Here’s what happened. Ever since my French exam results came out, I had tried several times to make an appointment with the exam center in Montreuil to collect my C1 certificate. The first two times, they were on holiday, so I never managed to find a suitable time.
A month ago, I emailed the exam center again and made an appointment to collect the certificate in person last Thursday afternoon. Since I had already gone back to work, I even took half a day off specifically for this. At the time, I received a reply from the exam center confirming my appointment.
But as it happened, there was a heat wave that day, and the temperature reached 42°C. I took the metro for an hour, then walked for ten minutes in the 42°C heat. When I finally arrived at the entrance to the exam center, all I saw was a locked door and a sheet of white paper stuck up with thick tape. It had just one handwritten sentence on it: Due to the extreme heat, the exam center will be closed until next week.
There was no explanation and no notification by phone, text message, or email. To me at that moment, the unspoken message was: We can’t stand this extreme heat, but as for you, we don’t care—you’re on your own.
Honestly, I still find it shocking. I’ve been in France for almost three years, and I’ve lost count of how many times administrative procedures have left me furious and stamping my feet.
After I got home, I quietly wrote an email accusing them of failing in their responsibilities and asking the exam center to mail me the certificate at their own expense. The exam center did reply and apologize, saying they could mail it, but I would have to pay the €10 shipping fee myself. In the end, after weighing the pros and cons, I paid the €10 and did not pursue the complaint any further.
I’d like to ask: What would you do if you were in my position? Would you pay the €10 to get the certificate, or would you keep standing your ground?