French Channel Islands Postal History.
Les Iles Chausey.
Chausey has never had a dedicated post office, although a post box has been in place for over a century. Mail to and from the islands is routed via Granville.
Few official marks relate to Chausey. A datestamp was supplied to the semaphore station but only a handful of examples survive: those recorded show use in the period 1906-1939. and can be found both with and without a date plug.
During the First World War the fort on Grand Île housed Austro-German civilian internees. Correspondence from internees as well as soldiers or guards stationed on the main island received a variety of official cachets. Two examples are shown below.
A substantial number of cachets can be found emanating from or relating to Chausey. These include hotel, restaurant, shipping company and general cachets. Many feature on postcards. They are recorded from around 1904 to the present day and make an interesting study in their own right.
Three hotel cachets are shown below. The Hotel Des Iles cachet was in use from 1904 to 1910; that for the Hotel Quinette in 1914 only; and the cachet for the Hotel du Fort was used from 1922 to 1929. These three examples represent only a small selection.
Three hotel cachets are shown below. The Hotel Des Iles cachet was in use from 1904 to 1910; that for the Hotel Quinette in 1914 only; and the cachet for the Hotel du Fort was used from 1922 to 1929. These three examples represent only a small selection.
There are far fewer restaurant cachets. That for the Pierre Moulin was only in use between 1903 and 1904. The cachet for the Le Perchois is known used from 1926 to 1929.
There are fewer still shop cachets. That for the Vve Moulin is only known used in 1926.
Boat and shipping company cachets are available in rather larger numbers. The one shown below for the Iles Chausey was in use between 1912 and the 1920s whilst that for the Mont St Michel was used for a shorter period – 1910 to 1914.
General cachets are known from a later period. That showing ‘Iles Chausey’ was used from 1914 to 1922. The basic ‘Archipel des Iles Chausey’ cachet was used from 1924-1952 and that featuring the ship from 1950 to 1954.
Two Granville franking machine meter marks were in use by the shipping companies operating services to Chausey. That for Vedettes Vertes Granvillaises was employed between 1965 and 1977.
The French Post Office has also used slogan cancellations that refer to Chausey and which were applied at Granville. The slogan showing the crest was in use from 1996 to 2000.
