Letter to the Mayor

[Mark]

[quote user="Miki"][quote user="chris pp"]

I completely agree with Miki on this,(sorry Miki), exactly my sentiments, I see our Maire on a "needs be" basis, we get on fine and when I have needed his help he has been first rate, in fact the commune paid for our drive to be constructed, but sucking up - no way, it's an adult relationship.

Chris

[/quote]

It happens on occasions Chris (someone agreeing with me [;-)] ) but actually I was agreeing wth you in fact.

Anyone ever go to see their local councillor in the UK when they moved house, just to say hello or indeed, to see anyone in authority and say hello, ?  Why is it deemed neccessary or even polite here then, unless you want to see le Maire about something in particular ? Never understood it to be honest but there you go.......I have had visits from le Maire, oh yes, strangely, after I registered to vote and not too long before the next commune election [:)]




[/quote]

I think it's because government in France, at least in terms of how public spending is allocated and by whom, is so much more devolved than in GB, and the Maire in my case at least is likely to be a near neighbour.  There's no way the village I lived in in the Cotswolds prior to moving here would have had a 'Mayor' as such, and the Parish Council in GB just doesn't have the same sway, so it's not quite the same, although I entirely take the point that newly arrived Brits can get a bit het up about the whole Mayor thing.

And anyway, it's nice to be nice Miki, you old cynic! [:D] 

[littlemouse]

 

my point exactly,Miki, I do think that many people think they are moving to the third world.Ive lived in 8 different communes big and small and never met the maire .Not because I'm not polite more because I don't have the need to say HERE I am .

[Pads]

Hello Mark

I did think of doing something simular when taking over our house this summer, As I was brought up in a few different counties where it was considered the polite thing to do.

However my husband said it would probaly be better to wait and meet them when we got there, So a couple of days after we moved in I went to see them, as I also had some village related questions, about reclying ect. The Maire wasnt there the day I called so spoke to his No 2 who answered all my questioned, I said That I was sorry not to of met the Maire and left , two days later he called round while passing to say hello and introduced himself to us. Which was nice as now when we see him we can at least say Bonjour, but dont feel as if we have pestered him.

If I was you I would do what you feel comfortable with.[:D]  

[hastobe]

We were introduced to our mayor by our neighbour, very informally at the annual fete.  This same neighbour suggested we should just 'pop in' and give our contact details / register to vote - which we duly did - but only spoke to the mayor's secretary (aka his wife).  The secretary then arranged an appointment with the mayor - but this was to ask him if he could give us a devis for our rewiring (a whole other story - see other thread :S) rather than anything more 'formal' - though he did use the opportunity to run through things like, where our local waste disposal site is, hunting and fishing rights, plans for the house and what we need to do to get planning permissions etc.  Our commune is pretty small though and everyone knows everyone else...and everything about them (which we find a tad disconcerting!).

Kathie

[Mark]

[quote user="littlemouse"]

 

my point exactly,Miki, I do think that many people think they are moving to the third world.Ive lived in 8 different communes big and small and never met the maire .Not because I'm not polite more because I don't have the need to say HERE I am .

[/quote]

Strange. As OP, that wasn't, and isn't, where I'm coming from or what I'm about at all.  As riddled with imperfections as I am, traits of colonialism and arrogance are about as far removed from me as I can imagine [:D]

[Dick Smith]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that, Mark, I think the point is that this 'visit the maire with a pressie' tradition is now well entrenched, and may have had its origins in some such feeling. I thonk there may be some truth in that - for example read some of HE Bates' stuff when the Larkings go to France - it is very much a 'white man meets the natives' feel.

[Cassis]

I can understand why, as the OP, Mark felt moved to say something.  

I think all of us occasionally forget how airing our views or trumpeting our hobby horses (nice mixed metaphor there [;-)]) can come across as criticism of a previous poster, even when it is not meant that way.

If you no longer need that bottle of scotch and Mylène Farmer video then you can send them to me, Mark. [:)]

[Mark]

[quote user="Cassis"]I can understand why, as the OP, Mark felt moved to say something.  

I think all of us occasionally forget how airing our views or trumpeting our hobby horses (nice mixed metaphor there [;-)]) can come across as criticism of a previous poster, even when it is not meant that way.

