COVER N. 743 - FRANCE

Postmark: 99e Congrès de la FFAP Hôtel de Soubise 1er Jour  La Poste  Paris 11.06.2026

Posted on the 11th June;  Received on the 25th June 2026

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Fitting that, thanks to Eric,  I post another French FDC on the blog, on Bastille Day. Un grand Merci, Eric. Joyeux quatorze juillet!

The Fédération Française des Associations Philatéliques (French Federation of the Philatelic Associations) was established on the 5th of June 1922, in Paris, then adopting the name of Fédération des Sociétés Philatéliques Françaises (Federation of the French Philatelic Societies).

As stated on its official website, "The FFAP aims at federating the associations of philatelists and collectors, ensuring their connection with their partners, and managing associative philately"

"The FFAP federates almost 600 philatelic associations organised into 20 regional groupings and a specialised philatelic associations grouping (the GAPS), for a total of approximately 25.000 members".

The 99th Congress of the Fédération Française des Associations Philatéliques took place between 10 -  14 June 2026, in paralell with the Paris Philex 2026 expo, and the celebration of the Centenary of the FIP - Fédération Internationale de Philatelie, established in 1926, in Paris.

The sessions were held at the Hôtel de Soubise, a monumental baroque palace also located in Paris, dating from the 18th century, which today houses the Musée des Archives Nationales (French National Archives Museum).

On the occasion, La Poste issued, on 11.06.2026, a 1,52 stamp with a se-tenant vignette, celebrating the Congress and the centenary of the FFAF.

The stamp is illustrated with a beautiful in-taglio multicolour rendition of the Palace, while the vignette carries the legend " 99e Congrès de la Fédération Française des Associations Philatéliques" and the logos of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie and of the centenary celebrations.

The First day Postmark, issued at Paris, features a rendition of what I would think could be a detail of one of the stucco ornamentations of the palace's lavish  rococo rooms.