I had a new appointment at France Travail – this time to hopefully get some help with setting up my own business.

After I explained my situation to my adviser about how my titre de sejour didn’t allow me to set up my own company she explained there was another way.

Portage salarial.

As far as I understood it it is a bit like a business cooperative who I would join so I could work as a consultant but under their auspices. So they would pay my contributions and then issue me with payslips for the work I had done.

In this way, my current visa for an activite salariee would still be valid. Obviously they will take a percentage for this service.

I now have three numbers to ring to find out more about how it works and how much I will have to pay them.

On the visa front, there is potentially some good news. I have managed to send off a form asking for a change to my visa status to allow me to work for myself.

Obviously I had to include a huge dossier of information but so far I haven’t heard that it has been rejected/is missing key pieces of information.

So fingers crossed – one way or another my consultancy work in France might become a bit more legitimate in the coming months.

We went to Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume which is most famous for the discovery of the tomb of Mary Magdalene – now housed in the basilica founded by Charles II of Anjou.

The story goes that Mary left the Holy Land and came to France – landing at the Camargue and then going to Marseille. She then lived in a cave in the Sainte Baume mountains.

Her skull is now on display in the crypt in the basilica.

I’ll leave you to Google it if you want to see the skull in a golden reliquary.

It’s a beautiful basilica with plenty of gorgeous sights.

Well worth a visit.

C’est novembre, alors ça fait trois ans que j’ecris çe blog.

J’ai appris beaucoup de choses et ma vie a beaucoup changé.

Voila les plus importantes choses que j’ai appris.

• Brexit has made living in France so much more difficult.
• When moving into a new flat, take pictures of everything – it could save you a lot of money.
• Learning a new language is fun but hard. Reading books in French is a great way of learning new vocabulary.
• French tax forms are Com.Plic.Ated
• Working at Euronews had its moments but it was all over quite quickly.
• Getting an appointment at the prefecture is nigh on impossible.
• If you live in Provence you need one of these. But they take a lot of looking after.
• Café gourmand is always a good idea.
• The colour of Provence is rosé.

We were walking round local village St Cannat when we spotted this sign for Gateball.

I’d never heard of it. On closer inspection it looked a bit croquet.

Turns out it is!

Might have to have a go.

J’ai vu quelques oiseaux à Marrakesh. Les oiseaux bulbul se trouvent partout.

Il y a aussi beaucoup de ces oiseaux – un type de moineau.

On a aussi vu des guêpières d’Europe et des cigognes.

Et il y a aussi des oiseaux dans les cages.

Aujourd’hui j’ai vu deux chardonnerets dans deux cages. Je n’aime pas ça.

Ainsi que les oiseaux on a aussi vu des tortues et grenouilles au Jardin Majorelle.

Et les chats.

Les chats.

Les chats.

Les chats.

Et une vielle chatière.

C’est vrai que je suis en chômage.

Et un autre portrait d’une sage femme qui est un peu trop explicite.

On est allé a la mer et on a vu des chameaux sur la route.

Je n’ai pas pris des photos mais voilà deux chameaux qui rentrèront chez nous.

J’ai nagé dans la mer et il y avait des flamants roses dans le coin. Mais je ne les ai pas vus.

On a vu beaucoup de cigognes et guêpiers d’Europe.

Je n’ai pas eu l’occasion de prendre des photos mais voilà des cigognes sur le mur d’un souk.

À Marrakesh il y a beaucoup d’ânes qui travaillent.

Les pauvres.

Apparently the Moroccan police want to speak to me.

When you arrive at Marrakech airport you have to tell them your profession.

I said: Je suis journaliste and they asked me who I worked for.

When I tried to explain that I worked for myself they didn’t seem very happy so I said I had worked for the BBC and Euronews.

Now they have contacted the riad where we are staying asking questions about me. They have even spoken to the owner.

He told me not to worry and that he will keep them at bay.

I’m worried what might happen when our son, who works for the Ministry of Justice, arrives in a few hours!!!

Nous sommes partis en vacances au Maroc. C’est un autre pays francophone.

Il y a le français partout à Marrakesh.

Dans les souks ils vendent les affiches des professions . Journaliste est là mais l’image de la sage femme c’est un peu explicite.

Cette sage femme là, c’est mieux. Mais le comptable me fait penser à quelqu’un.

Il y a aussi Messi qui porte le fez!