Moving house is stressful enough. Doing it without speaking fluent French? That’s a special kind of chaos – unless you know Patrick Law and his co-pilot Arthur Van Dog.
Finding a moving company in France that is reliable, reasonably priced, responsive, and does not require you to negotiate a loading dock in broken French is, to put it mildly, a challenge. Most expats have been there: standing at the bottom of a staircase with a sofa, a van driver who shrugs magnificently, and absolutely no shared vocabulary.
Enter Patrick Transports, one of the very few bilingual, fully licensed small transport businesses in France. Based in Brittany but covering the whole country, owner-operator Patrick Law has quietly become the go-to person for expats (and others!) needing to move their worldly possessions, or occasionally something far more peculiar, from one corner of France to another.
Impeccably groomed and neatly dressed, Patrick’s appearance alone projects exactly the attention to detail that he gives to his clients’ belongings. Congenial and highly organized, he handles the most complex aspect of the whole move - the loading and unloading - with calm and care, managing helpers equally proficiently in English and French. And on the haul from A to B, Arthur keeps him company, his dog of distinguished years who has clearly decided that a van seat beats retirement. Numerous happy repeat clients and flawless reviews on social media tell their own story.
We sat down with Patrick to find out more and discovered a delightful story.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself, Patrick.
I was born on the south coast of England, but grew up in the west country and then the London area. As the child of French teachers, family holidays were always to France – to the extent that, by my teens, I never wanted to see France ever again. However, I did start learning the language early and eventually studied it to degree level.
When I was very young, I wanted to be a truck driver, to the absolute horror and dismay of my maths teacher… she was quizzing the class of nine-year-old wannabe bankers and brain-surgeons about their ambitions, and I upset things a bit.
You have been based in Brittany for over 20 years. How did you end up there?
I’ve always felt an affinity for Brittany. I had to do a project on a region of France as part of my A’ level, and chose Brittany, so I know a fair bit about the region. But I ended up here by chance, after a fortuitous turn at a career crossroads saw me embark on a 15-year stint in the camping holiday industry, most of which was based in… Brittany.
When did you start your transport business? What do you love most about it?
I started the business in 2017. I needed a change and, ironically, wanted to spend more time at home (rather than living on campsites). I enjoy driving and I love seeing different regions of France, it’s such a disparate country. The scenery, architecture, and the weather, are so different, even within the same region; southern France almost feels foreign to me.
And I’m quite solitary, so I’m quite content to be in a comfy seat with my choice of music, enjoying the views.
What capacity does your van have?
It can carry up to around 15m³ and 1,000 kgs. That is roughly equivalent to the contents of a small one-bedroom apartment.
You frequently serve the Southeast and Southwest of France. If you are in the area anyway, can someone book you for a route, say, Nice to Paris or Bordeaux to Rennes?
Absolutely. I post details of long trips on my Facebook page, and if I’m going somewhere already, I can offer great prices on my return routes.
You cannot cross international borders with your van. Does Monaco count as one?
Yes, unfortunately it does - although I think I might have accidentally gone over the border a couple of months ago…
Do you have a fun anecdote or a special experience from your work that you can share? What was the most unusual item you ever hauled?
I have collected some pretty strange items from auction houses over the years, from stuffed reptiles to marble monstrosities. But the thing that sticks in my mind was a huge chandelier; not unusual in itself, but the client hadn’t packed it, so the only way I could think to transport it with minimal risk was to hang it up in the back of the van.
You travel with your dog, Arthur. Tell us about him and how you travel together. And why is there a cat in your logo?
Arthur’s a border collie cross, estimated 12 years old and I’ve had him for over nine years. For the last four years I’ve been living on my own, so Arthur has travelled everywhere with me. He seems to understand “Road trip” and can’t wait to leap into his seat in the van. I love that he’s accepted wherever we go.
The cat is Charley, who I found as a tiny kitten by the side of the N12 in Normandy in late 2019. A few years ago, I commissioned a designer to produce some business cards for me. He did some background research via my Facebook page and read Charley’s story, so he added him to the logo.
How do you relax after long days on the road?
I like to go out for a meal. On foot.
Rumour has it that you are thinking of moving away from Brittany this year. Do you want to tell us a bit more about it?
After twenty-odd years in and around Brittany it’s time for a change, so I’m looking to relocate to the south west.
Anything else you’d like to talk about?
Can I add in that my sector is highly regulated in France and I’m proud of the fact that I jumped through all the hoops to be one of very few British people to be set up legally as a transport provider.
Needless to say that Patrick handles all paperwork and administration with the same precision and promptness that he gives to everything else. If you now believe that such artisan-level service is out of your reach, think again: his rates are competitive, often coming in below those of larger removal firms, and - cherry on the cake! - he is available seven days a week. So, whether you need a one-bedroom flat, a few precious objects, an IKEA shopping spree, or even a couple of vintage cars hauled, Patrick Transports is the call you’ll be glad you made.
PHOTO CREDITS
- All photos courtesy and © Patrick Transports
Leave a comment