While the quantity of letters sent is falling, the number of parcels being mailed is growing due to the rapid spread of online shopping and sites like eBay.
In this context it refers to the card that is sent to reorder a standard quantity of parts as and when they have been used up in the manufacturing process.
Mr Hollande is something of an unknown quantity in Washington, although the White House sent a team to Paris last week to get to know his closest advisers.