Fedex in France

Fedex is a widely respected worldwide mail delivery organization.  However, I wish to offer a word of caution to users in remote places.

While working in France , I requested documents from America via Fedex overnight delivery.  The documents were time-sensitive and needed immediate attention (it was for University).  After two days of stopping work so I could sit home all day to wait for the parcel to arrive, I called Fedex and was advised that in the remoter parts of France they use a local agent and that the package had attempted to be delivered but because there was no proper address they gave up.

Those of you who have lived in the remoter parts of France are aware that some villages consist of a dozen or so houses and that the full address often does not contain a house name or number.

They assured me the delivery would be the next day, unfortunately it wasn't.  When I called again the agent told me that they probably hadn't even tried a delivery (if they had they would have found a very small village where everyone knows one-another and could have pointed the delivery driver in the right direction).  I even went as far as putting a poster on the door - it wasn't seen as delivery was not attempted.

Fedex had the address and full telephone number yet did not attempt to call and try and arrange an alternative.  In the end I had to call yet again and have the package delivered to the village bar - address: the only bar in the village.

If you are requesting mail from overseas and live in a remote part of France you should consider simply using La Poste - they understand the address system.  If I had done this it would have been a lot simpler, cheaper and it would have arrived in half the time.

BY: Blue