Practice Makes Perfect

département) in which the person resides.

13004 Marseille 

69002 Lyon

France France

In France’s overseas departments and territories, the first three digits identify the town or city.

97100 Basse-Terre

Guadeloupe

When writing to Québec, Canada, remember that the first language of the province is 

French; try to follow the rule of the comma after the street number. Also be sure to indicate Qué

-

bec in parentheses after the town/city and then the zip code.

99, avenue Jacques Cartier

Montréal (Québec) H1X 1X1

285-646_EM_Heminway.indd   426

5/29/18   9:29 AM

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Written French: Making transitions and written correspondence 

427

In addition, a person’s title is usually omitted in English, but not in French. Titles may be 

abbreviated on an envelope as follows. But do not use abbreviations in the body of the letter itself.

Docteur/Dr 

Doctor/Dr.

Maître/Me 

Esquire/Esq.

Madame/Mme 

Madam/Mrs.

Mesdames/Mmes

Mademoiselle/Mlle 

Miss/Miss

Mesdemoiselles/Mlles

Monsieur/M. 

Mister/Mr.

Messieurs/MM.

Professeur/Pr 

Professor/Prof.

 

Compare the following formats:

ENGLISH 

FRENCH FRENCH

Paul Smith 

Monsieur Jules Lemand 

M. Jules Lemand

215 Riverside Road 

19, rue du Roethig 

19, rue Roethig

Colorado Springs, CO 80918 

67 000 Strasbourg 

67 000 Strasbourg

When writing to a person who lives with a relative or rents a room in another person’s home, 

add a line after the person’s name to whom you are writing. This will be followed by the name and 

address of the home’s owner.

Mlle Michelle Verban

Chez Mme Aubin

12, rue du Maréchal Foch

5660 Liège

Belgique

When writing to a company rather than a specific person, write the company’s name on the 

first line, then the specific department and/or the name of the person (if applicable) on the second 

line, the street address on the third line, the zip code followed by the city on the fourth line, and 

the country on the fifth line. See the following example:

Société Générale

Section Assurances (Insurance Department)/Mlle Butin

29, boulevard Haussmann

75009 Paris

France