POSTCARD N.132 - FRANCE

Postcard sent on the 12th February; received on the 19th February 2024

Postcard image: "Grande Hermine" reproduction of a stamp from the 2008 set "Military Ships".
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La Grand Hermine, the ship used by French navigator and explorer Jacques Cartier (1491 - 1557) to sail up the St. Lawrence river in the land he would name Canada, and which is thought to be represented in the flag of the remaining French territory in the region: the St. Pierre and Miquelon archipelago.

France's famous ships from the  pre-steamship days were the subject of a souvenir sheet comprising 6 0,55€ stamps, issued by La Poste on 20JUN2008. La Grand Hermine was featured on one of these stamps and the very nice prepaid card I received from Eric reproduces this particular stamp.

The pre-printed stamp on the back of the postcard also replicates a previously issued stamp. This time a charity stamp, issued on 11MAR1946, with a face value of 2 + 3 Francs, illustrated with a military ship, and carrying the legend "Ouevres de la Marine" (Navy Works), which I presume indicates the entity benefitting from the  3F surcharge revenues.

As usual with French mail further to the nice manual postmark, the stamp is  also obliterated with a redundant machine applied cancellation.

Un grand Merci, Eric, pour cette jolie carte!