It’s been a while since my last post – practically two years, in fact. So much has happened since then – the boys graduated high school, Ralph and I became empty nesters, and we decided to move to France! Most of these posts have been adapted from my Facebook updates because somehow those just seemed easier to knock out. One day I’ll catch up with all the stories and trips, but for now, I’ll focus on the current chapter…moving (again!) to another country.

People have been asking me to share what we’ve learned so far about moving to France. And it got me thinking – dang, we have learned a lot!

One of the most frequent questions we get from friends and family is “why France?”

I’ll admit it – the decision to stay in Europe snuck up on me over time.

When we moved to Germany, I thought we’d be here 3-5 years before moving back to the States. I wanted to find some gorgeous land out west to build a little house for us and a unique space for small leadership retreats. Meanwhile, Ralph has been just biding his time, waiting for me to catch up with his plan to stay overseas forever…

Over the past two years, we’ve made it a priority to travel and explore, not just Germany but Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal, and Spain. I’ve particularly appreciated that no matter where we go in Europe, people value time with friends and family, good food, relaxation, and spending time outdoors. It makes it easier to be the kind of person I want to be, because that’s what the culture values. For example, it’s rare to see people in coffee shops working on their laptops – instead, they are chatting with friends!

I kind of fell in love with this new lifestyle. And then my clients started flying their teams out for offsites in places like Spain because it was cheaper than the States. That’s when I realized I could actually bring my dream to life much more easily somewhere in Europe. But where?

At first, Ralph was enamored with Portugal. It’s one of the most affordable European countries and it was getting a ton of press about the ease of immigration thanks to their golden visa program. But things started changing. Real estate prices rose, pricing many Portuguese out of the cities. FB groups for expats in Portugal posted about the growing tensions in their communities. Given those dynamics, I worried about ever feeling welcome as an outsider.

Then it hit me – France! This is just my two cents, but here you get it all. The country is huge, with so many different regions to explore. Fabulous food, wine, and countryside, the mountains and the sea, plus influences from 8 bordering countries. And, a convivial, considerate culture – without the preponderance of rules that we live by in Germany!

Doing a bit more research, we learned that France also has one of the strongest bilateral tax treaties with the US. Retirement savings and US-based pensions are not taxed in France – ever (they will be taxed in the US though – can’t get around that!). So not only is it a smart choice for the geography, food, and all that other fun stuff, but there are strong fiscal reasons, too.

Now, we have to figure out where in France to land…not an easy decision. Close to Paris for convenient air travel and seeing friends who are passing through? Along the Loire but close to a TGV station for fast train travel? Near the Spanish border so Ralph can have the best of both worlds? (Because if Ralph had his way, we’d be going to Spain. Like he says though – “happy wife, happy life!”)

More to come as we search for the answers!