How to ensure your packages from France arrive in time for Christmas
The deadlines for delivery to the UK and US vary between different services
Delivery services Chronopost and UPS say they will operate until late on Christmas Eve, however international deliveries depend on a number of factors
Sibuet Benjamin / Shutterstock
People sending packages from France to the UK and US must be aware that delivery companies have different deadlines to ensure they arrive before Christmas. Here is what you need to know.
Christmas Day, which is a bank holiday in many countries, falls on a Wednesday in 2024, meaning that deliveries can generally take place up to Tuesday evening.
Within France, delivery services Chronopost and UPS say they will operate until late on Christmas Eve, however DHL will stop deliveries at 15:00.
However, international deliveries depend on a number of factors.
The increased volume of international parcels sent during the holiday season means that the advertised delivery times may not be accurate, and many delivery services have cut-off points to ensure that they arrive in time.
Read more: Letters: Why do I have to pick up my post from the supermarket in France
Parcels and letters to the UK
As a rule of thumb, parcels to the UK should be sent around 10 days before Christmas day.
DHL Express have not published their cut-off date for international deliveries in 2024, however based on the date in previous years it is likely to be around December 17.
This is also the cut-off point given by Colissimo (La Poste’s parcel subsidiary).
La Poste’s own service – used for sending letters and cards – takes between three and five days to deliver to Great Britain (and four to five for Ireland – it is unsure what the rule is for Northern Ireland).
This would mean December 19 is the cut-off point for letters and cards to arrive in time for Christmas.
Parcels to US and the rest of the world
The US and other Anglophone countries (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, etc), fall under the ‘rest of world’ category for most delivery services, although there are some exceptions.
The delivery deadlines with these services in 2024 are:
Go to your post office for help
If you are unsure of the deadlines – or of the best way to send your package – ask your local post office.
It will advise you on when you need to send the parcel, and which of their own services (La Poste, Colissimo, Chronopost) is best suited to your needs.
Alternatively, consult the websites of other services (like UPS and FedEx). You can typically enter the information about your parcel, along with the recipient address, to see an estimation of the delivery date – they usually tell you if the package will arrive before Christmas.
