Cover from France no. 15

Here's a beautiful cover from 2009 (postmarked on 18 April in Lyon) that I forgot to show at that time, with the complete French souvenir sheet with two lovely engraved stamps, issued as part of the "Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers" project in 2009. Thank you, Eric, also for the careful cancellation!

Cover from France no. 14

A lovely cover from France with a set of four selfadhesive stamps, taken from one of two booklets issued in 2010, showing typical regional dishes... Merci, Eric!!

Postcard from France no. 7

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A lovely postcard received in October 2010 showing a view of Scandola Nature Reserve in Corsica, France, part of the UNESCO WHS: the Gulf of Porto - Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve. Scandola is famous for red cliffs, some 900 metres high, sand beaches, and practically inaccessible grottoes.

The stamp of 0.58 euro, issued on 8 September 2010, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Alliance Israélite Universelle, a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 by the French statesman Adolphe Crémieux to safeguard the human rights of Jews around the world (as Wikipedia says).

Thank you, Marie!!

Cover from France no. 13

A beautiful airmail cover sent by Daniel from Mende, department of Lozere (48) in southern France. The 0.58 euro stamp showing the facade of the Opera Garnier is taken from a miniature sheet of 4 stamps dedicated to Paris, in the annual series European Capitals, this one issued on 8 November 2010. For example, here is another, which was dedicated to Prague in 2008.

Besides a set of fantastic used stamps, Daniel included also his own postal card with the stamp showing the aqueduct of Arcueil - Cachan in the department of Val-de-Marne (94), with the first day of issue postmarks dated 24 September 2010.

Merci beaucoup, Daniel!!

Cover no. 12 from France

A really interesting cover received on Friday from the region of Ile de France with a pretty stamp issued on 29 May 2008. The stamp is supposed to be sent to inform of the birth of a baby, and, after scratching part of its surface, it is revealed if it is a boy or a girl... Here I show the stamp before the scratching, and after... and in this case "c'est un garcon" - "it's a boy":)

There is of course also the girl version. Merci beaucoup Anais!

Postcard from France no. 6

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A lovely view of the cathedral Saint Etienne in Metz, capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department (57), and a beautiful 0.58 euro stamp with Morpho menelaus, taken from a miniature sheet with four butterfly stamps issued in France on 6 September 2010. Merci, Marie:)

EUROPA 2010 cover from France

A great cover received today from Paris! The brand new EUROPA stamp, the first day cancellation and an airmail cover... what a treat! Thank you, Jerome!!!

Postcard from France no. 5

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A beutiful, almost impressionistic postcard received from France, showing a view of the town of Auvers sur Oise, in the department of Val-d'Oise, not far from Paris, associated with several famous artists, the most prominent being Vincent van Gogh who committed suicide there and found his resting place.

The 0.90 euro stamp (issued on 26 October 2009) is also related to art, since it shows a picture by Jean-Jacques WALTZ, known as HANSI, born in Colmar, Alsace in 1873, famous for his ironic pictures and caricatures. I've visited few galleries in France, but coincidentally one of them, in Riquewihr near Colmar, was dedicated to Hansi, who really caught my attention then.

Unfortunately, this stamp has not been cancelled. I don't know what happens but now almost a third of my incoming mail from all over the world lacks any postal marks...

Thank you, Sylvain!

Vacances cover from France

A letter sent on 15 May 2009 from Caen in Calvados department, featuring 3 red self-adhesive stamps taken from a "Vacances" booklet issued on 14 May 2009. I think that the rooster, door knocker and poppy should evoke holiday moods. They are pretty. All use domestic rate for light letters: lettre prioritaire 20g. There is also a brown Marianne of 5 eurocent to complement the postage. Thank you Sophie!

Cover from Salon Philatelique d'Automne, France

Received today a great cover sent from the 63rd Salon Philatelique d'Automne, held in Paris from 5 to 8 November 2009. Thank you, Eric, you made my day, also with the great postcard!!!

There are two commemorative ATM stamps accompanied by two refined postmarks made especially for that occasion. All of them are explained in this Eric's post. I will just add that this letter didn't travel directly to the Czech Republic, but made a stop in Bratislava, Slovakia, as can be seen from the third postmark in the middle.

