“Why do I have the feeling I’m about to get tested for COVID?”
Damn, he was right. The white tents, underground room and cheap setup did feel like we were about to get tested or vaccinated.
During COVID, governments all over the world converted arenas, city halls, stadiums and other public venues into mass vaccine centres, and the French dubbed them the “vaccinodromes.” Different issue, same setup—now we have “titrodromes” to address the huge passport and ID card backlog.
No conspiracy theories about them this time. By the time you step into a “titrodrome,” you almost wish the government had included a 5G tracking microchip in your COVID vaccine because presumably, you would no longer need to apply for a passport or ID card.
“What’s coming up might actually be even less fun than that,” I warned Mark.
After the ID card application failure in Montaigu-Vendée, I decided to try again in another city. I found an appointment in Angers, lucky me, I actually like the city and it’s only a 45-minute train trip from Nantes.
So we spent the day exploring Angers and at 4:20 p.m. we showed up at the “titrodrome.”
I don’t make the same mistake twice—right before, we went to a camera shop to get ID photos. No more photomaton for me. It was €9.80 vs. €8 at the photomaton but at least, I knew the pictures were meeting the crazy requirements.
And indeed, our pictures and applications were accepted. It took forever because the employee checked everything, made copies, scanned our documents, and asked us to double-check the spelling and other details but she was very fun and we joked throughout the process.
Angers 1 – Montaigu-Vendée 0.
Mission accomplished. Well, kind of. Let’s see how long it will take to get our ID cards!
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Ouf! Première étape réalisée avec succès! T’as eu de la chance d’avoir les photos de photographe pas beaucoup plus cher que le photomaton… Moi il me semble que c’était plus cher que ça. En tout cas, ça vous a fait passer du temps à Angers, qui a l’air d’être une belle ville mais qui semble bien vide pour un jour de grandes vacances!
Angers est une super ville à visiter, très sympa. C’était assez calme surtout à cause du temps, pas top ce jour-là.
Apparemment, aller chez un photographe (en général un magasin de photo qui fait aussi les photo d’identité) ne coûte que 1-2 euros plus cher. J’étais dubitative, mais je me suis renseignée dans plein d’endroit et c’était la constante. Du coup, je zapperai le photomaton pour mon prochain passeport.
Alors, Saint-Malo? 🙂 J’avais adoré cette ville, même si c’était en février que j’y suis passée (il y a longtemps)!
Same story here! Last year, it was the same with passports in France and in Canada, it was apparently taking months to get an appointment. It’s a bit easier this year, but it still takes 2-4 months to get an appointment, unless you get lucky with a cancellation.
And same story, online plateform. I book my appointment from canada so with the time difference, it was easier for me to jump on the first available slots but I still had to spend a few weeks checking availabilities every day. The twist in France is having to travel to small towns because all major cities no longer accept appointment. It’s a pain in the ass.
Another commenter told me the Netherlands had the same issue. So Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands… back to my initial question, why is it so difficult to renew IDs it’s pretty much required to have?!!
Ouf! Première étape réalisée avec succès! T’as eu de la chance d’avoir les photos de photographe pas beaucoup plus cher que le photomaton… Moi il me semble que c’était plus cher que ça. En tout cas, ça vous a fait passer du temps à Angers, qui a l’air d’être une belle ville mais qui semble bien vide pour un jour de grandes vacances!
Angers est une super ville à visiter, très sympa. C’était assez calme surtout à cause du temps, pas top ce jour-là.
Apparemment, aller chez un photographe (en général un magasin de photo qui fait aussi les photo d’identité) ne coûte que 1-2 euros plus cher. J’étais dubitative, mais je me suis renseignée dans plein d’endroit et c’était la constante. Du coup, je zapperai le photomaton pour mon prochain passeport.
Alors, Saint-Malo? 🙂 J’avais adoré cette ville, même si c’était en février que j’y suis passée (il y a longtemps)!
These days I am wishing I were French… sounds easier than dealing with the Italians.
I made an appointment in July for a new ID card.
The appointment is in 2024.
It took me two months to get it – I finally succeeded at 1:40AM a few weeks ago on their online platform.
I started this process in May 2023 and the earliest I will get my ID card is in Feb 2024. I can’t believe that’s what it takes these days.
I am already so, so nervous about showing up and getting rejected for whatever reason. Then I would have to wait another 9 months?! Crazy shit.
What’s the story with French passports? Same thing as with the ID cards?
Same story here! Last year, it was the same with passports in France and in Canada, it was apparently taking months to get an appointment. It’s a bit easier this year, but it still takes 2-4 months to get an appointment, unless you get lucky with a cancellation.
And same story, online plateform. I book my appointment from canada so with the time difference, it was easier for me to jump on the first available slots but I still had to spend a few weeks checking availabilities every day. The twist in France is having to travel to small towns because all major cities no longer accept appointment. It’s a pain in the ass.
Another commenter told me the Netherlands had the same issue. So Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands… back to my initial question, why is it so difficult to renew IDs it’s pretty much required to have?!!