On Thursday, the city of Nice inaugurated the modernization of the Nice Thiers post office. Four months of work have restored charm to a building that certainly didn’t lack any. Speaking of charm, to properly celebrate the occasion, La Poste unveiled the new stamp from its Phil@poste series in a sneak preview. As Nice embarks on major renovations, even the public service is keeping pace.
It’s as if this post office, already classified as “20th Century Heritage” and inaugurated on December 7, 1931, has dressed up for a grand occasion. A decision was made to give it a new lease of life, after having seen countless love letters and missives, both pleasant and unpleasant, still receiving a lot even today. It is, in fact, the first post office in Nice and the 10th nationwide; it’s safe to say it is no novice and has witnessed the evolution of this public service.
Every day, except Sunday, it receives 1,200 clients and will continue to do so in its new form, aptly named: “Customer Service Space,” and the name says it all. La Poste is banking on the new arrangements of its post offices to convey its values of “service commitment.” In practical terms, the office now spans 850 square meters with 30 postal workers ready to meet all your needs in a “welcoming, quick, and convenient” manner. You will find: an automated area, a self-service section, a consultation area with La Banque Postale, banking counters, and lastly, islands signifying closeness with the customer.
According to La Poste, this new mode of operation means that “85% of customers are served in less than five minutes.” Furthermore, for vulnerable and mobility-impaired customers, specific access has now been implemented. It is clear that this modernization is a logical continuation of the PNRQAD (National Program for the Renovation of Old Degraded Neighborhoods) already launched in the city center.
For Christian Estrosi, MP-mayor of Nice, this new post office is part of what he calls “the reconquest project.” He refers to himself as a “retiree of La Poste” due to his two-year term as Minister in charge of industry, economy, and employment, and he emphasizes that it is an “offer of exceptional services in exceptional heritage.”
A stamp featuring the work of Jaume Plensa at Place Masséna honors this new post office but also the charms of the city of Nice. The stamp takes the name of these statues: “Conversation in Nice” will be on pre-sale on September 14 and 15 at the Nice Thiers post office and will be distributed throughout the La Poste network from September 17.
