If you’re dreaming of owning a home in the French countryside, there’s one thing that trips up nearly every first-time buyer: the septic system report. Before you panic at that “non-conforming” label, read this.

there’s a gap between the brochure version of French rail travel and the reality on the ground — and it’s worth understanding before you choose where to land.

If you’re considering bringing your pet along for the adventure, here’s everything you need to know.

One of the first things that surprises people about Easter in France is that the Easter eggs aren’t delivered by a bunny — they come from bells.

France’s healthcare system is one of the most talked-about topics among people considering a move abroad — and for good reason. Jason and I finally dove into it with this first video in a two-part series. This first installment gives you a big-picture look at how the system works and how it’s funded. Watch it […]

When we first arrived in France, the cheese aisle stopped us cold. Dozens of types, textures, and names we’d never seen — and smells we definitely weren’t prepared for. It was overwhelming in the best and most confusing way. So I did what I always do when something new feels like too much: I bought a book.

Can you get over-the-counter medications here? Short answer — yes! But the experience is very different from what most Americans are used to. Here’s what you need to know. Pharmacies Are the Only Game in Town In France, a pharmacy is the only place legally allowed to sell medication — even over-the-counter stuff. You won’t […]

We came across something recently that stopped us in our tracks — a podcast interview with Jerry, one of the owners of Clé Rouge Immobilier in Duras, France. It’s genuinely some of the best advice on buying a house in France we’ve encountered in a long time, and we had to share it.

French Sundays have a rhythm I fell in love with almost immediately — relaxed, unhurried, built around cooking, family, long walks, and lingering conversation. Restorative in the truest sense. But last Sunday, I nearly turned one into a full-blown Christmas dinner production. Let me explain.

We get a lot of questions about what personal possessions you should bring when you move to France. After a few years of discussions and emails, I finally have a one-sentence answer: Bring the things that remind you of your life before your move, or the things you associate with your particular corner of American culture.”

The most common questions people ask us is how we chose where to live in France. Or sometimes “where is the best place to live in France”? While the answer to that question is specific to what’s most important to each family or person, I can share what things we looked for that lead us […]

We finally found an English-speaking primary care doctor in the French Countryside. We got great medical care — with a side of weirdness. The Appointment The three of us (Jason, Juliana, and me) had our new patient appointments together. The doctor sat us across from him, interviewed each of us about our health history, and […]