{"id":37059,"date":"2025-10-02T15:33:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T13:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/endereco.de\/?p=37059"},"modified":"2025-11-18T12:24:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T10:24:35","slug":"endereco-know-addresses-in-france-the-golden-rules-for-your-parcel-shipping-how-to-and-fun-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.endereco.de\/en\/allgemeine_news\/endereco-wissen-adressen-in-frankreich-die-goldenen-regeln-fuer-deinen-paketversand-how-to-und-fun-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Addresses in France - rules for parcel shipping, \u201ehow to\u201c and fun facts"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fabulous world of French addresses - or why letter carriers in France are also philosophers.<\/strong><\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

France - the country where ZAZ <\/strong>with \u201eJe veux\u201c<\/strong> makes the caf\u00e9s resound, Kylian Mbapp\u00e9<\/strong> shakes the stadiums with his goals and Bordeaux, Camembert, baguette & co.<\/strong> our palate.
But even apart from music, soccer and culinary delights, France is full of little wonders - for example in its unique addresses.<\/strong>\u00a0Anyone who has ever sent a parcel or letter to France or got lost in Paris knows that addresses in France follow their own rules - and are full of surprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From red and black house numbers to mysterious \u201ebis\u201c addresses and streets named after revolutionaries, poets or local heroes: every address tells a little story.
In this article, we delve into the \u201cfabulous world of Amelie\u201d - oops, the fabulous world of French addresses, of course - with examples, fun facts and cultural backgrounds. We have compiled the most important facts for you so that your mail arrives safely, there are no returns and you can validate the addresses without any problems.

Ready for a little trip through the magical addresses of France? :-) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voil\u00e0 - the structure of a typical address in France<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A French address follows a clear pattern that differs from German addresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Address structure with example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Line 1 <\/strong><\/td>Madame Sophie Martin<\/td>Salutation, first\/last name<\/strong>
\u201eMadame\u201c or \u201eMonsieur\u201c or academic title<\/td><\/tr>
Line 2<\/strong><\/td>12 Rue de la R\u00e9publique<\/td>House number and street name<\/strong>
Attention: in France the house number is before<\/strong> the street name!<\/td><\/tr>
Line 3<\/strong><\/td>75011 PARIS<\/td>Zip code and city\/town<\/strong>
The zip code has five digits and begins with the number of the department e.g. 75 for Paris<\/td><\/tr>
Line 4<\/strong><\/td>FRANCE<\/td>Country<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs, lines and the \u201egolden rules\u201c of La Poste - you should observe these in your online store to avoid returns!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each address line can be maximum 38 characters <\/strong>including spaces, with a total of Maximum six lines<\/strong> are possible. The two additional lines are used, for example, for Business addresses<\/strong> and for the Address additions<\/strong> such as apartment, floor, backyard, building, space, etc.
Capitalizing the surname, city and country is recommended by \u201eLa Poste\u201c as it makes delivery easier - it is not necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can read the six golden rules of \u201eLa Poste\u201c here: Bien r\u00e9diger l'adresse d'une lettre ou d'un colis - La Poste<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abbreviations for the form of address are common - Mme for Madame and M for Monsieur. It is advisable to use a form of address - because the cultural sensitivity of the Grande Nation needs to be taken into account. An academic title, e.g. Docteur (Dr.), Professeur (Prof.) or Ma\u00eetre (Me), precedes the first name and replaces the form of address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201ebis\u201c, \u201eter\u201c and \u201equater\u201c - the mysterious additions to an address in France, colors and more<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why are there addresses in France like \u201c12 bis\u201d or \u201e33 ter\u201c that sound like someone forgot to finish the sentence?
French addresses know these suffixes because houses were built afterwards. \u201ebis\u201c comes from Latin and stands for \u201etwice\u201c - \u201eter\u201c stands for \u201ethree times\u201c - \u201equater\u201c for \u201efour times\u201c. This rarely happens, because at some point there is no more room for new houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12 Rue de Rivoli<\/td>the first house<\/td><\/tr>
12 to<\/strong> = built between no. 12 and the following house<\/td>the second<\/strong> House - built later<\/td><\/tr>
12 ter<\/strong> = another house after \u201e12 bis\u201c<\/td>the third<\/strong> Subsequent house<\/td><\/tr>
12 quater<\/strong> = one more house after \u201e12 bis\u201c<\/td>the fourth<\/strong> Subsequent house <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Paris and some other cities, house numbers are color-coded. Red numbers for one side of the street, usually the side on which the sun rises, black or blue numbers for the opposite side. This system dates back to the 19th century, long before Google Maps, and was intended to make it easier for letter carriers and firefighters to find their way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Street names in the countryside<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In rural regions there are often<\/strong> no official<\/strong> Street names and house numbers. Instead, houses are simply addressed with the name of the hamlet or village, leading to such romantic names as \u201eLa Maison apr\u00e8s le Ch\u00eane, avant le Ruisseau\u201c, which translates as \u201eThe house after the oak, before the stream\u201c. Pure romance, but what if the oak is no longer standing or the stream has dried up?
\u201eIf a house has no address, where is it?\u201c - Descartes would despair, the French postal service remains cool :-)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are two less romantic, but still special examples. \u201cLe Bourg\u201d<\/strong> refers to the core of a community and means something like \u201cnear the town hall, church, etc.\u201d.
\u201cLe Village\u201d<\/strong> on the other hand, refers to a village or a smaller district within a municipality. Both are official parts of a postal address and help the postal service to identify the exact location in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Mr. Robert Dupont
Le Bourg<\/strong>
38470 Saint-Pierre-de-M\u00e9aroz
FRANCE<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Famille Leroy
Le Village<\/strong>
04200 Sisteron
FRANCE<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cultural significance of French street names and squares is omnipresent - they are peppered with history, politics, local pride, humor and emotion.
Very typical names are, for example, Rue de la R\u00e9publique, which can be found in almost every city and is reminiscent of the revolution. Artists, writers and traditions are of course also represented - Rue Victor Hugo, Place Pablo Picasso or Rue des Vignerons, the \u201ewinegrowers\u201c street\" in many wine-growing regions such as Bordeaux.
Emotional and funny street names like <\/p>\n\n\n\n