Retired French butcher takes Chronopost to court over year-long missing parcel

A retired butcher in eastern France is taking legal action against Chronopost, part of La Poste group, after a parcel he sent to his daughter has been missing for over a year. 

Georges Chevallard from the Loire department sent his daughter a parcel containing homemade foie gras on December 11, 2024, using La Poste’s Chronopost service. 

He paid €36 for the express delivery option, which guaranteed next-day delivery of the parcel for his daughter in Amiens, around 560km from the commune of Saint-Denis-de-Cabanne (Loire) where he lives.

The parcel reached Amiens, but then according to the tracking system senders use for express deliveries, seemed to vanish, and the parcel did not arrive.

Mr Chevallard called Chronopost after the latest guaranteed arrival time, who acknowledged the issue but took no further action. 

He sent a registered letter, but again received no response. 

Court case final option 

“A simple letter of apology would have sufficed. But I haven't received any reply. And I can't stand this contempt,” he said to local media Le Progrès.

Before his decision to take Chronopost to court, he followed procedure and contacted the postal mediator in an attempt to resolve the issue, but Chronopost did not engage.

Chronopost will be absent from the court proceedings and will not send a representative.

The court can only declare that the parcel was not delivered, but cannot rule on what the parcel contained, which comes as a disappointment to the retired butcher. 

“I feel hurt and humiliated by this situation, where a citizen is ultimately powerless against these large, all-powerful companies, even before the law,” he said. 

The issue “is not about the money, but the principle,” for the butcher. 

For the settlement, Mr Chevallard is seeking a refund of the €36 shipping costs, plus “whatever amount [Chronopost] deems appropriate for the damages,” which he says he will donate to charity. 

Mr Chevallard says he will use Colissimo, another part of La Poste, in the future.

What to do if your parcel is lost?

In the event of registered letters or parcels not arriving at their destination, senders should contact La Poste to request a refund. 

Depending on the level of ‘récommendation’ bought alongside the service, insurance for the parcel is offered up to a certain value. 

Our recent ‘Reader Question’ on a similar issue explains the process, noting that compensation rules can vary with other international and private operators.

If there are issues with claiming your refund in France – especially from La Poste or an affiliate – you should contact the postal ombudsman for assistance, and only when this fails should legal action be an option. 

Read our article on how to contact the ombudsman here.