ATM stamps of France : blue... very pale.

I have already spoken of ATM stamps with an exemple found in Brussels. I said that it was surprising for a French to see machine stamps like that : colorfoul, illustrated and different depending on the town and time of year. But, I know it is the case in a lot of countries like you can see on the Gulfmann ATM Collection blog written by a Taiwanese collector. ATM, in English for automated teller machines.

But, in France, at the post office's desk or at the machine, here are the possible results :

Birds and sun obtained at a post office's desk : sort of precancelled stamp.
But the background can be obtained at an ATM machine.

This background : (very) pale blue with (less very) pale yellow paper plane.

These two stamp designs are boring to me : they have been in use for so long... And when you compare them with designs from Hong Kong, Israel, Macau (a beauty), and the best: Spain where designs are illustrated and changed like the usual stamp program.

I admit you can buy illustrated ATM stamps in France : let's see them... if you have the time or the social network to be present at all the philatelic exhibitions they are issued for a short time. And please be patient while waiting in the long line.

My advice for foreign visitors of France, if you go to a post office, precise that you want postage stamps for your mail. Or there may be a pale French machine stamp on it...

Update, 15 March 2007 : a summary of the history of French machine stamps (called there LISA) on the Blog philatélie (in French).