Aici sèn pla

This blog started as a daily record to mark our fifth year at Segala. Daily it did not turn out to be but after the year I have decided to continue as an occasional diary - after all I do still like it here or "aici sen pla".


Its our fifth year living at Segala. I have decided to try to mark this year with a daily post ( some days it will be just a photo) of our life over the year. I have trawled my brain for witty titles without success then I remembered the slogan on the T shirts at the fête in Espinas in the summer.


A friend translated it from the occitan for us. It seems to mean something along the lines of I like it here. Very apt for us, "I like it here " is a refrain we use to each other at least daily so that's the plan - Aici sén pla - a year of daily musings from a contented retired expat who thinks herself damned lucky every single day.


Wednesday, 27 July 2016

when you think you've got it sussed!

French bureaucracy is notorious but one of those things you get used to if you live here, arriving anywhere vaguely official without your passport, birth certificate, proofs of address etc etc would be just foolish and today we got ourselves well prepared, document case bulging.

First stop the tax office in Montauban - easy - we've been there several times. But no - we arrived to find the building abandoned with no forwarding address!. A helpful lady at the prefecture told us that it had been moved out of town. In fact three exits along the motorway away. When we eventually found it it was only to be told that for the certificate we needed we had to go to the office in Caussade (luckily that was on our way home and the certifcate was easily obtained).

Next task for the day as we were in Montauban and at the prefecture - change my driving licence to a French one. Again easy, we've done it once for Trevor, I had filled in the form on line and had all the required documents. Again - not so fast Mrs C - an appointment is now needed plus the Montauban prefecture has added the need to have your English driving licence translated by an approved translator so another hiccup.

Lunch was not a great success either. In the past we have enjoyed moules/frites in the square as a treat when have a dealing with officialdom day but the menus of the restaurants no longer include them. Today we made the wrong choice from the available menus and were disappointed with our lunch.

On the plus side though I hadn't been to Montauban for some time and the square really is very beautiful and today was a abuzz with people enjoying the sunshine.


The hassle and long drive meant I arrived home feeling  tired but at least we have achieved at least part of what we set out to do today and the driving licence is not urgent. Still nothing in the post though!

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