Why did you move to France?
I fell in love - with France - when my husband had a 2-year assignment with a major US corporation near Paris. I am German by birth but had always had a mental love affair with all things French. We lived in a tiny village near Fontainebleau and loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, at the end of the assignment we had to return to the US.
How did you do it?
A number of years later we came to the Alsace on vacation and fell in love all over again. We looked for a house on the Web and the following year purchased the first house we saw. The plan was to spend half our time in the US, the other in France. Except - that plan changed when on a drive home from Florida we asked each other - why not live there permanently? While still in the car, I called a moving company who came to give an estimate on a Wednesday and began packing on Friday! While the French house was being renovated we lived in a sweet little apartment, leaving our furniture in storage. 7 months later we moved into the completed house where we have now been for 7 years.
Tips and Tricks
- 1. Learn the language
- 2. Be prepared for bureaucracy
- 3. Be willing to lead life at a slower pace
- 4. JUST DO IT
Has living in France lived up to your expectations?
For the most part, yes. It's a beautiful, beautiful country with very diverse regions. It's infrastructure is superb, the quality of life wonderful.
What has surprised/disappointed you the most?
Having lived here in 1989-91 we were somewhat dismayed by the lack of cleanliness in public places. All that has changed enormously and it was a pleasant surprise. A disappointment has been the difficulty of making friends as easily as one does in America.
Are most of your friends French or other expats?
Most of our friends are French with only one expat among them. It is not easy to meet French people as most have a ready-made circle of friends and family.
Do you have anything else to add?
Living here is a wonderful experience. I think it teaches you how life is meant to be lived.
