France Express tracking

Express transport in France since 1971

The company France Express was founded in 1971 in Brittany, born from the initiative of the company Sotrab (a Breton transport company) associated with SFTC. Originally, the concept of France Express was based on an innovative twice-daily delivery service: in the summer of 1970, a client in the automotive sector requested to be delivered parts twice a day, which led Sotrab to set up a new twice-daily delivery service in the garages of Ille-et-Vilaine. Building on the success of this pilot project, France Express was officially launched in March 1971 as a joint venture equally owned by Sotrab and SFTC, in order to develop a national express transport network.

During the 1970s, the France Express network expanded rapidly. By 1973, it covered 50 French departments, then 69 departments in 1976. The France Express brand was deployed via a system of local franchises: partner carriers in each new area operated under the common brand (for example, 22 Express for Côtes-d'Armor or 35 Express for Ille-et-Vilaine), which facilitated rapid growth by combining local presence and national network. The expansion continued and, in 1982, France Express managed to serve the entire metropolitan territory, with at least one agency established in each department. Meanwhile, in 1977, the Calberson group (future Geodis) entered the capital by acquiring SFTC, thus marking the integration of France Express into the orbit of Geodis.

In March 1982, France Express changed its legal status to become an Economic Interest Group (GIE). This model allows multiple regional carriers to unite within a single cooperative structure, sharing resources and expertise while maintaining decentralized management. The GIE France Express, whose governance is ensured by a management committee from the member companies, was renewed in 2021 for a period of 15 years. Over the decades, France Express has continuously modernized its infrastructure (for example, the inauguration of a mechanized sorting center in Corbas in 2009) and expanded its service offerings, consolidating its position among the leaders in express transport in France.

Relations with the DPD group

Despite some misconceptions, France Express is not a subsidiary of the DPD group (GeoPost/La Poste) but actually belongs to the Geodis group, the logistics branch of SNCF. Therefore, there is no structural integration between France Express and DPD. DPD (formerly Dynamic Parcel Distribution) is a competing network specializing in the delivery of parcels under 30 kg and is part of the postal group La Poste via its subsidiary GeoPost. For its part, France Express operates independently under the aegis of Geodis, with a historically focused positioning on express shipments for professionals.

This distinction does not prevent some service similarities in the French express parcel market: DPD France (resulting from the acquisition of Exapaq) has oriented itself towards delivery to businesses and individuals with options such as delivery to relay points or predictive delivery, while France Express focuses on a tailored B2B approach, including handling bulky parcels and pallets. In practice, there is no direct pooling of networks between DPD and France Express; each entity has its own infrastructure and agencies. However, France Express can collaborate with various international partners (including potentially actors from the DPD network or other global carriers) to transport its parcels outside France. In summary, France Express and DPD coexist in the express delivery market in France, but remain attached to two distinct groups and are not integrated with each other. Note that the similarity in name between "Geodis" and "GeoPost" (parent company of DPDgroup) can be confusing, but they are indeed two organizations without capital links.

Main transport and logistics services

France Express offers a wide range of transport and logistics services to meet the varied needs of its professional clientele (and, to some extent, individuals via its partners). Its core business revolves around express freight transport, with two main segments: parcel delivery and palletized freight delivery. In addition, there are specialized offers tailored to specific sectors and the rise of online commerce. The company thus handles several million parcels and pallets each year on behalf of companies in various sectors (from automotive to healthcare to e-commerce).

• Parcel delivery: France Express ensures the pickup and rapid distribution of parcels of all sizes throughout the territory. This service is aimed at single or bulk shipments, with time options ranging from standard delivery (generally within one to two business days) to express shipping in a few hours for urgent parcels.
• Pallet transport (freight): The network also handles heavier and bulkier shipments, in the form of pallets or batches of goods. This palletized messaging service is particularly suitable for industries and wholesalers, ensuring rigorous tracking of pallets from pickup to final delivery.
• Solutions for e-commerce: Aware of the demands of electronic commerce, France Express offers services adapted for online sales sites. This includes fast deliveries to end customers, the possibility for recipients to schedule their reception (via the delivery on appointment option) and proactive information to the final customer on the status of their parcel. E-commerce professionals can also integrate France Express services into their systems (via APIs or software modules) to automate the printing of shipping labels and order tracking. In addition, France Express provides simplified handling of customer returns, allowing e-merchants to efficiently manage merchandise returns if necessary.
• Specific shipments: With the support of the Geodis group, France Express is able to handle special shipments requiring dedicated expertise. For example, the network has solutions for dangerous goods (secure ADR transport), sensitive products (medical equipment, temperature-controlled products), valuables, or even the transport of live animals in compliance with regulations. These specialized services complement the standard offer and demonstrate France Express's ability to adapt to the most demanding requests.

The range of services offered by France Express allows it to adapt to both occasional emergencies and regular shipments, while ensuring a high level of service quality (reliability of deadlines, traceability, and security of shipments).

National and international distribution network

The strength of France Express lies in its dense and integrated territorial network. Today, the structure has 110 agencies spread across metropolitan France (including Corsica), allowing it to ensure comprehensive national coverage. From the early 1980s, France Express had succeeded in being present in every French department, an unprecedented achievement in the express sector. Thanks to this fine territorial network, the network can carry out efficient daily connections between all regions: about 2,500 routes are organized each day between agencies, supported by 11 main sorting centers where sorting and inter-regional connections are carried out at night. This efficient logistics system guarantees optimized deadlines, for example by allowing morning pickups followed by afternoon deliveries in the same department (hence the historic slogan La France 2 fois par jour).

