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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
'''Postal codes''' were introduced in [[France]] in [[1972]], when ''[[La Poste]]'' introduced [[Optical character recognition|automated sorting]].
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2009}}
 
'''Postal codes''' were introduced in [[France]] in [[1972]]1964, when ''[[La Poste (France)|La Poste]]'' introduced [[Optical character recognition|automated sorting]]. They were updated to use the current 5 digit system in 1972.
==Format==
The [[postal code]] (in [[French language|French]], ''code postal'') consists of five digits, the first two digits being the number of the ''[[département]]'' in [[metropolitan France]] where the post office in charge of delivery to a town is located. The system is also used outside [[Europe]], in the [[Département d'outre mer|Overseas Departments]] and [[Territoire d'outre-mer|Territories]], but it is the first two digits that identify the ''département'' or territory. The digits '''00''' are used for [[Military of France|Military]] addresses. The digits ''20'' are use for [[Corsica]], in which the département numbers are 2A and 2B.
 
France uses five-digit numeric postal codes, the first two digits representing the [[Departments of France|département]] in which the city is located. The [[Departments of France#Maps and tables|département numbers]] were assigned alphabetically between 1860 and 1870, but later changes (such as renaming and splitting of départements) mean that the list is no longer in strictly alphabetical order. The system extends to [[French overseas departments and territories]], and also includes [[Monaco]]. Note that postcodes in both départements of [[Corsica]] commence with the "20" historically assigned to Corsica before it was split into two départements, which are now numbered 2A and 2B.
The next three numbers identify the local postal office in charge of mail delivery. A regular postcode always ends with a '''0''', with the notable exception of Paris, Lyon and Marseille - see below - and the Overseas Départements and Territories. Postcodes not ending with a 0 may indicate a special code, known as CEDEX (see below), or newest postcodes.
 
The last three digits identify a more precise ___location, 000 being in general reserved for the ''[[Prefectures in France|préfecture]]''. However, in [[Paris]], [[Lyon]] and [[Marseille]], the last two digits indicate the ''[[Municipal arrondissements of France|arrondissement]]''. For example, 80000 corresponds to [[Amiens]], which is the ''préfecture'' of the [[Somme (department)|Somme]] or département 80, while 69008 corresponds to the 8th arrondissement of [[Lyon]].
In [[Paris]], the last two digits of the postal code indicate the ''[[arrondissement in France|arrondissement]]''. Prior to 1972, an address in the eighth ''arrondissement'' in Paris, would be written as:
 
==Format==
8 rue Chambiges
[[File:2 digit postcode france.png|thumb|Two-digit postcode areas of metropolitan France (defined through the first two postcode digits)]]
Paris 8<sup>e</sup>
The [[postal code]] (in [[French language{{Langx|fr|French]], ''code postal''}}) consists of five digits,. In [[metropolitan France]] the first two digits beingare the number of the ''[[département]]'' in [[metropolitan France]] where the post office in charge of delivery to a town is located. TheThere systemare some places where this is alsodifferent usedfrom outsidethe [[Europe]],department inwhere the place is located. In the [[Département d'outre mer|Overseas Departments]] and [[Territoire d'outre-mer|Territories]], but it is the first twothree digits that identify the ''département'' or territory. The digits '''00''' are used for [[Military of France|Military]] addresses. The digits ''20'' are useused for all of [[Corsica]],; inthe whichsplit of the départementisland numbersinto aretwo 2Adépartements andwas not followed by a change in the postal 2Bcodes.
 
The next three numbersdigits identify the local postal office in charge of mail delivery. A regular postcode always ends with a '''0''', with the notable exception of Paris, Lyon and Marseille - see below - and the Overseas Départements and Territories. Postcodes not ending with a 0 may indicate a special code, known as CEDEX (see below), or newest postcodes.
This number was incorporated into the postal code as:
 
When spoken, the department number is pronounced separately. For example, the postal code of [[Schiltigheim]] (67300) would be pronounced as ''soixante-sept, trois cents'' (67, 300).
8 rue Chambiges
750'''08''' Paris
 
In Paris, [[ParisLyon]] and [[Marseille]], the last two digits of the postal code indicate the ''[[arrondissementMunicipal inarrondissements of France|municipal arrondissement]]''. Prior to 1972, an address in the eighth ''municipal arrondissement'' inof Paris, would be written as:
An exception to this rule is the [[XVIe arrondissement|XVI<sup>e</sup> arrondissement]], which has two postal codes, 75016 (south) and 75116 (north).
 
