La Poste plans widespread transformation of French post offices

La Poste is planning to transform hundreds of traditional post offices into communal agencies or commercial relay points across France to reduce costs amid declining mail volumes and foot traffic. The SUD-PTT union has announced that 471 post offices are threatened with closure by 2026, a move they criticize as an abandonment of public service in favor of profit.

In the Hauts-de-France region, specifically within the Ternois and Somme sectors, four offices—Anvin, Boubers-sur-Canche, Auxi-le-Château, and Villers-Bocage—are facing potential closure. In Auxi-le-Château, local officials have passed a motion to protest the decision, citing the essential role these offices play for elderly residents and the risk of increasing territorial inequalities.

Nationally, the landscape of postal contact points is shifting. While La Poste maintains approximately 17,000 contact points, only about one-third are traditional post offices, compared to two-thirds in 2008. The remaining points consist of communal agencies and merchant relays.