COVER N.176 - FRANCE

Postmark: Philatelie - 39 DOLE - 04.11.2022  
Posted on the 4th November, received on the 8th November 2022
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Nothing better than a surprise to start the day, so Many Thanks Eric for the unexpected cover that landed today in my letterbox!

Stamps, Left to right:

- If a dog is said to be man's best friend, guide dogs have to be even more than this. I cannot fail to be truly impressed to see the way users of guide dogs trust their animal's judgment for such common day activities  as crossing streets full of traffic or getting onto a bus,  that I really don't know how I would do if nature hadn't been so kind to me, allowing me to go about my own business without any sensorial challenge.

Labrador retrievers are said to be the best dogs for the task, even though a plethora of other races can do it, provided they receive the necessary training. I, not being a dog expert (not being an expert in anything, for that matter...) am going to believe that the dog seen guiding someone in the illustration that graces the Lettre Verte (up to 20g domestic)  stamp issued on 26SEP2022 dedicated to these unsung heroes is one such puppy. 

Besides the image of the guide and the guided, there is also an imprint of the dog's footprint, which I believe is a logo for a funding campaign, since I found it also in the pages of the "Fédération Française des Associations de Chiens guides d'aveugles FFAC" next ot the legend "Ils nous soutiennent" - They support us.

- Manga... I have to confess my ignorance about a genre that is really not my cup of tea. a quick check of La Poste website, so as to enlighten myself  regarding the character highlighted on  this quite recent Letre Verte stamp issued  on 10OCT2022, didn't provide much, but I at least learned that Naruto, the character, is an aspiring Ninja and the stamp issue aims at celebrating  20 years of the manga series in France, (episodes 1 to 220) with over 20 million copies sold since 2002....

Of note is the fact that La Poste organised some sort of game or raffle running on facebook and twitter with pretty good cash prizes, associated with this stamp.

The stamps are cancelled with the postmark of the Bureau Philatelique de Dole, the birthpalce of Louis Pasteur, Éric tells me. It is quite uncommon and truly special because it comprises the portrait of Pasteur and the coat of arms of the city... nice!

Unfortunately, the cover suffers from over cancellation, and on top of  the lovely manual postmark, it also shows a  rather unnecessary machine cancellation.