was leaving, left
It was heading into the afterlife.
— La Vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2 (2013)
Il n'est pas venu parce que mon père partait en train.
He didn’t come because my father was leaving by train.
— Assurance sur la mort (1944)
Sa tête partait dans dix directions à la fois.
His head was going in ten directions at once.
— Les Affranchis (1990)