🇫🇷 La Poste Tracking
Track packages & mail worldwide • Suivez vos colis et courriers partout dans le monde
📋 Where to Find Your La Poste Tracking Number
- Your tracking number is on your shipping receipt or confirmation email
- La Poste tracking numbers are typically 13 characters or 22 digits
- Common formats: CP123456789FR, CP987654321DE, or 1234567890123456789012
- Colissimo tracking numbers start with CP, Chronopost with JD
- Wait 24-48 hours after shipping notification for first tracking update
Note: La Poste Colissimo, Chronopost, and Lettre Suivie services include tracking by default. Standard lettermail without tracking numbers cannot be tracked.
Checking multiple tracking sources for the most accurate information
About La Poste Package Tracking Service
La Poste is France's national postal service and one of Europe's leading postal operators, providing comprehensive mail and parcel delivery services across France and internationally. With over 17,000 post offices and 200,000 employees, La Poste delivers millions of packages annually through its Colissimo, Chronopost, and other specialized shipping services.
Our free La Poste tracking service allows you to monitor your shipments in real-time, from the moment they're accepted at a La Poste facility until they reach their final destination. Whether you're tracking a Colissimo package, Chronopost express delivery, or international shipment, our tracking tool provides detailed status updates and estimated delivery dates for all La Poste services.
Track your La Poste packages easily by entering your tracking number in the search box above. La Poste tracking numbers follow specific formats depending on the service type and region. Colissimo tracking numbers typically start with "CP" followed by 9 digits and a 2-letter country code (e.g., CP123456789FR), while Chronopost numbers may start with "JD" or use 22-digit formats. Once your package ships, you'll receive real-time updates showing each scan location, transit progress, and delivery confirmation.
Quick La Poste Tracking Guide (30 Seconds)
How to Track a La Poste Package in 3 Steps:
- Find your tracking number — Check your shipping confirmation email or shipping receipt. La Poste numbers are exactly 13 characters: CP123456789FR (Colissimo) or JD123456789FR (Chronopost), or 22 digits for some international services. The 2-letter country code at the end identifies the destination country.
- Enter it above — Paste or type the complete tracking number in the search box at the top. No spaces needed.
- View real-time updates — See current location, customs status, estimated delivery, and full scan history from La Poste's hubs across France through final delivery.
💡 Tip: If your tracking shows "Information received" for more than 48 hours, the package has not yet been physically scanned by La Poste. Contact the sender to confirm the parcel was actually dropped off. La Poste does not close on Saturdays for deliveries but does not operate on Sundays and French public holidays.
La Poste Shipping Services
⚡ Chronopost Express
The group's express network, run as a separate company from La Poste with its own compensation scale and its own claim deadlines. Time-definite options within France, full tracking and signature on delivery. Track it on chronopost.fr; the reference will not resolve on laposte.fr.
Next business day📦 Colissimo France
La Poste's domestic parcel product, delivered by posties in about two working days, up to 30kg. Included cover is 23 euros per kilo, capped at 690 euros, not a flat figure — the widely quoted 50 euros is the paid Recommandation R1 option. Delivery to the door or to a pickup point.
2 business days🌟 Chronopost International
Fast international express service to over 230 countries worldwide. Offers guaranteed delivery times, comprehensive customs handling, and end-to-end tracking. Premium service for time-sensitive international shipments.
1-5 business days🌍 Colissimo International
Colissimo's cross-border product, tracked to the destination country and beyond where the receiving post supports it. Cover follows the same per-kilo basis as domestic; ad valorem can be bought at posting in 100-euro bands up to 1,000 euros for private customers.
2-8 business days📝 Lettre Suivie
Tracked letter post up to 2kg, delivered without a signature and carrying a lower flat indemnity than Colissimo. Fine for confirming something arrived; not the product to use if you need proof of receipt, which is what Lettre Recommandée is for.
2-5 business days🏪 Pickup Point Delivery
A delivery option on Colissimo rather than a service of its own, so the parcel keeps its Colissimo tracking, cover and claim rules. Choosing it removes the failed-attempt problem entirely, which matters given that a missing avis de passage is one of the most common French delivery complaints.
2-3 business days🔒 Chronopost Securise
Enhanced security service for high-value or sensitive items. Adds dedicated handling and signature on delivery with ID verification. Compensation is set by Chronopost according to the offer bought, so check the terms rather than assuming a headline figure.
Next business day🚚 Same-Day Delivery
Ultra-premium service with same-day delivery within major French cities. Packages must be dropped off before 11:00 AM and are delivered by end of day. Available in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and other metropolitan areas.
Same daySpecial Services & Features
La Poste offers several value-added services to enhance your shipping experience. Pickup Point Network provides over 12,000 convenient locations across France where recipients can collect packages at their convenience, including post offices, local shops, and supermarkets with extended opening hours.
