection points) notice manages around 1,500 parcels a month in a 20-square-metre space.
Industry changes are compounding the issue.
Mondial Relay, a leading French out-of-home delivery network, has closed around 3,500 points this year, reducing the overall number of locations by 2,500.
The company has expanded its network of lockers, now numbering 9,000, to reflect customer demand: surveys indicate 93 per cent of those who have used a locker want to repeat the experience.
However, locker capacity is limited and not all parcels can be delivered in this way.
Some businesses report financial benefits from the parcel boom. A small bar-tabac in Maine-et-Loire noted that Christmas parcel handling could generate around €1,500, compared with €500 at other times of year.
Despite the congestion, delivery companies are confident that all parcels will reach recipients before Christmas.
La Poste told Le Parisien that there is no cause for concern at present. Customers should anticipate longer waits at collection points, but the seasonal rush is unlikely to prevent gifts arriving on time.
