Giulia,

No matter which apartment... hard to go wrong as long as it's on Ile St Louis!

Rob

I don't think it's too bad that Fedex isn't that common in Paris, it would cost a lot more than the postal service, so what would be the point of going there? There are French post offices all over Paris and only a couple Fedex offices. I think you have to have a business or established account to go there, though, not just someone off the street. Actually, I don't know of any Fedex office in the US where I live for people off the street, either, but maybe there are some.

DHL is more common in Europe than Fedex, I believe, but they charge a lot more than the post office, also, and, as I found out, DHL delivers the French post office packages, it appears. I remember once my hotel sent me some things I had accidentally left behind and it only cost me about 20 euro and it came by DHL, and I wondered why that was so cheap as DHL's own site had a fee around 75 euro or something for that size package. It was probably because they sent it by the regular post office.

I just checked and Fedex's website says the fee would be 170 euro to send the package I sent for 40 euro by the Poste (from Paris to US). They have an office in the 2nd and 13th arr. From the US to Paris, they would charge $150 for that package.

Wow that's a huge cost difference! The post office is perfectly fine.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the info. The prepaid box worked out perfectly. It was a weight of 7 kilos or about 21 pounds for just under 40 euros. I bought the box at one post office, took it home and filled it up and dropped it off at another, super convenient. The only thing I would recommend, even though the box is self sealing, I would buy a little roll of packing tape because if you fill it to capacity the sides gape open just a little. When it arrive about 11 days later, it was practically torn in half, however, someone either in France or here put the entire box in a large plastic bag so we didn't lose anything. I'd say don't ship anything super valuable. It was brilliant not to have to carry all of our Paris tour books in Spain, it saved a load off my back since we only do carry on. I also mailed home all of my souveniers, 6 jars of mustard, 10 chocolate bars, 3 boxes of chocolate cookies, soap, and the books. It was really, really a great idea and so worth doing if you have limited space in your baggage. It allowed me to buy more in Spain! Thanks for all the tips!

I wouldn't put anything of value in those boxes. I sent two home last month, and only received one in the U.S. Trying to track the package is almost futile. The French website says it arrived in the U.S. last week, the US Postal system says it arrived over 6 months ago ???? No one can find it, and no one answers my emails regarding insurance. Should have stuck with FedEx!

I've done it. You buy a box from the post office and fill it right there. That said, I didn't have a ton of stuff and it was of no monetary value.

I would hesitate to "mail back everything I've purchased" if that is stuff that means a lot to you or cost a lot of money.

Guidebooks are not be worth the postage to mail them home imo.

Oops, sorry I see this is a done deal.

That's ok, Suze, it was totally worth it. I felt like my bag was heavy enough as it was, I also wrapped the breakable mustard jars in some sweaters that I packed and didn't need since it was 70 degrees in Spain. My only wish was that the box was bigger, 21 pounds was the largest, it seems like alot but once you start stuffing it, it gets heavy quick!

Seems like everything worked out just fine. As a side thought, I really don't understand why Americans would worry about France's postal system, or its medical services, etc. Things tend to work here just as well if not better than they do where you live. It's a bit small-minded, isn't it, to think that the French can't get a package to US airspace or do it for a reasonable price. France is not a third-world country and in deed many of the country's basic service providers rate quite highly. Really.

rue

I've been following this thread pretty closely, because I also want to mail a package home from Paris.

I don't think there was any chauvinism here, or people thinking that France doesn't have a great postal system.

Instead, I see people asking for help in using the French post office. They are merely unfamiliar with it and want some help.

If you wanted to mail a package in the US, wouldn't you want some idea of what services are available, and how to avail yourself of them?

Most posters here on the Europe board have a great deal of respect for all things French. We just want to know how best to use those things.

I have only heard praise here for French medical services. In fact, French meds get a lot more respect here than any other place I can think of. We love French pharmacies, and all the posts I have read wherein someone had to seek medical care in France, praise the care received.

As noted, some have had poor experiences with the Italian postal services. If that is their only experience with European postal systems, isn't it acceptable that they ask about France in that context?

RueChapon, I believe it was I who originally questioned the French postal system. My only experience with European postal systems is with Italy. Their postal system is not functioning as well as ours does. That's a fact. On a humorous note, my co-worker who just moved here from Italy goes on and on about how much he loves the US postal system. He says "It just works, I mail the package and it gets there, it just works" as he has a total look of shock on his face. My parents grew up in Italy, and much of our immediate family is still there, and they ALL lament the Italian postal system. They seem to have the attitude that there's a 50/50 chance it will arrive. So that's the only reason I asked. I thought the experience in Paris was great, more than great, the post office was open when they said it would be open, the clerks were friendly and helpful, and the package arrived in a timely manner, albeit in shreads but that could have happened in the US. I'm sure thats indidicative of the French postal system as a whole. So no offense was intended, just one jaded user of the Italian postal system!

PS* I should note that the above grievance does not apply to the Vatican post office, but then again that's technically not Italy!

tuscanlifeedit, thanks for the good post. I completely understand the need for information. These boards work great for that and I have benefited enormously from the information I've received from fodorites over the years. I also try to give back when I'm able.

It just seems to me that on occasion some folks on this board are surprised when anything works in France at all! Yes, of course, the French are known for their strikes and it is completely normal to have one's trip inconvenienced by a strike.

Sometimes it just ruffles my feathers when people just assume that things the Americans have mastered, serving food and coffee, providing medical treatment, mailing letters, the French cannot do.

I won't go into the details of the horrible health care situation in the US or the lack of efficiency of the postal system.

I'll just conclude by saying that in general, Americans believe their government will fair them (Reagan famously said government is not the solution but the problem).

Here in France many like to think the government can in fact do a few things right -- like send packages!

GiuliaPiraino,

if you had trouble with the Mexican postal system would you also assume the US postal service was problematic?

I wonder.

If I was NOT from the US, then YES, I would consider all postal systems guilty until proven innocent.

FYI, The US postal system extremely efficient and very inexpensive compared to the rest of the world.

Now if you want to talk about the inefficiency of European washing machines, that's another story.

Sheeez, I'm just joking, don't flame me.

Just so I'm clear are you comparing Italy to Mexico???

Regarding the cost of mailing something back from France:

I've lived here for almost 15 years, and normally send packages back to Canada in padded envelopes or boxes that I prepare myself.

However, since I didn't have a box the right size, I just went down to the post office with my two children's sweaters to talk to them about Coliposte, the post office service which provides and sends the boxes.

Turns out it would be 34.50 Euros to send through Coliposte - versus about 10 to prepare them and send in my own box. The difference in price includes insurance and registering the box so that you can follow it up. (These are air mail 'prioritaire' rates. I don't know that you can send Coliposte other than air mail, but you could send guidebooks and other less essential items by sea mail.)

I decided that my parcels weren't worth the difference in price, and will look harder for something here to wrap them.

So if you are thinking of sending something back, it's probably useful to find a way to wrap them yourself. If you have something valuable, it's cheaper than a courier.

GiuliaPiraino,

No. You compared Italy to France (I guess because they are neighboring countries in Europe).

So....I compared Mexico to the US because they are neighboring countries in North America.

But by your surprise I hope you see how ridiculous both analogies are.