France – 1870 Ballon Monté Cover “Le Ferdinand Flocon” – Siege of Paris

Ballon Monté folded letter, flown aboard the manned balloon “Le Ferdinand Flocon”, dispatched during the Siege of Paris, amid the Franco-Prussian War. Franked with 20 centimes blue Napoléon Lauré (Yvert 29), tied by the “étoile 86” (star 86) numeral lozenge cancel. Neatly struck black circular datestamp “PARIS LE TEMPS / 3 NOV. 70” at lower left — the marking of the Paris post office located near the offices of the Le Temps newspaper on Rue des Italiens, 9th arrondissement.

Addressed to Machecoul (Loire-Inférieure) with arrival CDS on reverse dated 5 NOV 1870 — confirming rapid balloon delivery. Carried on the “Le Ferdinand Flocon”, one of the earliest official postal balloon flights, which departed Paris on 4 November 1870, landing near Nantes.

Condition: Fine to Very Fine; horizontal file fold well clear of franking and markings. No certificate, but postal and typological characteristics fully consistent with authenticated examples of this balloon flight.