:8 rue Chambiges
Outside of Paris, the cities of [[Lyon]] and [[Marseille]] are also divided into [[Municipal arrondissement in France|arrondissements]], which are part of the postal code:
:Paris 8<sup>e</sup>
 
This number was incorporated into the postal code as:
11 rue Duhamel
69002 Lyon
 
:8 rue Chambiges
2 avenue du Maréchal Foch
:750'''08''' Paris
13004 Marseille
 
An exception to this rule is theThe [[XVIe16th arrondissement|XVI<sup>e</sup> arrondissementof Paris]], which has two postal codes, 75016 (south) and 75116 (north).
In each [[département]], the ''[[préfecture]]'' (main city) has a postal code ending with ''000'', for example [[Bourges]] in [[Cher]]:
 
In each [[département]], the ''[[préfecture]]'' (main city) has a postal code ending with ''000'', for example [[Bourges]] in [[Cher]]:
15 avenue du Général Leclerc
18000 Bourges
 
:15 avenue du Général Leclerc
The more important the city, the simpler the postal code. The ''sous-préfectures'' are generally recognized by using a '''XXX00''' postcode. Here is for example the postal code of a small village, [[Lépaud]] in [[Creuse]]:
:18000 Bourges
 
The more important the city, the simpler the postal code. The ''sous-préfectures'' are generally recognized by using a '''XXX00''' postcode (but a few additional '''XXX00''' postcodes may also be allocated in the most populated ''préfectures'' to subdivide them into several postal distribution areas, '''XX000''' being still used for the most central post office of the city). Here is for example the postal code of a small village, [[Lépaud]] in [[Creuse]]:
16 grande rue
 
23170 Lépaud
:16 grande rue
:23170 Lépaud
 
Another example with [[Pouillé-les-Côteaux]] in [[Loire-Atlantique]]:
 
:17 rue de la Cour
:44522 Pouillé-les-Côteaux
 
And the postal code of Mortagne-au-Perche, ''sous-préfecture'' of the Département de l'[[Orne]]:
 
:4 rue des Quinze Fusillés
:61400 Mortagne-au-Perche
 
It is not rare that many adjacent villages share the same postal code, which is primarily associated with a bigger post office, e.Gg.: 64150 can correspond to Abidos, Bésingrand, Lagor, Lahourcade, Mourenx, Noguère, Os Marsillon, Pardies, Sauvelade and Vielleségure. It may happen that a village is associated with a bigger post office in another département, thus its postcode begins with the two digits of another département. For example, [[Le Fresne-sur-Loire]], in [[Loire-Atlantique]], uses 49123, while its postcode should normally start with 44, because it is associated with the post office of [[Ingrandes, Maine-et-Loire|Ingrandes]], a neighbouring commune in [[Maine-et-Loire]].
 
