Emails blocked by Orange, SFR, Free or other French ISPs

What it means

Many people in France still use the mailbox given by their internet provider: @orange.fr, @wanadoo.fr, @sfr.fr, @neuf.fr, @free.fr, @laposte.net and others. These providers run their own filters. They can accept Gmail-ready emails and still refuse or delay yours, because they look closely at your IP, its history and its volume.

Why it matters

• A large part of a French customer list can use these addresses.
• Their error messages are often short, so problems go unnoticed.
• Blocks are usually on the IP, so shared hosting can be affected by a neighbour's spam.

How to check

• Look in your server logs or bounce reports for answers from these domains. Orange messages often contain a code starting with OFR. Others say "service refused", "too many connections" or mention your IP.
• A 4xx code is a temporary delay; a 5xx code is a refusal.
• Send a test to your address on the home page (/) to check authentication, reverse DNS and spam score.
• Check your IP at /blacklists. French providers also use their own private lists that no public tool can see.

How to fix it

1. Fix the basics first

• Reverse DNS: the sending IP must have a PTR on your domain that points back to the same IP. Some French providers refuse mail without it.
• SPF and DKIM passing for your domain, plus a DMARC record.
• HELO name: your server must introduce itself with a real name like mail.yourdomain.com.

2. Slow down

These providers limit how many emails and connections they accept from one IP. On your own server, lower the number of parallel connections and messages per connection to their domains, and spread campaigns over several hours. Let deferred emails retry automatically.

3. Clean your list

Old French ISP addresses are often closed, especially after people change provider. Many invalid addresses in one campaign is a strong spam signal. Remove bounces and stop sending to inactive subscribers.

4. Reduce complaints

In France, many users report spam through their mailbox or through the Signal Spam service, which shares reports with providers. Senders can join its feedback programme to learn who complained. Send only to people who signed up, and make unsubscribing easy.

5. Contact the provider

Once the basics are fixed, each provider has a postmaster or abuse contact, usually indicated in the error message itself or on their help pages. Give them your sending IP, your domain, the exact error and the date. Requests are handled faster when the problem is clearly fixed.

6. Consider a dedicated sending service

If you use cheap shared hosting with a poor IP reputation, a reputable email sending service can solve the issue faster than fighting for one IP.

Check that it is fixed

Watch your logs for a few days: answers from these domains should become 250 (accepted). Ask a contact with an Orange or Free address to check their inbox and spam folder, and send a new test from the home page to confirm your setup.