OK, one thing I have not got to grips with here is buying stamps in France. I buy bulk stamps for single sheets of paper, but how can I buy stamps for sending birthday cards or maybe 2 or 3 sheets of paper etc? What weight do I ask for? I am fed up keep queuing at our post office for just odd letters. I do not have scales for this type of thing, but feel I could buy a batch of stamps if I know what to ask for

Our post office has a self service area where it is all automised, you put the letter or parcel onto the scales, select whether it is to be sent priorité or EU or international or whatever, put the money or a bank card in the slot, and it prints out a sticker to stick on and bob's your uncle. You don't usually have to queue.

Aww, that sounds a bit more city/town like? We are in the country, all antiquated here, unless I am missing something?

You can find your nearest office with an automated machine here -
http://www.laposte.fr/Particulier/Ut...ureau-de-poste

just tick the 'borne libre service' box

For cost of stamps, you can download the tariff sheet here

http://www.laposte.fr/Particulier/Co...arifs-Courrier

A typical card or letter with a few sheets would normally be covered by the 50g tariff.

Thanks TinaBee, that is what I need, so will get some 50g stamps. It is the avoiding the post office I need, as it is sooooo long winded. I assume I just ask for stamps up to 50g, or do they have a name?

And if your pigeon post is anything like ours here, you can rely on those homing pigeons to do a pretty fine job of message delivery, and not restricted to 35hrs/week like La Poste.
Pity the envelopes tend to get soiled though.........

We have just set up a redirection which starts on Monday, however for a week the Post Office locally seems to of saved up all our mail, and caught me at the new house today with a weeks worth of mail. When moving house, plodding throught that lot takes time I can tell you!!
Also, a "signed for" arrived at our new address yesterday, but the address was the old address, and the new redirection isn't due to start yet??
It seems that the postladies seem to know each other, and god knows where our mail ends up?

It is at the sorting office's discretion as to how they forward and in what quantities if you have have remained in the same area as I recall you said in your second post you were moving a mile or so then you have friendly helpful postal workers. Redirections are computerised you can set them up at any post office in France for any address as long as you have the relevant ID for any of the names being diverted.

You simply ask for "x timbres à 50g". Stamps for the UK (or elsewhere in Europe) are "timbres pour l'Europe".
In any case, if they realise you're not French, the counter-clerks will check to make sure they're giving you the correct stamps. Don't be offended, they're being helpful!!
Our nearest P.O. gives you a printout of the latest tariffs if you ask.

Thank you DMU. Are there different weights with UK postage too?

yes, but I never send anything heavier than a card in an envelope, and I've no idea how much.
The above link will give the various tariffs, otherwise ask for a printout at the P.O., and get yourself some low-value stamps when you buy your carnets and "Europe" ones, to make up the extra.

If you fancy it you can do it all from the comfort of your own home and design your own stamps to boot !

http://www.laposte.com/Already-livin...-Stamps-Online

Hi you can also order stamps in advance through plil@post which office is in Dordogne which I do and have enough for three months. YOu can choose the stamps you want and get them by mail.
http://timbres.laposte.fr/af/laposte...%20engagements

Will the French Post Office accept UK stamps on an SAE I am sending to France to have something sent back, or do I need to get hold of some French stamps?

Errr, no they won't.

La Poste aren't going to handle items that they haven't been paid to handle, are they.
It would be like sticking a letter in a UK postbox with a French stamp on it. Why would Royal Mail handle it when you haven't paid Royal Mail the postage? It would be like posting it with no stamp on it at all.