- Price
- from €11.95incl. VAT, 2 pages included
- Delivery time
- 2 to 3 business daysusually, after handover to the post
- Proof
- Recipient's signature+ tracking and proof of posting
- Handed to the post
- Upload by 12:00Central European Time on a business day, posted the same day
- Counts as
- Domestic registered mailprinted and posted in France
Do you have to resign by registered letter?
No. You can resign in writing or orally, and the employer cannot refuse. Your intention to leave only has to be clear and unambiguous.
A dated letter avoids arguments about when notice started. A plain lettre recommandée is enough: La Poste tracking dates the first delivery attempt. With an address in France, the LRAR adds the signed avis de réception. Your collective agreement may ask for a letter.
| Lettre recommandée | LRAR (with avis de réception) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Tracking, proof of posting and delivery against the recipient's signature | The same, plus the avis de réception: a card signed and dated by the recipient |
| Recipient signs | Yes | Yes |
| Handed to the post | Same working day if uploaded by 12:00 Central European time | Next working day at the latest |
| Delivery time | 2 to 3 business days | 2 to 3 business days |
| Who can send it | Any sender, wherever you live | Senders with an address in France |
| Good for | Cancellations, formal notices, claims, resignations | Letters where French law asks for LRAR, such as a tenant's notice |
| Price | €11.95 | €13.95 |
When does your notice start?
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Registered letter | On La Poste's first delivery attempt, even if the employer collects it later |
| Hand delivery against a discharge | On the day you hand it over |
| Oral resignation | On the day you say it, hard to prove |
| Length of notice | Set by the collective agreement, then the contract, then local custom |
| Waiver | Possible with the employer's agreement; if the employer asks, it pays the notice |
How do you send it, step by step?
- Write the resignationJob title, notice, last day, leaving documents.
- Upload the PDFPut the recipient's address in the window area.
- We print it in FranceLa Poste delivers it against a signature.
- Keep the proofThe tracking number and proof PDF date the posting and the delivery.
Sample resignation letter in French
Check the notice length in your collective agreement before you write the last day.
[Prénom Nom]
[Adresse]
[Raison sociale de l'employeur]
[Adresse]
[Ville], le [date]
Objet : démission
Madame, Monsieur,
Je vous informe de ma démission du poste de [poste] que j'occupe depuis le [date].
Mon préavis de [durée], prévu par [la convention collective / mon contrat], commence à la réception de cette lettre. Mon dernier jour de travail sera donc le [date]. [ou : Je vous demande de me dispenser de tout ou partie de ce préavis.]
Je vous remercie de me remettre à mon départ mon certificat de travail, mon reçu pour solde de tout compte et mon attestation France Travail.
Veuillez agréer, Madame, Monsieur, mes salutations distinguées.
[Signature]
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to send my French resignation by registered mail?
No, no form is required. Registered mail or hand delivery against a discharge is advised, to prove when notice started.
When does notice start when I resign?
On the first delivery attempt of the registered letter, or on the day of hand delivery.
Can I resign by email in France?
The law does not forbid it, but email proves receipt poorly. Your collective agreement may also ask for a letter.
Can my employer refuse my resignation?
No. A clear and unambiguous resignation binds the employer.
Can I take my resignation back?
Only with the employer's agreement, once it is clear. Read it again before you send it.
Does the registered letter prove what was in the envelope?
No. La Poste proves the posting and the delivery, not the text. Keep the PDF you sent: your proof of posting identifies that exact file.