France Tales

Aggravation number 1
When we were in Montpelier we got a late start. We didn’t leave the city until 1:35PM to come back to Bergerac where we rented the car. It basically takes 5 hours to get back, the rental place closes at 6:30PM. We would either not make it and pay an extra day or we would risk a speeding ticket and just make it in time, or worse get a speeding ticket and not make it in time. Notice the pessimism, that after only 3 weeks living in France.

Since we were taking the Autoroute back we could go much of the way at 130km/hr. We tempted fate and occasionally went above 130 just to ensure we’d get back in time. We arrived at the rental place at 6:25PM. Obviously the woman working there had been waiting for us to return the car so she could go home. She rushed out to meet us to check the car in. There it was, stolen baguette syndrome (see this post to understand). It was the first time I had seen it since being in France. I had come to believe it was a Franco-American affliction. Here it was, staring at me, in France no less. I knew I should have carried a spare baguette for emergencies like this.

Aggravation number 2
She pointed to some minor scrapes in the paint on the passenger side rear bumper. We were shocked because we had no close calls of any sort. We couldn’t imagine how it got there other than someone bumping us in a parking lot. We had taken the insurance policy so we assumed we were covered. She tried to explain something like they do an authorization for 650 Euros and if there is no problem then you get it all back. If there is a problem then they take money out of that authorization to fix the problem.That is not what we bargained for. What if we had been in an accident that was not our fault, would we have been out 4000 Euros? Our minds we spinning wildly out of control and we were angry. Now I wished I had that spare baguette so I could have sharpened one end and plunged it into her neck. She was in a hurry so she asked Jean-Jacques to park the car in the train station lot and come back to finish the papers. We were so upset by now we weren’t thinking straight.

We went inside and finished up the papers and asked what would happen. She said they would take it to an adjuster and then let us know the amount of the damage. WE left the office and went across the street to check the train schedule to get back to Le Buisson.

Aggravation number 3
There was not another train for an hour. We would have to call Copper and ask for him to pick us up. It is about 30 minutes to Bergerac. We were so upset we couldn’t wait for the train.

Aggravation number 4
While checking the train schedule we realized we had left our luggage in the trunk of the car. When she met us at the curb and told us about the damage we were propelled into chaos so we weren’t thinking clearly. We left one suitcase and my laptop bag with the laptop in it. It was only 5 minutes later but since she was closing we turned around to look for her. Jean-Jacques went to the window of the office and pounded on it but no one was there. She was nowhere to be seen. She had left. Not only did we potentially have to pay for damage to the car but we’d have to come back the next day to retrieve our belongings. We didn’t have our toothpaste and stuff like that and my laptop was in the trunk. Since Jean-Jacques and I are generally so calm and cool headed we weren’t fazed To those of you who have never met us, I’m having trouble unsticking my tongue, which was firmly planted in my cheek. We were pissed!

Copper and Gail came to get us. We explained what had happened but tried not to talk about it too much for fear of getting so wound up about it that we wouldn’t be able to sleep that evening. Luckily Hayes had been home cooking up a storm and we had comfort food waiting for us.

The next day we called our credit card company to warn them that we didn’t want to pay for any additional charges to Europcar. Luckily they said we have insurance when we rent a car when we pay by credit card as long as we rented for less than 15 consecutive days and that we requested the rental company’s insurance policy. We were safe on both accounts. We made a claim and they said they’d contact us if Europcar tries to charge the account. This was the first time ever that a credit card company has been so helpful, and it’s a Bank of America card. When MBNA was bought by BofA I even thought about cancelling my card because I had only negative experiences with BofA. Not that they are saints now, but at least they helped.

When we returned the next day our stuff was fine. The woman at the office didn’t know what would happen or how long it would take. How reassuring, luckily BofA was on our side. Hopefully we canforget about it for awhile and they will take care of it.

NEVER RENT FROM EUROPCAR.