Overseas Départements and Territories use 23-digit codes starting with : 971 ([[Guadeloupe]]), 972 ([[Martinique]]), 973 ([[French Guiana]]), 974 ([[Réunion]]), 975 ([[Saint-Pierre and Miquelon]]), 976 ([[Mayotte]]), 984 ([[French Southern and Antarctic Lands|French Southern Territories]]), 986 ([[Wallis and Futuna]]), 987 ([[French Polynesia]]), 988 ([[New Caledonia]]). In thisMarch case,2008 theLa lastPoste zeroproposed isallotting dropped so as977 to keep[[Saint theBarthélemy]] 5-digitand format.978 Thisto is[[Saint whyMartin the(France)|Saint regularMartin]] postcodesdue forto thesetheir don'tnew endstatus with 0 except for theas [[préfecture]]Overseas orcollectivity|overseas [[sous-préfecturecollectivities]],.<ref>{{cite fornews example :
|first = Cécile
|last = Lucot
|title = General Director of Post Office visits Saint Barth
|url = http://www.st-barths.com/editorials/cecil-lucot/08_03_12.html
|publisher=Local News from St-Barths by Cecile Lucot
|date = 12 March 2008
|access-date =20 March 2008
|quote = It looks as if the new codes will begin with 97-7 for St Barth and 97-8 for St Martin. The post office is not yet sure and will make a definitive decision next July.
}}</ref> In this case, the last zero is dropped so as to keep the 5-digit format. This is why the regular postcodes for these do not end with 0 except for the [[préfecture]] or [[sous-préfecture]], for example:
 
:Maison du Port
:97100 Basse-Terre
 
:4 boulevard du Général de Gaulle
:97320 Saint-Laurent du Maroni
 
:193 RN2
:97439 Sainte-Rose
 
==CEDEX==
There is also a system known as CEDEX, ''{{lang|fr|Courrier d'Entreprise à Distribution EXceptionnelle}} ('business mail with special delivery'), designed for recipients of large volumes of mail. A postal code is allocated to each large organisation or to post office box holders, ending in three unique digits, for example:
 
: {{lang|fr|12 rue de Broquedis|italic=no}}
2 place Jussieu
: {{lang|fr|64205 Biarritz CEDEX|italic=no}}
75251 Paris Cedex 05
 
CEDEX should always be written in capitals. It may be followed by a number, if the town has more than one post office, or if it is split into {{lang|fr|arrondissements}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.laposte.fr/sna/article.php3?id_article=763 |title=SNA – En savoir plus sur le CEDEX |publisher=La Poste |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061130093631/http://www.laposte.fr/sna/article.php3?id_article=763 |archive-date=2006-11-30}}</ref>
The '05' is for the [[Ve arrondissement|V<sup>e</sup> arrondissement]]. Ordinary deliveries would be addressed to:
 
Ordinary deliveries would be addressed to:
2 place Jussieu
75005 Paris
 
: {{lang|fr|12 rue de Broquedis|italic=no}}
It is also acceptable to include a ''boîte postale'' (post office box) number as well as the street address in CEDEX addresses.
: {{lang|fr|64200 Biarritz|italic=no}}
 
It is also acceptable to include a ''{{lang|fr|boîte postale''}} ('post office box') number (abbreviated as {{lang|fr|BP ''nnnn''|italic=unset}}) as well as the street address in CEDEX addresses.
 
==Monaco==
 
Although an independent country, [[Monaco]] is part of the French postal code system as if it were a French department, numbered, with codes consisting of 980 and two digits, with 00 being used for deliveries to all physical addresses in the Principality, and 01 to 99 being used for special types of delivery.<ref>[http://www.upu.int/fileadmin/documentsFiles/activities/addressingUnit/mcoEn.pdf Monaco], [[Universal Postal Union]]</ref> However the destination country on inbound mail must be specified as "Monaco", not "France".
The French postal code system is also used in [[Monaco]], where the postal code is prefixed with 'MC', not with 'F' for France:
 
:12 avenue de la Costa
MC-:98000 Monaco
:MONACO
 
:23 Avenueavenue Prince Héréditaire Albert
MC-:98025 Monaco Cedex CEDEX
:MONACO
 
==See also==
*[[DépartementDepartments inof France]]
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
==External links==
* [http://www.france-codepostallaposte.fr/ensna/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=59 Les FindCodes aPostaux Frenchet postcodeCEDEX]
* [https://github.com/zauberware/postal-codes-json-xml-csv French Postal Codes in JSON, XML and CSV format]
*[http://www.green-acres.com/visitor_postal_code_fr.htm Find a postal code in France]
 
[[Category:Communications{{Europe in Francetopic|Postal codes]] in|UK_only=yes}}
[[Category:France-related lists]]
[[Category:Lists of postal codes|France]]
 
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