Signature Options include standard signature, ID verification for high-value items, and specific delivery instructions. Insurance works differently on each network. Colissimo includes 23 euros per kilo up to 690 euros, with Recommandation R1 at 50 euros, R2 at 200 euros and ad valorem up to 1,000 euros available as paid options. Chronopost sets its own scale by offer rather than publishing one flat figure.
La Poste Suivi (Tracking) provides real-time updates via SMS, email, and the mobile app. Chronopass service allows packages to bypass sorting facilities for expedited handling. Colissimo Access offers delivery to remote areas and overseas territories with specialized handling and extended delivery times.
La Poste Service Comparison
Choose the right La Poste service for your shipping needs. Below is a comprehensive comparison of delivery speeds, features, and guarantees for each La Poste service level.
| Service | Delivery Time | Tracking | Guarantee | Coverage | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronopost Express | Next business day | ✓ | ✓ | Set by Chronopost | ✓ |
| Colissimo France | 2 business days | ✓ | ✗ | 23 €/kg, max 690 € | Optional |
| Chronopost International | 1-5 business days | ✓ | ✓ | Set by Chronopost | ✓ |
| Colissimo International | 2-8 business days | ✓ | ✗ | 23 €/kg + ad valorem | Optional |
| Lettre Suivie | 2-5 business days | ✓ | ✗ | Low flat indemnity | ✗ |
| Pickup Point Delivery | 2-3 business days | ✓ | ✗ | Follows Colissimo | ✓ |
| Chronopost Securise | Next business day | ✓ | ✓ | Set by Chronopost | ✓ |
| Same-Day Delivery | Same day | ✓ | ✓ | Set by Chronopost | ✓ |
⚡ Chronopost Express
📦 Colissimo France
🌟 Chronopost International
🌍 Colissimo International
📝 Lettre Suivie
🏪 Pickup Point Delivery
🔒 Chronopost Securise
⚡ Same-Day Delivery
Understanding La Poste Delivery Guarantees
Chronopost sets its own compensation, and does not publish a single flat figure. La Poste's own guidance says the indemnity is fixed by Chronopost and differs by offer, so check the terms for the exact service rather than relying on a number quoted elsewhere. Colissimo is different again: its included cover is 23 euros per kilo up to 690 euros, with paid options above that.
Chronopost Express: La Poste's fastest domestic service with guaranteed next-business-day delivery. Packages sent Chronopost Express before the cut-off time (typically 3:00 PM) are guaranteed for next-business-day delivery across France. If La Poste fails to meet this commitment, customers may be eligible for a partial or full refund of shipping costs depending on the service agreement.
Chronopost International: This service provides guaranteed delivery times for international shipments to major destinations worldwide. Delivery guarantees typically range from 1-5 business days depending on the destination country. Chronopost International includes comprehensive customs handling and priority processing at all border crossings.
Non-Guaranteed Services: Colissimo France, Colissimo International, and Lettre Suivie services do not include delivery guarantees but provide reliable delivery with typical transit times. These services are perfect for non-urgent shipments where cost savings are more important than guaranteed delivery dates. La Poste maintains high service reliability with over 95% on-time delivery performance across all service levels.
Complete Guide to La Poste Tracking
La Poste, Colissimo and Chronopost Are Not the Same Thing
Sorting this out first saves a lot of wasted effort, because the three names get swapped around and they answer to different rules, different claim windows and different customer services.
Colissimo is La Poste's parcel product. If you are chasing a "lost La Poste parcel" from a French retailer, it is a Colissimo in all but the rarest cases. It travels with posties out of the 17,000-odd post offices, which is why you can walk into your local branch and ask, an option no courier offers.
Chronopost is a separate company within the same group, running the express network. It sets its own compensation scale and its own claim deadlines, which are far shorter than Colissimo's. A Chronopost problem is not a La Poste problem in any procedural sense.
Lettre Suivie is tracked letter post, not a parcel service. It goes up to 2kg, is delivered without a signature, and carries a lower flat indemnity than Colissimo. Its tracking is thinner by design.
Understanding La Poste Tracking Numbers
| Format | Product | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Format13 characters, 2 letters + 9 digits + FR | ProductColissimo, international | What to expectUPU S10 format. CA-CZ for parcels, RA-RZ registered, LA-LZ tracked letter post |
| Format13 digits, often starting 6A or 8R | ProductColissimo, domestic France | What to expectNumeric domestic format, tracks on laposte.fr |
| Format13 digits starting XY, EE or similar | ProductChronopost | What to expectTrack on chronopost.fr, not laposte.fr |
| Format2 letters + 9 digits + FR beginning R | ProductLettre Recommandée | What to expectRegistered letter, signature on delivery |
If the number will not resolve on laposte.fr, try chronopost.fr. The two systems do not share a lookup, and a Chronopost reference entered on the La Poste site returns nothing. That accounts for a large share of "my tracking number doesn't work" cases.
