Saint-Martin-d’Abbat, the “mailbox village” which attracts visitors with its boxes decorated by locals

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“Our idea for France is to encourage residents to personalize their mailboxes.” Cristina Dupont is a postwoman in Saint-Martin-d’Abbat (Loiret): “For me, delivering the mail every day is a real joy”she confides. A beehive, a lawn mower, or even a Rubik’s Cube… In the town, it’s impossible to miss it. Having a pretty mailbox is the pride of the inhabitants, and a curiosity that attracts hundreds of visitors each year.

The first to benefit is the postwoman, who has been bringing mail to this small village in the Loiret for four years. And although she knows the tour by heart, she is never safe from a surprise. “It’s really the first time I’ve seen her.”she is surprised, admiring a new red box in the shape of a wheelbarrow. “We give ourselves the right to dream, each mailbox tells a story”points out the postwoman, with a smile on her lips. Because this festival of boxes, each more eccentric than the last, puts her in a good mood in the morning: “It’s gray, rain threatens. But when we arrive in front of the mailbox, we say to ourselves: it’s not that serious”she rejoices.

And it’s been going on for 30 years. The first decorated box was born here, at Nicole Lafeuille’s home, today a member of the association “Le village des boîtes aux lettres”. It was Michel, her now deceased husband, who proposed the idea to the mayor at the time. “Michel told him: ‘Do you want your village to become famous?’“ She promised to bring his project to life with love: “It’s true that without him, it’s much more difficult, because my creative man is no longer there. But we try”she confides.

Since then, hundreds of residents have gotten involved, inspired by their profession, their passion. With Joseph Glabicky, it is a palette, logical for a painter. And it needs a brushstroke: “It was about time, yes, because well, with the bad weather, the frost, the sun […]ça s’abîme”he explains. Claire-Marie Levaillant, new to the village, joined the movement. She was inspired by nature to create her box: “There are all the animals that really live there, whether they are domestic animals, horses, dogs, cats, chickens too”she emphasizes.

A few streets further, we meet Nicolas Daligaux, a recovery champion who had fun with pieces of scrap metal: “I looked at what I had on hand and I cobbled together something with what I found in my garage. Some people tell me it’s designed to scare people into paying bills.”he jokes.

In Saint-Martin-d’Abbat, these slightly crazy boxes have become a trademark. Tourists flock to come see them, it might even give them ideas: “Everyone puts their little paw in”notes a visitor. “That’s a good idea! It had to be done!”is surprised by another. Jean-Michel Regnery leads the ride, and he is never short of stories: “It has always impressed me that there are so many of you and so attentive to listen to the anecdotes, the jokes and then the history of the village”points out the president of the association “The village of mailboxes”.

So, if you too are ready to decorate your box, come visit them first; they will help you find inspiration.