Je ne songeai même pas qu'il eût fallu me présenter à la réception

[jacks_room]

Je ne songeai même pas qu'il eût fallu me présenter à la réception

Possible translation:I wouldn't have even considered that it would lead me to the reception

Context: In a novel, Someone has just sntered a builing and I think the are talking about the window with an amazing view that they have seen.

I find translating narrative texts really hard so any help appreciated!

 

[DearPrudence]

Difficult indeed.
In everyday life speech, we would have said:
[...] qu'il aurait fallu me présenter à la réception.
[...] qu'il aurait fallu que je me présente à la réception.
[...] que j'aurais dû me présenter à la réception.

With your sentence,
"se présenter à la réception" ~ to go to the reception (desk). (For a hotel ~ to check in maybe)

So, maybe, something like:
"I hadn't thought / I didn't think (I'm a bit confused by the tense myself here) that I should have checked in / gone to the reception desk.

I'm not sure it makes sense in your context, I hope so

 

[Australian25]

Perhaps: "I hadn't even thought it would be necessary for me to go to the reception (desk)".

Or: "I hadn't even dreamed it would be necessary for me to go to the reception (desk)". That way you can cover the idea of "dreaming" that can be contained in the verb "songer"... if it's appropriate in your context, of course!

 

[exiled scot]

My attempt:
"It didn't even cross my mind that I should have had to go to the reception"

 

[the dazzler]

I would suggest: "It hadn't even occurred to me that I was meant to go to reception/the reception desk".