Compensation Is Calculated by Weight, Not by a Flat Cap
This is the part almost every English-language guide gets wrong, and it changes what you can expect to recover.
Colissimo pays 23 euros per kilo. La Poste's own terms set the included indemnity at 23 euros per kilogram, capped at 690 euros for a 30kg parcel, and it applies regardless of what the contents were worth. A one-kilo parcel holding a 600-euro phone is covered for 23 euros. This is the same structural trap as DHL's per-kilo liability, and for the same reason: light valuable goods get almost nothing.
| Cover | Amount | Included or paid |
|---|---|---|
| CoverColissimo standard | Amount23 euros per kilo, up to 690 euros | Included or paidIncluded in the postage |
| CoverRecommandation R1 | Amount50 euros | Included or paidPaid option |
| CoverRecommandation R2 | Amount200 euros | Included or paidPaid option |
| CoverAd valorem | AmountUp to 1,000 euros in 100-euro bands | Included or paidPaid option, private customers |
| CoverLettre Recommandée | AmountUp to 458 euros by level | Included or paidIncluded at the level bought |
The 50-euro figure quoted everywhere is the R1 paid option, not the cover you get by default. Anyone who did not tick that box at the counter has the per-kilo figure and nothing more. Both R1 and R2 also change the delivery: a postie then hands the parcel over in person against a signature.
Claim Deadlines: Chronopost Gives You Three Days
The two networks run on different clocks, and the express one is unforgiving.
| Network and situation | Deadline | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
| Network and situationChronopost, domestic France | Deadline3 days | Counted fromDate of delivery |
| Network and situationChronopost, international | Deadline21 days | Counted fromDate of delivery |
| Network and situationColissimo, réclamation | DeadlineOpen it early, within about 15 days | Counted fromExpected delivery date |
| Network and situationUnclaimed parcel returned to sender | Deadline15 days | Counted fromArrival at the post office |
Three days on a domestic Chronopost is not a typo. If a Chronopost arrives damaged on a Friday you have until Monday. Open the box at delivery where you can, and photograph anything wrong before the driver leaves.
Only the sender can claim on Colissimo. La Poste states it outright: the recipient is not eligible for compensation, only the sender is. Unlike USPS or Royal Mail, there is no route for a buyer to file, which makes the next point the important one.
If you bought from a French retailer, the seller owes you the remedy, not La Poste. Under the French consumer code the seller carries responsibility for the goods until they reach you, and that liability is independent of whatever La Poste's per-kilo scale pays out. Colissimo is the retailer's contractor, not yours. Use La Poste customer service to obtain proof of delivery or to unblock a parcel held at a branch, then pursue the refund with the seller. Take them in that order and it works.
Reading La Poste Scan Events
Votre colis est pris en charge: the first physical scan. La Poste now holds it.
En cours de traitement / d'acheminement: moving between sorting platforms. On a long domestic route you should see several.
Votre colis est arrivé sur le site de livraison: it has reached the office serving your address, generally the day before delivery.
Votre colis est en cours de livraison: with the postie for that day.
Avis de passage déposé: an attempt failed and a card was left. The 15-day clock to collect starts here.
Votre colis est disponible en bureau de poste: waiting for collection at the branch named in the detail. Bring photo ID.
Votre colis est livré: delivered, with the location noted and, on signature products, who took it.
Three Failure Patterns Specific to Colissimo
French consumer complaints cluster around the same three situations, and recognising yours saves time.
The avis de passage that never arrived. Tracking says an attempt was made and a card left; no card exists. The parcel is sitting at your local office on a 15-day clock you did not know had started. Go to the branch with ID and the tracking number rather than waiting.
The letterbox delivery of a parcel that does not fit. Marked delivered, wedged in the box or left beside it, then gone. The delivery location in the tracking detail is what to read here.
The automatic return after 15 days. Once the return scan posts, the parcel is heading back to the sender and recovery means asking them to reship. This is the one that catches people who never received the avis in the first place.
When La Poste Tracking Stops Moving
Check you are on the right site. Chronopost references do not resolve on laposte.fr. This is the single most common cause of a number that looks dead.
Match the gap to the product. Chronopost scans often, so a full day of silence is worth a query. Colissimo posts fewer scans, and Lettre Suivie fewer again.
Go to the delivery office in person. Colissimo's advantage over any courier is that a physical counter holds your parcel and can look it up. Take ID and the reference.
August and the French holiday calendar. Much of France shuts for August, and the network runs reduced operations. A public holiday falling midweek often produces a four-day gap through the pont.
Packing standards, proof of value and the rest of the groundwork that decides a claim on any carrier are gathered in our shipping protection and claims guide. The rules above belong to the French network.
