Understanding postal codes
Practical guidance for choosing a code and identifying the right municipality.
Postal code or administrative code?
In France, the INSEE code identifies a municipality; the postal code helps route mail. These identifiers are different even when they have five characters. Match the town, country and delivery address, not just the digits.
Why are there several codes?
A municipality may have several postal codes and one code may serve several municipalities. For Paris, use the delivery address to select the appropriate code. Conversely, a shared code does not make two towns the same municipality.
What about special codes?
CEDEX codes in France are intended for particular recipients or services. Do not replace a standard address code with a CEDEX code unless the recipient supplies it. Our pages distinguish special codes where the source identifies them.
Sending mail abroad
Keep the destination country's postal code and locality format. A ZIP code is the US term, not a universal format. Check the destination postal operator's guidance for country-specific formatting and special territories.
How these profiles are prepared
French municipalities are matched using their name, postal correspondence and coordinates, with an official identifier when available. Population comes from INSEE, local facts from the linked sources. Missing or ambiguous facts are omitted; postal pages remain available. Data is prepared offline, not generated during your visit.