We have been thinking about a move to Europe for some time with a heightened interest in 2016. France seems to have what we need to be a home base for spending more time in parts of Europe that we have not had a chance to really explore.
have always dreamed of living in France and speaking the language
When I was 17, I was fortunate to have stayed a month with a French family on their farm near Mont-de-Marsan in SW France via the Alliance Francaise. Delightful. Loved the daily trips to the market for the fresh produce and bread. Loved the joy of evening dances celebrations when visiting their beach cabin in Bayonne. My husband and I have shared pleasant short trips to France over the years, and always said, "Once we are retired, we should spend more time in France." So, the moment has arrived. Grateful to have this opportunity to explore France. Looking forward to meeting other Francophiles.
I followed a boyfriend from Moscow to Geneva when I was in my late twenties and tried studying French there. I hated French for a while and then took it up again when I decided that my son would go to a local French school and we would travel there. I listen to French podcasts and YouTubes and enjoy my French Preply discussions. I’m attracted to how the culture has a very intellectual side, like the Russian culture and they take food seriously like I do. It’s also safer than Latin America for immigrating to and is known for level of education. And people walk and ride bikes - which I am a big proponent of.
My first connection to France was travelling with my parents in Europe for a year in 1968, while my teacher father took a sabbatical year. For a few months, I attended the Lycee International outside Paris and got a half-decent amount of the French language under my belt. I was bitten by the travel bug that year, but even more intensely, I was bitten by the "culture puzzle" bug. I find figuring out the puzzle pieces of intercultural communication to be endlessly fascinating. My two careers (writer of corporate training for cultural diversity, marketing director for my parents' successful European travel firm -- a byproduct of that sabbatical year) sprang directly from that ongoing fascination. And as for France (vs. many other fascinating cultures), I blame my third career, as a watercolor painter. There is nothing I love more than painting French medieval villages. (marileetaussig.com)
Have been a Francophile all my life. Studied French in college (briefly) but life got in the way. Looking forward to spending the rest of my life there.
Its beauty, social and intellectual history, refined culture, and appreciation for a life well lived.
about tester 2 in France
I grew up bilingual speaking German with my mom (a gift in hindsight) and I took French in High School and France. I've always dreamed of living in Europe one day and now with retirement imminent we hope to make that a reality. I am an EU citizen already with dual citizenship in the US and Germany (which is another gift from my mother).
I've been to France several times and spent 2 months in Angers in 2025. French is the only foreign language I have studied (I'm not counting high school Latin). I would like to see much more of France than I have. I'm drawn to historical and cultural sites and especially to the older parts of French cities and towns, with their stunning architecture and sheer beauty. The slower pace of life, being able to sit at a cafe or browse a market or amble along a street, window shopping, visiting a museum or enjoying a botanical garden, listening to live music, picking up lunch at a neighborhood boulangerie, people watching....France lets one do these things, on foot or by public transportation, at one's own pace. France is large and varied, with distinct regions and character due to geographic features and its borders with many other countries. From France, one can visit other countries easily, which is another attraction.
