Always focused on details of the designs of new commemorative LISA issues for philatelic events, sometimes we forget or overlook the changes or variations in the definitive issues, which are probably less of an interest to some collectors. However, these issues, usually with the same design over many years and used extensively for the franking of everyday correspondence, are effectively the origin and give significance to the issues we call ‘commemorative’.
In France, all La Poste post offices have one or more ‘automates’, self-service postal kiosks where customers can – and must! – frank all types of letters and parcels, including registered mail. These kiosks issue vignettes d’affranchissement or vignettes LISA, variable value stamps printed on labels with the current definitive design.
After more than 20 years of continuous use, with dozens of reprints on different types of paper, La Poste finally decided, in mid-2022, to change the design of the definitive vignettes LISA with a new paper and an extremely simple design, showing only the LA POSTE logo and ‘REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE’ (see article, published in VARIABLE 66, and image below left).
Two years on we have a new definitive issue with the same design, but with a new La Poste logo in the top lefthand corner (see final section). This new design is easily recognisable as the ‘oiseau postal’, the La Poste logo, which is larger and no longer inside an oval shape (right image).
Like other LISA type issues, the new definitive design is manufactured in rolls of thermal self-adhesive labels, each of a size of 80 x 30 mm. The imprint is by offset, although with only one phosphor security band.
And also like the previous design, produced for postal and not philatelic use, there is no ‘official’ first day of issue with the new design rolls replacing existing ones as they run out. In fact, most of the La Poste staff in charge of these machines have not even noticed the change in the design of the rolls. Stamps are known to have been issued with this design at the end of December 2024, although it is very likely that they have been in use for weeks or months before.
Below you can see stamps with the new definitive design and the 2025 postage rates; for domestic mail or ‘LETTRE VERTE’, international mail ‘LETTRE INTERNATIONALE’, the label or ‘Sticker suivi’ which allows tracking for domestic mail, and a stamp for domestic registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt ‘LETTRE RECOMMANDÉE R1 AR’ issued with the minimum programmed value.
The evolution of La Poste logo
Since 1960, the logo of the French postal administration has been based on the same design, the ‘oiseau postal’. This arrow-shaped ‘postal bird’ designed by Guy Georget symbolises the speed of the courier, the postal company, delivering messages. Over the years, there has been a succession of logo variations always on this design.
The latest version of the La Poste logo was created in 2022 and came into use in mid-2023. This new logo, more in keeping with the digital age, includes only two elements in the same colour; the brand sign, the ‘oiseau postal’, and ‘LA POSTE’. The bird has finally been ‘released’ from its oval shaped cage, restoring pride and power to the brand!
(English edition rewritten by J. Gareze – May 2025)
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