Useful addresses to prepare your trip Bitola

This border crossing between Macedonia and Greece (Граничен Премин Меџитлија-Ники/Graničen Premin Medžitlija-Niki, Τελωνείο Νίκης-Μετζίτλια/Telonio Nikis-Metzitlia) is little used, but amazing with its peacocks passing between stationary cars. On the Greek side, we pick up the Egnatia Odos freeway at Florina/Φλώρινα (Lerin/Лерин in Macedonian), a pleasant, very multi-ethnic town of 20,000 inhabitants (Macedonians, Greeks, Roma, Albanians and Aromanians).

This consulate (Француски Конзулат/Francuski Konzulat) reports to the embassy in Skopje. It is headed by Honorary Consul Kaliopa Stilinoviḱ, a Macedonian and French-speaking volunteer with few powers. The consulate was established in 1854 and closed in 1941. It was reopened in 1996, inaugurated by Philippe Séguin, former mayor of Épinal, with which Bitola is twinned. Bitola is also home to the Alliance française, at 39, rue Pece-Maticevski (facebook.com/alliancebitola).