Beyond French borders, France Express relies on the Geodis group network as well as specialized partnerships to offer international delivery services. Connections exist with neighboring countries (Benelux, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, etc.), where platforms connected to the France Express network allow parcels to be shipped to or from these neighboring markets. For more distant shipments (extended Europe and the rest of the world), France Express integrates its services into global offers, entrusting parcels to trusted partner carriers or Geodis international subsidiaries. With the Geodis group having a global logistics network, France Express can thus offer its clients delivery to most international destinations, relying on reliable correspondents in each country. Thus, a client can ship via France Express not only throughout the French territory but also to a multitude of destinations abroad, with continuous tracking and logistics management ensured from start to finish.

Real-time shipment tracking tools

France Express provides its clients with modern tools for real-time shipment tracking. The tracking of a parcel can be done directly online: each shipped parcel is associated with a unique tracking number, which the sender can consult via the professional web portal of France Express (client area) and which the recipient can also enter on a dedicated space to know the status of their shipment. These tracking platforms provide updated information at each stage of the journey. Tracking consultation is possible at any time, including from a smartphone or tablet, offering great responsiveness to both senders and recipients.

• Sender portal: via the secure online interface, sender clients can manage all their shipments. They have access to the status of each parcel, the detailed history of all events, and can intervene if necessary (for example, request a delivery modification or initiate a return). They also have access to delivery proofs (recipient's signature, delivery time) once the distribution is completed.
• Recipient space: France Express offers recipients a specific web portal where, thanks to the communicated tracking number, they can track the progress of their parcel. In case of an impediment (absence during the delivery attempt), the recipient has the possibility via this space to reschedule a delivery at a later date or choose an alternative delivery location (such as a neighbor or a concierge), ensuring increased flexibility.
• "Info desti" service: this system proactively informs the recipient of the scheduled date and time slot for delivery. Notifications (SMS or email) are sent to warn of the imminent arrival of the parcel. As the journey progresses, the recipient is kept informed of each status change. If they are absent at the scheduled time, they can use Info desti to directly indicate their preferences for the next steps (new appointment or specific delivery instructions).
• "Info direct" service: intended for senders, this tool allows real-time action on the shipment in progress. For example, if a problem arises during the delivery phase (recipient unreachable, incomplete address), the sender can, via the platform, provide new instructions immediately (choose a new delivery date, correct an address) to minimize delay or avoid a delivery failure.
• "Info network" service: this is an information monitoring system on the state of the France Express transport network. Senders can consult online any ongoing disruptions (weather conditions, major road incidents, blockages) that may affect delivery times in certain regions. Informed in real-time of these hazards, clients can anticipate and adapt their logistics if necessary.

Format and use of the tracking number

The France Express tracking number is a unique identifier assigned to each shipment, which allows the parcel to be tracked throughout its journey. This number generally consists of 10 alphanumeric characters (a combination of letters and numbers). It is communicated to the sender and recipient when the parcel is picked up (for example, on the shipping label or in the confirmation notice). By entering this tracking code on the France Express website or in the designated online space, one instantly obtains the associated tracking information (statuses, location, movement history). This standardized tracking format ensures complete traceability of the shipment from pickup to delivery.

Customized delivery options

In addition to standard offers, France Express has developed several specific delivery services to meet particular speed or time slot requirements. These complementary solutions allow clients to be offered options tailored to both emergencies and planned delivery needs.

• Same-day delivery) "2 X Jour" service: this emblematic service of France Express guarantees express delivery on the same day at the local level. Specifically, a parcel picked up in the morning is delivered in the afternoon in the same department. This twice-daily rhythm (two rounds per day) is made possible by the presence of agencies in each department and by an optimized organization of local rounds.
• Urgent inter-regional delivery ("Transexpress" service: for shipments that need to be transported from one region to another on the same day, France Express offers "Transexpress". This solution allows, for example, a parcel to be picked up in the morning at a sender's site and delivered by evening in a neighboring department or another region thanks to coordination between network agencies.
• Guaranteed next morning delivery) "J+1 before 1 pm" service: this is an express offer that ensures the shipment of the parcel the day after its dispatch, with delivery made before 1 pm throughout France. This service, highly appreciated by companies requiring high responsiveness, covers the entire national territory and allows recipients to receive their shipment at the beginning of the next day.
• Delivery before opening ("LAO" service (Delivery Before Opening): this premium service is intended for professional deliveries that must be made early in the morning, before the recipient's activities start. Typically used in the automotive sectors (delivery of spare parts before garages open) or industrial sectors, LAO relies on night distribution circuits so that the parcel is delivered at dawn. A delivery proof is transmitted in real-time to the sender and the recipient is immediately informed by notification.
• Delivery by appointment) "On Demand" service: specially designed for distribution to individuals (for example, for e-commerce), the On Demand service allows the recipient to choose a personalized delivery time slot. The final customer, informed of the shipment of their parcel, can interact to schedule the day and time slot that suits them best (including the possibility of a Saturday morning delivery). This flexibility improves the delivery experience and reduces the risk of missed deliveries.
• Dedicated express courier - "Top Course" service: for ultra-urgent needs that cannot be covered by regular rounds, France Express offers a dedicated courier solution. The request is processed in less than 30 minutes and the transport is carried out point-to-point without detour, allowing the destination to be reached in record time (sometimes in just one to two hours in urban areas). This type of tailor-made service is intended for critical shipments that require immediate and confidential handling (legal documents, essential parts for a production line, etc.).

Interpretation of tracking statuses

When a parcel transits via the France Express network, its online tracking displays a series of successive statuses reflecting each stage of the journey. Below are the main tracking statuses used by France Express, along with their meaning: