France established Post Offices abroad in order to provide mail services where they were either non existent or had proved to be unsafe or unreliable.  They started appearing in the 19^th century and continued into the 20^th century, being withdrawn between 1910 and 1920.    Usually, they were set up in places where France had some kind of commercial interest.

The Ottoman Empire

The French Post Offices in the Turkish Empire (Ottoman Empire) were post offices run by France in the Ottoman Empire from 1812 to 1923.  Until 1885, the post offices used stamps of France, with values in francs, but after 1885, the French stamps were surcharged in piastres which was the local currency. 

From 1902, the stamps of the Blanc, Mouchon and Merson series were inscribed “LEVANT”, with the lower values in francs and the higher values in piastres.  The 1^st World War forced all of the post offices to close on 13 October 1914.  Only the office in Instanbul re-opened after the war operating only from August 1921 until July 1923.

1885

Stamps of France (Surcharged in figures and words)

SG # 1

Used (Hinged)

 

 

 

 

1902

“Blanc” Series (Inscribed LEVANT)

SG # 11

Used (Hinged)

 

 

 

 

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