La Poste Snapshot
France's La Poste might have roots as a "poste aux chevaux" (pony express), but it is galloping into the future. The company delivers letters throughout France via a network of about 17,000 postal outlets, some 5,000 of which are managed by partners. Its ColiPoste unit handles parcel delivery in France, and sister unit GeoPost offers international express letter and parcel delivery through Chronopost International and express freight transport through TAT Express. La Poste offers financial services (savings accounts and other products) through its Banque Postale subsidiary. In March 2010 La Poste, formerly a state-run enterprise, became a public limited company and gained a new shareholder, Caisse des Dépôts.