If you no longer need that bottle of scotch and Mylène Farmer video then you can send them to me, Mark. [:)]
[/quote]

Drnuk the scitch and teh vdio is embrking on th 1st of its 3000 yeras decpomosing on teh cpsmost heap philip (hic) [B][:)]

[littlemouse]

Mark ,I'm sorry if you read my post as a criticism ,it wasn't at all.It was a why does this attitude persist comment .

[Mark]

[quote user="littlemouse"]Mark ,I'm sorry if you read my post as a criticism ,it wasn't at all.It was a why does this attitude persist comment .[/quote]

No problem at all littlemouse [:)]

[TWINKLE]

Okay!

I've read the thread and would like to give this 'dilema' another slant.

I've lived in the same area for nearly 18 years.  My husband is French.  We have been living in this village for 8 of those years.  When we moved here we both went to the Mairie to introduce ourselves.  I think this is quite normal for French people to do and it certainly isn't considered as 'sucking up'. 

It is not ignored - however big the community is.  It is quite simply "savoir vivre" and community spirit. 

[Will]

Maires' attitudes vary even more than the colour of their politics. Taking it as read that they will know all about you anyway (don't ask me how, but they invariably do) there's not, in purely practical terms, a lot of point in introducing yourself. But some maires will be offended, or brand you as stuck-up foreigners who don't want to put anything into the community, if you don't call in and pass the time of day. Some, on the other hand, can't care less and will ask why you are wasting their time - come back when you need something.

There's no harm in going along to the mairie when it's open, looking at the notices etc, and saying 'bonjour, nous sommes...' to the secretary. She will know whether or not the maire is interested in meeting new arrivals in the commune and guide you accordingly.

[Benjamin]

If the Maire is interested in meeting you he will arrange an evening get together, normally some time in January, with une petite verre on offer for all of those souls who have moved into the commune in the previous 12 months.

If they can't be bothered to do that then they probably don't want you turning up on their doorstep just to say hello the first week you move in.

Twinkle

The only Christmas we have spent in France apart from last Christmas was the winter of 92/93. Christmas virtually didn't exist then. Things do change you know [:D].

Benjamin

[westland]

[quote user="Will "]

Taking it as read that they will know all about you anyway (don't ask me how, but they invariably do)

[/quote]

Do you know if they hold info. on how much taxe d'habitation you pay/revenue etc.?  Our Mayor seemed to be pretty clued up on our finances when we last spoke with him. Kate.

[littlemouse]

Twinkle my french wife says the opposite and wouldn't dream of visiting the mayor

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

It's interesting (well, I think so, but I'm a sad old beggar) that most of the contributors on this forum probably live in communes of under a thousand inhabitants. I very much doubt of my in-laws, who inhabit Vannes and Nancy, would recognise their maires if they tripped over them in the street. I doubt if I'll nip round so see ours when we move in either, because it's a commune of about 10,000 inhabitants and there are probably a few moving in or out every week.

[Dick Smith]

I'm sure that makes a huge difference. But the OPost was about sending a letter, not making a visit with a brown envelope full of used €5 notes...

[Cassis]

Well, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Jude did that.

I don't care about anyone else and their mayor but our mayor's a good bloke, he has been really helpful and he always comes over to have a chat and ask what's what when we turn up for a PLU planning meeting or whatever.  We've been round to his for dinner a couple of times, he's another neighbour, not just a mayor. One up for the little communes!

[TWINKLE]

[quote user="littlemouse"]Twinkle my french wife says the opposite and wouldn't dream of visiting the mayor[/quote]

Different strokes for different folks then.  My French in-laws certainly encourage this sort of community spirit.  Maybe the younger generation are shrugging these sort of gestures now.  I personally think that's a shame. 

[TWINKLE]

[quote user="Benjamin"]Twinkle

The only Christmas we have spent in France apart from last Christmas was the winter of 92/93. Christmas virtually didn't exist then. Things do change you know [:D].


Benjamin
[/quote]

Christmas did exist then of course - what you are trying to say is that the commercial side of it wasn't as big as it was in Britain.  Things do change I know - and not always for the better.  That doesn't mean we have to forget the simple things in life.