La Poste Tracking
La Poste tracking follows letters and parcels moving through the national postal operator of France, which processes hundreds of millions of parcels a year across its Colissimo, Chronopost and Lettre Suivie services. Paste the tracking number into the tracker on this page to see the latest status, location and delivery history for a domestic Colissimo parcel or an international shipment ending in FR. The same La Poste tracking number works whether the item was posted at a bureau de poste or generated by an online store at checkout.
La Poste Tracking Number Format
A La Poste tracking number is a 13-character code built on the Universal Postal Union S10 standard: two letters, nine digits and a two-letter country suffix (for example, CP123456789FR). The two-letter suffix FR marks the item as originating in France, and the nine-digit block includes an eight-digit serial plus a Mod-11 check digit that validates the number.
La Poste uses several names for the same reference depending on the service. It may be called a numero de suivi (tracking number), a numero de colis (parcel number) for Colissimo, or a numero de recommande for registered mail. Domestic Colissimo numbers are also 13 characters but often open with a digit-and-letter pattern such as 6A followed by digits rather than the two-letter S10 prefix. Chronopost express numbers keep the 13-character length and typically end in FR as well.
The tracking number is different from the retailer order number. An order confirmation ID from an online store identifies the purchase in the seller's system; the La Poste tracking number is the postal reference that appears once the parcel is registered in La Poste's network, and only the latter returns scans in a tracker.
Where to Find La Poste Tracking Number
The La Poste tracking number is printed close to the barcode on postal paperwork and is repeated in the digital confirmations a sender or retailer generates. It appears in these places:
- On the deposit receipt (preuve de depot) handed over at the post office counter, printed beneath the barcode.
- In the shipping confirmation email or SMS from an online store once the order is dispatched.
- On the parcel label itself, next to the barcode.
- In the La Poste account or the La Poste app when postage was bought online.
For an online purchase the retailer order number is not the same as the postal tracking number, so use the 13-character code that appears next to the words numero de suivi or tracking number. If the parcel was sent to a Pickup point or post office, the collection notice also lists the number.
La Poste Tracking Number Example
La Poste tracking numbers vary by service, but almost all share the 13-character length. The table below lists the formats seen most often and what each one indicates. Only patterns documented by La Poste and the UPU S10 standard are shown; a prefix alone does not always guarantee a specific service, so treat the prefix column as a common pattern rather than a strict rule.
Format / Pattern | Typical Length | Example | What It Indicates |
|---|---|---|---|
Digit + letter + digits (e.g. 6A + 11 chars) | 13 characters | 6A12345678901 | Domestic Colissimo parcel within France |
2 letters + 9 digits + FR | 13 characters | CP123456789FR | International Colissimo or cross-border parcel from France (UPU S10) |
LZ / LA + 9 digits + FR | 13 characters | LZ123456789FR | Lettre Suivie or tracked letter posted in France |
RA / RB / 1A + 9 digits + FR | 13 characters | RA123456789FR | Lettre Recommandee (registered mail) with signature on delivery |
XX + 9 digits + FR | 13 characters | XX123456789FR | Chronopost express parcel or document |
Items arriving from abroad occasionally carry a slightly longer reference of up to 15 characters, which is still a valid inbound tracking number. The FR suffix stays fixed for the whole journey, so an international number keeps working after the parcel leaves the French network.
La Poste Tracking Status Guide
La Poste updates a parcel's status each time it is scanned, and the wording follows the item from acceptance through to delivery. The table below explains the statuses seen most often and what each one means for the shipment.
