COVER N. 690 - FRANCE

Postmark: Cinéma Eden Théâtre 13-La Ciotat Les Lumières de L'Eden, Premier Jour  La Poste 13.02.2026

Posted on the 13th January;  Received on the 20th February 2026

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Le Cinéma..... The moving image, the moving photographs that moved people into theatres so that they could get moved at watching simple factual "snapshots" (or, should I say, "snapmovies")  of day to day life such as  the workers coming out of the factory or the arrival of a train at the train station...

Although not being the first ever made films,  these two cinematographic landmarks,  carefully captured  on their "Cinématographe" contraption by the Lyonese Lumière Brothers would go down in history as probably the most famous of  the  early examples of "movies", since they would also be among the first to be screened in front of an audience.

The immediate success of films meant that suitable auditoriums had to be found for their screening and one such case was the Eden Théâtre of La Ciotat, France.

Inaugurated on 15 June 1889, it would, 10 years later, on 21 March 1899, host  the first paying public  screening of films from the Lumière catalogue, with the above mentioned “Arrivé d’un Train à La Ciotat“ on the session programme.

Today, Eden Thèâtre, which become the property of the Municipality of La Ciotat in 1992,  is still opened to film loving audiences, what makes it the oldest cinema in operation in the world.

On 13FEB2026, La Poste issued the 1,52 € stamp on the cover, celebrating this historic landmark of cinematographic relevance.

And Eric and his sister Annabelle, à qui je dirige mon plus grande et sincere Merci, were overkind and generous in sending me not only the lovely FDC but also the beautiful Carte Postale with the image of the Eden's Façade. 

The stamp bears a head-on view of the Theatre and Cinema buildings, the latter as far as I can make it from the images I consulted on Google earth occupying the South wing of the building.

Unfortunately, the Post Office chose again to add a totally unnecessary and absolutely defacing mechanical cancellation on the stamps. I really have trouble understanding why philatelic mail cannot be treated with the respect it deserves by the postal service. Same happens is Spain, very often...

The Postcard that Annabelle so kindly included bears the illustration of the monumental façade with its pediment showcasing what I believe is the city's coat of arms, a detail which was also used in the design of the celebratory postmark.