France Voila travel and French tourism, canal cruisers, boating on the canal du Midi

Once I arrived at my new digs in Passirac near Angoulême in Charente, I immediately knew that a reliable car would be very necessary to my survival. I was 15km away from a major supermarket, and 40km away from anything but the most subdued of French nightlife.

Stage One: Find a vehicle
First, I shopped the classifieds. By stopping by the local tabac- 3kms from home- I found out the name of the local “particulier à particulier” newspaper- the kind that specializes in classified ads between individuals. The lady even told me when it was published and where its’ local office was. Maybe I was lucky.

I was a bit disappointed after scanning the ads. The prices were higher than I expected. A basic, under 10 year old, diesel-model ranged from 2000 € to 4000 € with no warranties or guarantees. I hit pay dirt when the English gite owners I was renting from pointed me to an English friend who had a small, private garage. He happened to have a diesel Peugeot for 3000 €. He even offered any labor necessary the first year at no charge. The car had already had the required “Contrôle Technique,” (safety check) for cars in circulation over 5 years. So, if anything goes wrong, I only have to pay for the parts. Stage one: Accomplished
Stage Two: The Paperwork This is where it could have gotten tricky. The English mechanic had never done this before. He didn’t speak French, and lived in the next department. He purchased the car after it had been vandalized, in yet another department, but had never registered it in his name! Impossible! Or, so I thought.

Whether you are dealing with a French garage, a private party, or an Anglo Expat, there are virtues that will always help: determination and patience. As it turned out, the thing to do was to ignore the problems and push on (politely).

As in most situations in rural France, the solution to problems starts and ends at the local Mairie’s office. My Mr. Mairie had already expressed his approval of my living in his village. My daughter increased the school headcount just enough to keep his school opened. A good thing, since the teacher appears to be a fellow that everyone likes having around.

I took all the paperwork the English garage had- NEVER THROW PAPERWORK AWAY IN FRANCE- to the Mairie. I showed the secretary, explained the story, and she told me what was missing. A quick stop by the garage for the missing “Cessation” paper and signature was all I needed. Two days later (the Mairie isn’t open everyday), I was back to finish things up.

Satisfied this would the end of it, I proudly showed the completed document. Great! Now she could complete the dossier to send to the sub-prefecture about 60km away. All the vehicle information came off the “Carte Grise” (registration card) marked “VENDU,” signed and dated by the previous owner. The sale information was taken from the “Cessation” documents I had from both the garage and the previous owner (if the garage had registered the car, there would only have been one). The buyer information, I had to provide.

For identification, my passport sufficed- no check of a driving license or insurance is necessary to register a car in France. I was warned, however, to never drive the car without those items. As for proof of residency, I had nothing. Typically, a utility bill indicating your name and current address is required. Since my rental is all inclusive, I would never have a utility bill. Hmmm… what to do? We’d come so far….

After a few moments, the secretary suggested a letter confirming my “hebèrgement” (hosting) at my landlords’ address and a copy of one of their bills. Okay, easily done, except my landlords are English. They don’t speak French, and formal French writing skills are not my strong point. I had no idea what to say. Mairie’s office to the rescue! The secretary writes the letter and places a small pencil mark where it should be signed.

We are almost there. But, a check in Euros must be enclosed to pay the one time fee for a new "Carte Grise." Since I have no checking account, I must go to the poste (post office) and ask for a "Mandat" (money order) of 125 €. This is where I was beginning to panic. I am leaving for the States to collect my long-stay visa the next day. How could I get the documents from the landlord, get a money order and get back to the Mairie before they closed again- not to reopen for 2 days?

Once again, the problem was solved. The secretary prepared all the documents, including a temporary Carte Grise, signed by Mr. Mairie himself, for me to use while I was waiting for the permanent card. The dossier was completed, with a sticky note listing all the items I still needed: stamp for the return envelope, signature on letter, copy of utility bill, 125 € mandat. Everything was inserted into the large envelope and handed to me to complete. She even provided the postage. Merci!

A quick stop at my new landlords’ place got me a copy of one of their bills and a signature on the letter. I was off to the post office, bearing 125 € cash for the “mandat” (debit cards aren’t accepted, but there is often an automatic teller machine). I gave the postal worker the address of the prefecture and the purpose of the "mandat." In about 3 minutes, I was inserting everything in the large envelope. Stage two: complete! Mission Accomplished

Once I get the "Carte Grise," I will have to change the license plates (if the car wasn’t from a different department, even that wouldn’t be necessary.) Undoubtedly, I’ll be back at the Marie’s office with a smile - and maybe baked goods or a nice jar of jam!

-Written by Dawn Ramsay of SecretFrenchGetaways. Contact at dawnramsay@aol.com