Panoramic stamp from France

Received on 23 September 2009 from Paris, a cover with a long engraved stamp of Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux, designed by the Royal architect Jacques Ange Gabriel as landscape for an equestrian statue of Louis XV. The stamp was issued on 22 June 2009. The letter reached me in just two days and the rest of the postage is covered by the current Mariannes. Thank you, Julien!

Medieval dream of Riquewihr

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Riquewihr, for me the loveliest town I have seen this year in France, hands down. To underline this fact I was happy to find in a side street the Musée de la Communication en Alsace, where, apart from a nice selection of current French stamps on sale, it was possible to get a special hand cancellation with the text "Les Plus Belles Maquettes du Musée" with the date 29 May 2009. I chose the then new engraved stamp dedicated to the 500th anniversary of birth of Jean Calvin (1509-1564), major figure of the Reformation.

Mapcard from France

A mapcard of the westernmost French department of Finistère (29) showing views of the principal places of interest like Brest and the capital (prefecture) Quimper. Of geographic interest is also the great stamp (by Martin Morck) showing the "Palais de papes" in Avignon, the biggest Gothic palace in all of Europe, where several popes and antipopes lived from the early 14th to early 15th centuries. The stamp was issued on 9 March 2009 and has the nominal value of 0.70 euro for sending light mail to EU countries. The card was sent on 4 May 2009 from Le Relecq-Kerhuon in Finistère. Thank you, Michele.

Flowers of the North from France

A lovely new surprise from Eric! One of the 12 sheets showing the flowers of France, taken from the booklet Flore du Nord (issued on 27 April 2009, pre-sale and special cancellation on 25/4, letter actually sent on 28/4). These nicely painted stamps present rose for Picardie and potato (la pomme de terre) for Nord-Pas de Calais, apart from them, there are five other sheets for the North and 6 for the South. The face value is currently 0.56 euro (priority letter within France up to 20 grams). Thank you very much!

Winter greetings from France

Two letters from France using the total of 5 stamps originally issued in one souvenir sheet on 2 February 2009. The sheet was dedicated to the World Alpine Skiing Championship held in Val d'Isere on 2-15/2/2009.

One of the stamps shows a group of relaxing skiers below the name Val d'Isere, the other four show skiers during competition in descente (downhill), super combine (super combined), slalom and slalom géant (giant slalom). Both covers are hand cancelled, one on 13/2/2009, the other on 24/2/2009, both in Lyon.

Thank you, Thomas!

Lighthouses, eurocoin and Fondation de France... from France!

Another great cover from the inimitable Eric from Lyon! Featuring the brand-new Fondation of France stamp with the special cancellation of the day of issue from Lyon (5/2/2009). This foundation, with its goal "to help organisations to realise philanthropic, cultural, scientific and general interest projects", was established on the initiative of General De Gaulle and André Malraux 40 years ago...

And there is more... two lighthouses taken from a sheet of "Le Coin du Collectionneur" series (second installment), issued on 12 November 2007: Cap Frehél lighthouse (northern Brittany) and L'Espiguette lighthouse (Department of Gard)...

... and a euro coin stamp with the map of the EU member countries and a part of the sheet showing an old map of Europe, issued on 1 July 2008, at the very beginning of the French EU Presidency (which has been followed by the current Czech presidency).

Thank you, Eric, for this treat!

Joint-issue from France

Another great letter from France! Sent on 6 February 2009 from Lyon Bellecour (with a nice postmark) and received 3 days later. The se-tenant stamps issued on 23 June 2008 are a joint project of the French and Brazilian postal administrations and show the French Mer de Glace and the Brazilian Serra do Aracá in the Amazonian Forest. The 85 eurocent on the French part cover postage to Brazil, and the 55 eurocent on the Brazilian part cover postage to France. The Brazilian counterpart was issued two days earlies, with facial values of RS 2 for both stamps.

Thank you very much, Thomas!

Medieval postcard from France

A lovely view of the fiery outer walls of the medieval city of Carcassonne, the capital of the Aude department in southern France. One of the places I visited myself on my travels through this exciting country.

This postcard was sent to me on 17 March 2008 from Montpellier and I received it three days later. In contrast to the solemn beauty of the fortress is the ultramodern TGV train shown speeding on its way from Paris to Zurich or Frankfurt (stamp issued on 11 June 2007). The 1 eurocent yellow Marianne (philapost) is from 2007 (I believe), the two 5 eurocent brown Mariannes (IPTV) were issued in 2005. Thank you, Nancy, for this lovely UNESCO WHS card!