The Good Life Defined
One of the reasons I left Paris behind more than two years ago was the frantic pace of life in a city that’s always moving.
Back in the City of Light last week, I realized what I missed most about Paris was exactly the same reason that I’d left: the nonstop rhythm of movement…
After living my first 13 years in Paris, my family moved to Normandy—where we remained just 45 minutes from the capital. But the city always feels like my true home. And, landing here from Panama City, I appreciate Paris in a new way…
I no longer feel caught up in the bustle as I did in my early career, commuting into the city for a long workday. I’ve realized that, convenient as the Métro is, it’s not always necessary…
Once you take the time to walk its historic streets, you’ll find that Paris is not as big as it seems… and you have the chance to stumble upon a street artist… a new art exhibition… a lunchtime concert… or a charming café. This is another thing I miss about Paris—culture at every corner. And the opportunity to lose all sense of time, sitting at a terrace with nothing but a coffee and a book or a friend… without any pressure to move…
I was in town to finalize details for our first Live and Invest in France Conference coming up this Oct. 23–25. Our base for these three days will be the Hotel Provinces Opéra in Paris’ 10th arrondissement. In this lovely part of the grands boulevards, we’re in easy walking distance of the Opéra, the Place de la Concorde, the Jardins des Tuileries, and the Musée du Louvre.
While Paris will be a major talking point at the event, we’ll be looking at other areas of France, too…
Euro Correspondent Lucy Culpepper, who lived for a decade in Aquitaine (“the other south of France” as she calls it), spent much time on the road exploring France with her adventurous family. Lucy has identified the best places to be at different times of the year (particularly helpful if you’re thinking of a part-year arrangement)…
In spring, according to Lucy, nothing beats the Béarn, where gardens burst with primroses, daffodils, violets, tulips, fruit blossoms, and camellias…
Come summer, the Languedoc is the place to be—where vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see and, in the local villages, you can enjoy the best of village life with local musicians playing outside the village bar, families gathering to eat out on the main square, swallows swooping over the ancient tiled roofs, and the older generations gathering to play pétanque or boules…
Cessenon-sur-Orb, part of the Languedoc, is a wonderful place to enjoy the transition into autumn. Daytime temperatures hover around 68 degrees, the air is crisp and clear, and the views across the Orb Valley to the Haut Languedoc National Park are breathtaking…
As for winter? For Lucy, for me, and for many seasoned travelers—Paris is the ultimate experience. Perpetual traveler and contributor Paul Terhorst best sums it up:
“Museums, shows, fairs, conferences… Paris in winter runs at full speed. Everything stays open, without the sporadic closings that plague the rest of the year.
“French chefs cook better food in winter, with more game and heavier, tastier sauces. Fewer tourists clog up the city.”
Whether you dream of France as a part- or full-time move, the experts and expats at our Live and Invest in France Conference will give you the full story… everything you need to know to prepare yourself for your move, so you can settle in with minimal hassle—and have a list of trusted contacts to call upon as you need help…
This is your chance to have every one of your France questions answered by people who know from firsthand experience what they’re talking about…
- Should you become a legal resident? What are the pluses and the minuses… and how would you qualify?…
- What are the options for health insurance?…
- What about public medical care? It’s the best in the world and can be free. Would you qualify to use it?…
- What are the options for financing as a foreigner? How much could you borrow… how would you qualify… what terms are available? (Our program includes a special presentation from our favorite France mortgage broker.)…
- What are your best options for learning French?…
- Where should you buy today for investment?…
- What return could you expect from a rental in Paris, arrondissement by arrondissement?…
- What about French taxes? (They can be diabolical… but you need not necessarily deal with them.)…
- How would you undertake a country house renovation? What would it cost?…
- What are the opportunities for you to connect with the expat communities in Paris and elsewhere in France? (Many!)…
Plus, during this special France event, we will walk you through a detailed and fully itemized budget for living in France, both as a property owner and as a renter. In fact, we’ll present you with more than one budget, as the cost of living in Paris, for example, would be quite different from that in the other South of France that we’ll introduce to you.
Lucy Culpepper will be there… along with Publisher Kathleen Peddicord and Lief Simon who have recently returned to live in their Parisian apartment (and are wondering how they ever left)… and the friends and experts who have helped them establish a home and grow a business in the City of Light…
It’s going to be a big party… and we’d love to have you along.
I have complimentary VIP packages for the first 30 readers to register. I expect these to sell fast. If you’d like to enjoy special privileges during this event—including a front-row seat, VIP-only wine tasting (an extra opportunity to hang out with our experts and get your questions answered), and concierge service during your stay—be sure to reserve your seat as soon as possible.
I look forward to welcoming you to Paris…
Valentine Fouché
