Reims

Happy days! I've finally got my titre de séjour today!  To be married to a French man gives you no guarantee to be able to live in France.  After having to leave France last year after 3 months to apply for a visa in SA, I had to continue with a nightmare of paperwork on my return.  To eventually receive a visa for one year.  This year, we had to go through the very painful process again, except this time I didn't have to leave France.  But JL had to proof to his own government that he is French, so after a pile of paperwork he had to compile, he received a certificate stating he is French (please note, a French nationality card or a French passport is not good enough to proof that you are French...).  So in his words, he is now a super French! We then had to submit that with the pile of paperwork I had to gather.  Just to receive a visa for 3 months only and to be told if I haven't receive a card within the 3 months in the post, I must return. 
Needless to say, 3 months come and gone, I returned to Reims.  Even though this was the first town where I spent my life in France, I started to hate this town.  The French bureaucracy is the worst, nothing but absolutely nothing can prepare you for this challenge!  This year they had me screaming, shouting, cursing, crying, crying more, crying histerical. So after 3 months I've returned with my proof of application, just to be asked where's my photo. Well, at this time I had a drawer full of photos at home, but nobody told me to come back after 3 months with a photo!  Only to come with the proof of application!  As it was 15 min before they close for lunch I rushed off to the nearest photo shop.  The lady still wanted to make sure the price is fine, I just told her to hurry and take the photo. I have no choice.  I rushed back, just in time (fortunately at this time of the day there are no queues!).  Just to receive another visa for 3 months! 
So last week I couldn't believe my eyes when I've received the letter in the post to say I can come and fetch my titre de séjour.  I must come with - proof of application, identity, the old temporary one and 85€ (at least less than last year when we had to pay 300€!).  Yesterday morning I've searched through all my files, but no proof of application.  I could remember I took it with me the previous time, but I couldn't remember getting it back from the guy.  And I was so upset, JL threatened to not let me go alone in the future, he was shocked that I told the lady I'm not coming again to their office, they waste one's time (as she was as well).  So I left to Reims without the proof, but with some photos...  Just to find the office closed for the morning.  I don't even know how many times we've landed up in front of closed government offices this past year.  So this morning I've returned to Reims, gave them all they need except the proof of application, saying nothing.  And relieved to receive the card.  Which will expire in May next year.  So mid-March I'll have to start all over again with this nightmare....
But at least, for now, I feel more positive about Reims, so I'll share you some photos of this town, which was more than 80% destroyed during WWI and rebuilt during a massive restoration programme after the War.  The cathedral of Reims is where all but two French kings were crowned and even though the cathedral is celelbrating its 800th anniversary this year, there was a cathedral on the same site from a much earlier period.  Reims was one of the most important Roman cities during the Roman Empire, in those days having ca. 200 000 inhabitants (the same than today!).

Reims hosted a spectular light and sound show during the past few months to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the cathedral.  Fortunately my cousin's camera is better than mine, so she managed to get a good photo - thanks Colette!

Viewing the cathedral from a side street

And from the front

The rose window inside and below, the famous trademark of the cathedral and Reims, the laughing angel

Above: Place du Forum (on the left there's a good boulanger) and below: Place Royal (where the much hated sous-prefecture is based)

Above: an excellent museum, Musée le Vergeur, constructed in the 13th century.  It was acquired by Hugues Kraft in 1910, his family was involved in the textile and champagne industries, so he was quite wealthy, single and travelled across the world.  After the WWI damages, he spent a lot of his fortune on restoring and saving old arty building pieces, which is displayed in the museum, together with some his collections he gathered during his travels.

Joan of Arc, or Jeanne d'Arc in French, brought Charles here to be crowned.  By now it feels to me my path keeps on crossing with hers, seeing signs in various towns I've visited, stating she was there

Below: another one of Place Royal with the services for foreigners to the right of the building (behind the car)

Anita and Madeleine arrived on a Monday, just after the weekend when the tramway in Reims was inaugurated.  So they were lucky enough to get a free ride!  To date we still haven't tried it...

Look at the beautiful building behind the tram (above) - one of my favourites

The hôtel de ville

Rue de Vesle, where I spend a lot of time in Reims :)

Our boulanger was here when we lived in Reims, Galerie Lafayette, JL's hairdresser is around the corner, as is Marionnaud.

When spring arrives, so do the musicians and you hear the accordians as you walk along the streets, but especially here. I love it!

Le porte de mars, the biggest Roman port in the world.  Dating from the 3rd century. (taken from the car)

When we have time (not during the rugby world cup...) we love to go to the Reims market on a Saturday morning.  As they are currently renovating the old market and have already destroyed the covered area where the market was held more recent years, the market is currently in the street.  In Apr/May next year it will move into the renovated building.

By now we know where to buy what from who.  Below is Monsieur Poulet (my nickname for him - it means mr chicken, as we buy chicken, but also duck, guineafowl and in this case, rabbit, from him).  He is one of the farmers in the co-op for which JL works and travelled with his wife and other farmers to India with us at the beginning of last year.

Place d'Erlon with its fountain where JL and I always meet each other if we have to go separate ways during a day in Reims

Unfortunately I cannot find my other photos I took in Reims, but thanks to Anita and Colette I could share some photos with you (trust visitors to take photos of local places rather than yourself!)