Status | Description |
|---|---|
Shipping information received | La Poste has the electronic details of the item but has not yet physically scanned it. The label exists and the network is waiting for the parcel. |
Taken in charge (pris en charge) | La Poste has physically collected the item and started processing it in the network. This is one of the first scans after drop-off. |
In transit | The item is moving between points in the sorting and transport network, progressing toward its destination. |
Being sorted at a facility | The parcel has reached a sorting platform where automated systems route it to the next stage based on its destination. |
Ready to leave the country of origin | For an international shipment, French exit formalities are complete and the item will move to the destination country. |
Arrived in destination country | The item has crossed the border and now moves through the destination postal operator's network. |
At the distribution office | The parcel has reached the local facility serving the recipient's address and will be delivered on the next round. |
Out for delivery | The item is loaded on the delivery vehicle and the round is underway, so delivery is expected the same day. |
Available for pickup | The item is waiting at a post office, Pickup point or locker, usually held for around 14 days before return. |
Delivery attempt failed | The carrier tried to deliver but no one was available; a notice is left and the item is redirected to a collection point. |
Held in customs | An international item is waiting for customs clearance, and duties or taxes may be due before it can continue. |
Delivered | The item reached the recipient or the chosen pickup location. Signature services record who accepted it. |
Returned to sender | After failed attempts, an incomplete address or an unclaimed parcel, the item is sent back to the sender. |
Why La Poste Tracking Is Not Updating or Not Working
La Poste tracking usually pauses for a normal, temporary reason rather than a lost parcel, and most gaps clear within a day or two. The stages below explain why a number may show no movement or return no information.
Awaiting the first scan: a label created online is registered in the system before the parcel is physically handed over, so the number can read "shipping information received" with no location for 24 to 48 hours until La Poste takes the item in charge.
In transit between sorting centers: a parcel can travel a long leg between two platforms without an intermediate scan, so the tracking looks frozen even though the item is moving. Movement resumes at the next sorting event.
Customs clearance: on international routes the item can sit at "held in customs" while duties are assessed, which adds one to five days and produces no new scan until the parcel is released.
Handoff to a foreign carrier: for outbound international parcels, La Poste stops scanning once the item leaves France and the destination operator may not add its first scan for a day or two, leaving a visible gap in the middle of the journey.
Failed delivery attempt: if no one was available, the parcel is redirected to a post office or Pickup point and the status changes to available for pickup rather than continuing to move.
Wrong number or missing detail: a single mistyped character stops the number resolving, and an order confirmation ID from a store is not a postal tracking number. Confirm the 13-character code shown next to numero de suivi.
Genuinely delayed: if there is no movement for several business days beyond the expected window, the sender should be contacted first because only the sender can open an investigation with La Poste, using the tracking number and the deposit receipt.
Services and Delivery Times Compared
La Poste runs a full range of letter, parcel and express services, and tracking is included on every parcel and tracked-letter product. Its express parcels are handled by its subsidiary Chronopost, while La Poste Groupe also owns the French parcel network DPD France through its GeoPost division. The table below summarizes the main services.
Service | Delivery Time | Tracking | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
Colissimo France | 2 business days (48 hours) | Yes | Parcels within mainland France, Monaco and Andorra |
Colissimo International | 3-15 business days by zone | Yes | Parcels to and from over 230 destinations |
Lettre Suivie | 2-4 business days | Yes (no signature) | Tracked letters and small documents |
Lettre Recommandee (registered) | 2-4 business days | Yes (with signature) | Important or legal documents needing proof |
Chronopost (express, France) | Next business day, often before 1 pm | Yes | Urgent parcels and documents |
Lettre Verte (green letter) | 3 business days | No | Everyday letters within France |
Delivery and Transit Times by Destination
Domestic Colissimo aims to deliver within 48 business hours across all of mainland France, with distribution six days a week from Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays. Deposit before the daily cut-off matters: a parcel handed in on Friday is typically delivered the following Tuesday because Sundays and holidays are not counted.
International timelines vary by zone. For the European Union, expect roughly 3 to 5 business days, with Germany, Belgium, Spain and Italy among the best-served destinations, often under a week. For North America, Asia and Oceania, timelines extend to about 6 to 12 business days depending on air-transport capacity and customs. Chronopost express reaches most of Europe in 1 to 2 business days and the rest of the world in about 3 to 7 business days.
La Poste also serves French overseas territories on longer standard and economy timelines: Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion and Mayotte in roughly 5 to 7 days, and more distant collectivities such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia over longer connections. Public holidays, peak retail seasons and customs checks can add several days to any estimate.
