French Valentine’s Day Stamps: Heart-Shaped Designs from 1999 to 2026

Since 1999, La Poste, the French postal service, has issued Valentine’s Day stamps every year.

Here is the complete collection of French Valentine’s Day stamps!

French Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Day Stamps

In France, it is said to be customary for men to give women bouquets of roses and enjoy a romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day.

There is no chocolate-giving celebration quite like the one in Japan, but it is still an important occasion.

Since 1999, La Poste has issued Valentine’s Day stamps with heart-shaped perforations every year.

1999 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (La Poste)

This is where the heart-shaped perforations began! Rather than a famous designer’s creation, the first issue was designed by the French postal service itself.

It has a festive feel, almost as if celebrating the millennium that was just around the corner.

The stamps were denominated in French francs that year. (At the time, 3.00 francs was approximately 55 Japanese yen.)

(If you know of any stamps with heart-shaped perforations issued before this one, please let me know!)

2000 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Yann Arthus-Bertrand)

Yann Arthus-Bertrand (born 1946) is a French environmentalist, activist, journalist, and photographer.

The Valentine’s Day stamp features his photograph of the Heart of Voh, near Voh (Vook in the Kanak language), on the western side of Grande Terre in New Caledonia, about 300 km from Nouméa.

The Heart of Voh appeared on the cover of Arthus-Bertrand’s photography book Earth from Above, produced with UNESCO’s support.

Surrounded by mangrove forest, this natural formation has become a symbol of ecosystem conservation.

2001 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Christian Lacroix)

For the new century in 2001, the design came from fashion designer Christian Lacroix (Christian Marie Marc Lacroix, born 1951).

From this year, the issues began appearing as individual stamps and miniature sheets.

2002 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Yves Saint Laurent)

The 2002 design was created by Yves Saint Laurent (1936–2008).

It is a bold, modern design.

Miniature sheets are not always square; this year’s was rectangular.

2003 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Torrente)

The 2003 design came from Torrente.

Torrente is a haute couture house founded in 1969 by Rose Torrente-Mett.
It is not particularly well known in Japan, although its perfumes are said to have many fans.

The sheet is lovely, almost like a single fashion illustration.

2004 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Chanel)

When you think of French fashion designers, Chanel is one of the first names that comes to mind. The brand is also well known in Japan.

Chanel is the fashion house founded by Coco Chanel (1883–1971).

The monochrome palette and decorative motifs are unmistakably Chanel.

2005 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Cacharel)

The 2005 design was created by Cacharel.

This French fashion brand was founded in 1958 by Jean Bousquet.

The pink and mint-green colors and bird illustrations beautifully capture the spirit of Cacharel.

2006 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Jean-Louis Scherrer)

Jean-Louis Scherrer is the fashion house founded by designer Jean-Louis Scherrer (1935–2013).

One of the pleasures of this collection is discovering designers I had never heard of before.

2007 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Givenchy)

The 2007 issue featured Givenchy, another brand well known in Japan.

Givenchy was founded in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy (1927–2018).

The design has an Art Nouveau feel.

2008 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Franck Sorbier)

The 2008 stamps were designed by Franck Sorbier.

Franck Sorbier is a French haute couture designer.

2009 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Emanuel Ungaro)

The 2009 stamps were designed by Emanuel Ungaro.

The fashion house was founded in 1965 by Emanuel Ungaro (1933–2019).

2010 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Lanvin)

The 2010 design came from Lanvin.

Lanvin was founded in Paris in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin (1867–1946).

2011 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Maurizio Galante)

Maurizio Galante (born 1963) is a designer who established a haute couture house in 1985.

The illustrations seem to say, ‘Add your own colors!’

I wonder whether people were actually allowed to color in the stamps…

2012 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Adeline André)

The 2012 stamps were designed by Adeline André.

Adeline André (born 1949) is a French fashion designer.

For the first time in many years, since 2001, there was just one individual stamp design.

The miniature sheet uses an unusual self-adhesive material: once applied, the background becomes transparent.

2013 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Hermès)

The announcement of Hermès stamps in 2013 attracted attention even in Japan.

Hermès was founded in 1837 as a workshop making harnesses and saddles.

A silk scarf featuring the same pattern as the miniature sheet was also sold.

2014 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Baccarat)

The 2014 stamps were designed by the crystal brand Baccarat.

This historic brand began in 1764, when King Louis XV authorized the establishment of a glassworks in the village of Baccarat in Lorraine, France.

Fine gold lines on a white background create an exceptionally elegant design.

2015 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Castelbajac)

The 2015 stamps featured a design by Castelbajac.

2016 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Courrèges)

The 2016 stamps were designed by Courrèges.

André Courrèges (1923–2016) was a French fashion designer.

These charming stamps use bright, fluorescent colors.

2017 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Balmain)

The 2017 stamps were designed by Balmain.

Balmain is a fashion house founded in 1945 by Pierre Balmain (1914–1982).

The design conveys the distinctive attention to detail of a fashion house.

2018 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Sonia Rykiel)

The 2018 stamps were designed by Sonia Rykiel.

The fashion house was founded in 1968 by Sonia Rykiel (1930–2016).
Because the stamps were issued two years after her death, they seem to honor her creative achievements.

The bold stripes that Sonia Rykiel loved make a striking impression.

2019 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Boucheron)

The 2019 stamps were designed by Boucheron.

Boucheron is a jewelry house founded in 1858.

Gold on a white background gives the design a luxurious look.

2020 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Guerlain)

The 2020 stamps were designed by Guerlain.

Founded in 1828, Guerlain is a perfume and cosmetics house.

The miniature sheet is slightly wider than usual.

2021 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Chanel No. 5)

Chanel returned for a second time, following its appearance in 2004.

The issue also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the creation of the perfume Chanel No. 5.

2022 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Saint-Louis)

The 2022 stamps were designed by Saint-Louis.

Saint-Louis is a crystal glass manufacturer whose workshop received royal authorization in 1767 under Louis XV.

2023 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (agnès b.)

The 2023 stamps were designed by agnès b.

agnès b. (born 1941) is a fashion designer whose work has been popular in Japan for many years.

The design is simple, yet the heart appears almost three-dimensional.

2024 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Lancôme)

The 2024 stamps were designed by luxury cosmetics brand Lancôme.

Hearts and roses are the motifs, and the rose pattern is embossed.

‘La Vie Est Belle’ means ‘Life Is Beautiful.’

2025 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Pierre Hermé Paris)

The 2025 issue featured the French pastry brand Pierre Hermé Paris.

Pierre Hermé (born November 20, 1961) is a French pastry chef and chocolatier.

Often called the ‘Picasso of Pastry,’ he operates the pâtisserie brand Pierre Hermé Paris under his own name.

2026 — French Valentine’s Day Stamps (Fragonard)

Fragonard is a historic perfume house based in Grasse, on the French Riviera.

It was founded in 1926 by Eugène Fuchs, a former Parisian notary.

As you might expect from a perfume brand, these stamps are scented.

French Valentine’s Day Stamp List

French Valentine’s Day Stamps: Final Thoughts

What did you think of France’s Valentine’s Day stamps?

Since Christian Lacroix’s design in 2001, many of France’s leading brands, particularly fashion houses, have contributed designs to the series.

In 2025, a pastry brand joined the series for the first time.

I imagine being chosen to design the annual Valentine’s Day stamp must be a great honor.

Each designer expresses their brand’s identity in a distinctive way. Just looking at the stamps is a pleasure!

I’ll keep updating this collection every year, so please look forward to the next issue!

Shop French Valentine\’s Day stamps at Postio Marche