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Even after 12 years spent living in France, I’m still thrilled to wake up every morning in this beautiful country. Here's a list of some of the things that I find absolutely fabulous about living here. Of course, the list keeps growing every year, and I hope to feel as excited as I do in the next 12 years to come:
Gayle Smith Padgett and her husband Ralph spent many years flirting with France before they decided to finally “shack up” with the beautiful country and “make things official.” Finding a needle in a Provençal haystack, i.e., a pool home with an attentive and caring landlord and within walking distance to the town center—the duo has called...
From striking natural landscapes like the Massif Central and the Pyrenees Mountain ranges (which, combined, cover around 54% of the region), to the pink-flamingo and wild-horse territory of the Camargue wetlands, Occitanie offers another version of southern France.
Sometimes a place just sticks with you. It has a way of getting into your heart and soul and refuses to let you go. France was that kind of place for Patty Sadauskas. A former CEO and director of credit unions in Kansas City and St. Louis, Patty, like many others before her, fell in love with France while visiting the country. She took several trips there in the late 90’s...
French food is a feast for all of the senses. Known the world over for its quality and what’s known in French as savoir-faire—the artistic sensibility that goes into picking the highest quality products, cooking them with the utmost skill, and taking the time to present these creations in the most elegant of formats.
As a resident, or traveler to France, you can rest assured that you are coming to a safe place. There is no right to bear arms in France, and acquiring a gun as an individual is a long and complicated process, with few ever seeing a firearm. While you can feel safe from violent crime, the country is, of course, not crime free. There is little need to be concerned...
When thinking of a spot to live in France, it’s tempting to consider the fabled coastline of the Côte d'Azur or the romantic towns and villages of the southern region of Provence. Others might be drawn to the cities of Montpellier, Toulouse, or Perpignan, with their abundance of sunny terraces and joie de vivre attitude.
Whether you imagine yourself in a cozy village tucked away in the vineyards of Provence, or in a sleek, ultra-modern apartment steps away from the legendary Champs-Élysées, France offers lifestyle options for every taste and budget. While utilities tend to be cheaper in France (the country has one of the lowest electricity rates in Western Europe)...
Even though I’ve been living in Toulon, on France’s southern coast, for 12 years—and love everything about it here—there are times when I crave an English-speaking expat hit. With this in mind, I reached out to a friend, Susana, with the idea of visiting her in the village of Cotignac, where expats are as plentiful as the rosé vineyards that surround this corner...
The trickiest thing when deciding where to live in France is to figure out where has the qualities you’re looking for. Some people are looking for wild, rocky shores, steeped in old customs and traditions…others cannot resist the allure of beautiful hill towns and lavender fields. The good news is France has it all.