Vehicle registration. Is this a record? (smug grin)

[Tarn]

15:0O

Armed with the information gleened here (and the paperwork needed) I

stumbled into the Hotel des Impots and asked (in broken French,

sporting a 'confused' grin) for a Quittus Fiscal. The man behind the

desk took out the form, pointed at the parts I should fill in and said

something that I took to mean 'fill in what you can and if you get

stook shout me'. I filled in what I could. He came back,

looked at me slightly disappointedly and filled in the rest and sent me

on my way.

15:30

Headed for the Prefecture and asked the very pleasant woman at the

reception for a 'demande de certificate d'ammatriculation'. She started

talking about 'Carte Grise' and things. She saw my face drop and held

up the form. As my face dropped further, she asked me for my passport.

Having read this forum I was ready for that one! I thrust it into her

hand. She opened it at the photo page, grinned, and showed it to me.

There it was - the photo that my wife hates the most. I had picked up

the wrong passport. I exclaimed (in a voice far too loud for a public

building) 'Oh m*rde!' to which she replied, grinning even more widely

now)  'non, 'Mercredi', monsieur!!' (Yes, it was)

I rummaged around and found my driving licence. This seemed to work. She set to filling out the form for me (excellent!).

Meanwhile her colleague, who had come to see who was swearing at the

counter, began practicing her English on me. We had a jolly old time.

I'm her 'mate' now.

Shortly afterwards, the bundle was clipped together and thrust back

into my hands. 'Number six' said the woman. I headed over to window six

and handed over the bundle. Seconds later I received my licence and

utility bill back. 'Go to window seven' (in French). There I paid and

received my Carte Grise.

As I left the Prefecture the two women on reception ignored their

rather bemused looking new clients and waved furiously at me, wishing

me a 'bon apres midi!'

16:05 Went to Auchan and had the shiney new plates made (12 euros each)

16:45 Headed home. Rather surprised that the legendary French bureaucracy could not have been more pleasant or helpful.

Maybe it was the shorts I was wearing that did it .

Just thought I'd post this as a balance to some of the usual horror stories ...

Tomorrow, the insurance ...

[Sunday Driver]

Got to be a record, Tarn.  Simple procedure, simply achieved.  Smugness rating = 100!

Like most things in life, putting on a pleasant smile usually encourages people to help out - even if you are a bit of a wally......

Nice one. [;-)]

[TheVicar]

Can't say it was quite as quick for us in the Sarthe, but it too was

agreeably easier than the stories we'd heard. Our biggest problem was

trying to convince the Citroen dealers that they could supply a

certificate of Conformity. Both Tours and Le Mans gave us such blank

looks, and had obviously never heard of them. In one, they came back

and told us that they couldn't supply a certificate for a right hand

drive!!

But certainly, the processes in the Hotel d'Impots and the Prefecture were quite easy.

[Kitty]

Vicars have all the luck.  Didn't you need an 'attestation' certificate from DRIRE?