Returns, Lost Parcels and Claims
Only the sender can file a La Poste complaint, because the sender holds the contract and the deposit receipt. A recipient of a lost or damaged parcel from an online purchase must ask the seller to take steps, and the seller then refunds or reships according to its policy.
Claim deadlines are set by regulation. A Colissimo parcel is treated as lost when tracking has not updated for at least six business days without delivery, and a loss claim can be filed for up to 70 calendar days after deposit. A damage claim is much tighter and must be filed within three calendar days of delivery, so contents should be checked immediately and photographed if damaged.
Colissimo includes basic insurance on every shipment, with fixed compensation by weight, and paid options (R1, R2 or Ad Valorem cover) can insure higher-value contents. Claims are filed through the Service client section of laposte.fr, by phone on 3631, or by post, and La Poste has up to two months to respond before the case can go to the La Poste Groupe mediator.
Which Countries Does La Poste Deliver To?
La Poste international tracking covers more than 230 countries and territories, and Colissimo ships over 14 million parcels a year to roughly 235 destinations worldwide. Domestically, La Poste reaches every one of France's roughly 36,000 municipalities, from major cities such as Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Bordeaux to the most isolated rural communes, plus Monaco and Andorra inside the distribution area.
Internationally, La Poste relies on Universal Postal Union agreements: a parcel is carried to the border and handed to the destination country's postal operator, which handles final delivery and continues the scans. A shipment to the United States is delivered by USPS, a parcel to Germany by Deutsche Post, and an item to Japan by Japan Post. Because the FR tracking number stays the same, the parcel can be followed across both networks in one place.
- Domestic: all of mainland France, Monaco and Andorra, plus overseas territories including Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
- Europe: Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU.
- North America: United States, Canada.
- MENA and Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and other regularly served markets.
- Asia Pacific: China, Japan, Australia and other long-haul destinations.
Cross-Border Customs and International Handoff
For shipments inside the European Union, customs formalities are minimal because goods move freely in the single market, so most EU parcels travel without a customs declaration except for regulated items such as alcohol, tobacco and medicines. This is why EU destinations are the fastest and least likely to stall.
For destinations outside the EU, a CN23 customs declaration is mandatory and a commercial or pro forma invoice is recommended. The declaration states the contents, value and origin, and destination customs use it to assess duties and taxes. Import duties are the recipient's responsibility in most cases, and La Poste does not clear customs on the recipient's behalf, so a parcel can pause at "held in customs" until charges are paid. Customs checks typically add one to five days, and restricted goods such as food, plants, medicines and some electronics may be delayed or refused.
Marketplace Collaborations
La Poste, mainly through Colissimo and Chronopost, is the default delivery choice for much of French e-commerce, and most large stores add the tracking number to the order confirmation automatically. French shoppers frequently receive Colissimo parcels from Amazon orders routed through La Poste, from second-hand purchases on Vinted, and from home-grown platforms such as Cdiscount and Fnac.
Cross-border parcels from China-based marketplaces such as AliExpress, Temu and Shein commonly enter France through the postal network and complete their last mile as Colissimo, which is why an order placed abroad can end up with a French tracking number ending in FR. For these orders the retailer order ID and the postal tracking number are different references, and only the postal number returns delivery scans. Home delivery, post-office pickup, Pickup relay collection and prepaid return labels are the standard options across these marketplaces.
What Is La Poste?
La Poste is the public postal operator of France, created in 1991 when the former PTT administration was split into La Poste for mail and France Telecom (now Orange) for telecommunications. It operates today as La Poste Groupe, a state-owned group spanning mail, parcels, the La Banque Postale bank and digital services, and it is the second-largest parcel provider in Europe.
La Poste runs a network of more than 17,000 access points across France, including post offices, Pickup relay retailers and automated lockers, and operates 18 industrial parcel-sorting platforms. Its parcel arm Colissimo launched in 1989 as the first French service to guarantee delivery timelines, and it now processes more than 500 million parcels a year. The express brand Chronopost, launched in the mid-1980s, and the GeoPost-owned DPD France network complete the group's delivery portfolio. Whichever La Poste service or tracking number an item uses, its 13-character reference can be followed with the tracker on this page.
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