Back to Basics - Posting a letter or parcel at the post office

Photo above: Musicians playing outside post office in Nyon.   Living in Nyon is delighted to announce that not only does it have a new writer (Francesca Brewer-Krebs) on the team, but it is also introducing a new section to the site for newly arrived expatriates. This section is called "Back to Basics" and will attempt to explain in simple terms some of the basic steps when carrying out everyday tasks here in French speaking Switzerland.  Tasks that are second nature to Swiss citizens but can be confusing for  newly arrived expats and for those not yet familiar with French words and phrases. Fransesca starts off this new section with how to post a leter or parcel at the post office. "If  like me, you haven’t sent out those Christmas cards as you should have two weeks ago, (and perhaps the reason lies in the fact that you simply don’t want to embarrass yourself bumbling over an English-to-French dictionary as you hold up a line full of fluent French speakers), do not worry.  I’m here to tell you the basic steps and phrases you’ll need to know in order to communicate to the post-master and get those Christmas cards and gifts off to their proper destinations ".  Step 1:  Take cash.  Swiss post offices don’t accept checks or credit cards, which is a major and often surprising difference from the American postal system. Step 2:  There are several different classes of mail, which determine how fast your mail will be sent and how much it will cost to send.  You should determine the class you’d like your card or package to be sent in before you get to the window.  Find what you’re looking for on the Swiss Post website located here: Step 3:  Now comes the scary part:  the post-master’s window.  Good manners will get you far if your French is lacking.  Always give the post-master a kind, “Bonjour, Madame/Monsieur,” before you start.   a) To send a letter, slide your envelope through the window opening, the post-master will check the destination address of your letter, and ask you how you would like the letter to be sent to determine the rate.  Based on which class you’ve chosen, you will reply accordingly: "Je voudrais" "I would like" fill in the blank (Lettre Prioritéeor Lettre Économie for international; Courrier A, Courrier B, or Expresse for domestic) s'il vous plaît, Madame/Monsieur. b) To send a parcel, place your package through the window opening on the counter.  The post-master will hand you a small green card that you must fill out indicating what the general contents inside the package are (books, chocolate, clothing, et cetera).  It is permissible to fill this card out in English.  Sign and date at the bottom where it says “Signature/Date” and hand the card back to the post-master.  The post-master will check the destination of your parcel, weigh the package, and ask you which class you’d like to send the package in to determine the rate.  You will reply accordingly:  Je voudrais fill in the blank (Internationale Économie or Internationale Prioritéfor international parcels; Priorité, Économie, or Encombrant Économie for domestic parcels) s'il vous plaît, Madame/Monsieur.  The post-master may or may not ask you if you’d like to utilise their Track & Trace option, which for an additional fee will allow you to track the status of your package to its destination electronically. If they forget to mention it and you’re interested you can say:  Madame/Monsieur, je voudrais acheter le Track et Trace pour ce colis, s'il vous plaît.  (Madame/Monsier, I would like to buy Track & Trace for this package, please). Step 4: The post-master will tell you how much you owe, and you will hand him your cash through the window.  Always remember to thank her/him with a polite, “Merci,” and if you’re feeling festive an additional, “Joyeux fêtes!” is always appreciated at this time of year.  Et voila!  Now you know the steps to sending out your Christmas cards and gifts in a Swiss post office.  For any additional information the Swiss Post has a wonderful website that has a fully translated English feature: as well as a virtual interactive post office that will give you a good idea of the many services Swiss post offices offer:    Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Francesca Brewer-Krebs is freelance writer who recently relocated to the Lausanne area in Switzerland from New York City.  She was raised in the coastal town of Rye, New Hampshire and graduated from Miss Porter’s School, a prep school in Farmington, Connecticut, where she developed a strong interest in English and French.  She attended St. Lawrence University, a small liberal-arts college in Canton, New York, and there she focused her studies in British Literature and French Language and Culture.  She is excited for the opportunity to share her experiences as a young expat exploring life in Switzerland.  In addition to writing, her interests include reading, athletics, attending live music events, travel, film, shopping, and spending time with her friends and eight siblings.