La Poste in France Launches the Croissant au Beurre Stamp that Smells Like a Croissant

Certain smells instantly transport you to France, and the smell of a buttery, freshly baked croissant is one of them. One whiff and you could be sitting at a café in Paris with a café au lait, watching the world go by. It’s so quintessentially French.

Nowhere else in the world do buttery croissants quite like they do in France, and it seems La Poste agrees. The French post office has just released a very special, limited edition stamp to pay homage to one of the country’s most famous food products. Not only does it feature a picture of a croissant, but when scratched, it releases that wonderful smell we all know and love.

The big question is, how can you get your hands on one of these stamps, and why on earth is this even a thing?

Why a Croissant au Beurre Stamp?

Only in France would you release a stamp that smells like a croissant. It reminds me of the erasers we used to have at school, each with a different smell. From strawberries and lemons to ones that were shaped like a Coca-Cola bottle and smelled like Coke as well. I loved them and had a whole collection, but the stamps take it to a whole other level.

But why? What is the point? Well, according to the La Poste website, it is an homage to “the French people’s favorite pastry… and French gastronomy.”  

The Croissant au Beurre stamp officially launched on October 8, 2025, to coincide with the national competition for the Best Butter Croissant in France. Designed by Frédérique Vernillet, it’s printed with a special ink that contains tiny scent capsules. When you rub the surface, those capsules break and release the smell of a freshly baked croissant. 

Only 594,000 of these stamps have been produced, which makes them highly collectible. They’re sold in major post offices across the country at 2.10€, and online through La Poste’s shop, and can be used to mail internationally. You’ll need to be quick, though, as they’re popular and stamp collectors from around the world will be hunting them down fast.

One post office sold 400 on the first day out of their allocated 1,000 stamps. But this isn’t the first time La Poste has added a sensory twist to its designs. In 2024, they released a baguette-scented stamp to mark Saint-Honoré Day, dedicated to the patron saint of bakers. 

The Competition for the Best Butter Croissant in France

The stamp was released to coincide with a very special competition: the search for the best butter croissant in France. As you can imagine, it’s quite an honor. The competition, now in its sixth year, was held 7–8 October 2025 at Livron-sur-Drôme (in the Drôme department), and it’s all taken very seriously.

It’s officially organized by the Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, the country’s main professional body for bakers and pastry chefs, and it draws some of the most talented boulangers from every corner of France. And make no mistake, this is not a quaint local bake-off. It’s a national showdown that celebrates the very best in technique, tradition, and craftsmanship.

Nineteen finalists were chosen to compete, each representing their region after winning local and regional qualifying rounds. They arrived ready to prove that their croissant was the finest in the country. The level of skill is extraordinary, and the expectations are sky-high. It’s about demonstrating mastery of a craft that lies at the heart of French culinary culture.

Each competitor was required to prepare thirty butter croissants from scratch under strict conditions. The dough had to be laminated with pure butter, shaped by hand, and baked to perfection. Even the smallest details mattered. 

Each croissant had to weigh precisely 60 grams after baking, with a margin of error of just 5 grams either way. Too heavy or too light, and points were deducted. Presentation was another crucial factor. The croissants needed to be uniform in size and shape, with a flawless golden color and an even, delicate layering of pastry. It’s making my mouth water just writing this.

The judging panel, composed of seasoned master bakers and industry professionals, used a detailed scoring system to evaluate each entry. Points were awarded across several categories, including technique (covering hygiene, respect for the steps of lamination, and fermentation), appearance (regularity, symmetry, and surface color), texture (how crisp the exterior was and how airy the interior crumb felt), aroma and flavor (richness of butter, depth of taste, and freshness), and overall consistency. The process is meticulous, and the judges often spend hours examining, tasting, and debating before arriving at a final decision.

After two days of fierce competition, the title of Best Butter Croissant in France 2025 went to Lilian Pensuet of La Petite Catalane bakery in the Occitanie region. In second place was Samuel Dejonghe from Hauts-de-France, and third place went to Dylan Da Silva of Des Racines et du Pain bakery in Clamart, just outside Paris. 

All three winners received national recognition from the Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, which often leads to a huge boost in their careers. Winning or even placing in the top three can transform a bakery’s reputation overnight, drawing new customers and media attention from across the country.

It’s a validation of years of training and a mark of excellence that few in the profession achieve. Many past winners have gone on to become leading figures in the French baking world, teaching future generations, opening new boulangeries, or even serving as judges in later competitions. 

In the world of French pastry, earning the title of Best Butter Croissant is as prestigious as it gets.

From the Boulangerie to the Post Box

La Poste chose to unveil the Croissant au Beurre stamp during the national competition to make the most of the buzz surrounding France’s most fiercely contested baking event.

With journalists, food writers, and industry experts all focused on Livron-sur-Drôme for the two-day competition, the launch immediately captured public attention and ensured the stamp was part of the wider conversation about French gastronomy.

Post offices near the regions where finalists came from, especially in the Drôme, were among the first to receive stock, linking the success of the country’s best croissant makers with the excitement of the stamp release. It’s a tribute not just to the croissant itself but to the people who dedicate their lives to perfecting it.