France is overhauling its postal system, dropping its guaranteed overnight delivery stamp, the Timbre Rouge, or Red Stamp in favor of an electronic version.
As of January 1, instead of buying the special stamp to mail the Lettre Rouge, customers will get their urgent letters to the postal service by 8 p.m., either at a station or online, and pay €1.49 for an ‘e-Lettre Rouge.’ La Poste will then electronically transmit the letter to the recipient’s distribution center, where it will be printed and delivered the next day in a special envelope with a red stamp design.
Another electronic service being added is an e-verson of the Lettre Recommendee, or Tracked Letter, used for submitting documents to business and and officials. The service even provides model letters for various circumstances, allowing users to fill in their own details.
