Three cheers for the DVLA!

I spent a very frustrating morning at the Sous Prefecture , 20 miles from home, trying to exchange my UK driving licence for a French licence so I don't have to renew every three years. I had taken the trouble to go to the Mairie and get all the correct forms - I thought. Of course, as always happens here, there was one form missing. When I got home I rang DVLA and a lovely Welsh man took all my details and promised to get the form in the post tonight. We had a nice chat, as he has a flat in Spain and understood my problems!
Luckily, the route to Thonon is very scenic and I did manage to get my French mobile phone unlocked in the Orange shop. I had not used it for two years so the SIM card had expired.