Is France still the dream after 35 years?
In this heartwarming episode, we sit down with one of the very first people we met after moving to this region—a British couple who made the leap three and a half decades ago. From arriving with young children to now having 18 family members living in this quiet corner of France, their story is rich with insight, humour, and genuine reflections on what life is really like here.
We talk about the joys and surprises of raising children in France, the evolution of the French education system, and the challenge (and reward) of learning to live life the French way—from long lunches and local fêtes to embracing the community spirit and rhythm of the seasons.
👨👩👧👦 FAMILY, ROOTS & BELONGING
This couple didn’t just move to France—they built a life here. Their children grew up French, their grandchildren were born here, and the family has fully embraced French village life. From playing pétanque at summer night markets to gathering 18 strong around the table at Christmas, their experience shows how life in France can grow beyond expectations.
We talk candidly about that early anxiety—leaving behind grandparents, schools, and jobs in the UK. But now, looking back, it’s clear they have no regrets. Their story is a gentle but powerful reminder that the decision to move countries is more than a relocation—it’s a reinvention of lifestyle and identity.
🏫 EDUCATION & INTEGRATION
What is school really like in France? The answer might surprise you. From strict, old-fashioned classrooms to thriving extracurricular life in sports, music, and judo, this family saw firsthand how French schools shaped their children’s lives.
🧑⚕️ FRENCH HEALTHCARE: A STANDOUT EXPERIENCE
One of the biggest topics we touch on is France’s much-discussed healthcare system. And the verdict? “Absolutely fantastic.” From getting same-day X-rays and next-day blood test results, to free cancer treatment and lifelong cardiac care after heart attacks—this family has experienced the system in full and couldn’t be more impressed.
Their reflections include giving birth here, surgeries, ongoing treatments, and even wine being offered during a hospital dinner. It’s the little things and the big ones that combine to make a system that feels humane, accessible, and shockingly efficient.
🥖 FRENCH LIFESTYLE: WORK TO LIVE
From pétanque to night markets, long lunches, and flower-filled cul-de-sacs where neighbours wave but don’t intrude—life here moves at a different pace. “In the UK, you live to work. In France, you work to live,” they tell us. And that subtle shift in thinking is at the heart of why life feels so different here.
It’s also a place where family remains front and centre. Sundays are sacred, family gâteaux are bought at the boulangerie, and teenage kids still join their parents to visit grandparents. These little cultural moments remind us how much lifestyle matters in choosing where to call home.
🚗 ANY DOWNSIDES?
Of course, no place is perfect. We talk about the French bureaucracy, the often confusing tax system, and—everyone’s favourite topic—French drivers who love to tailgate! But in the grand scheme of things, those are seen as manageable quirks in an otherwise deeply fulfilling way of life.
🌟 MUSIC, MARKETS & COMMUNITY
We also touch on the power of saying “yes” to life. Our guest went from choir singer to full-on band member, now performing at weddings, night markets, and festivals across the region. That openness to new opportunities is a perfect metaphor for life in France—where things unfold slowly, but beautifully.
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Whether you’re considering a move, already living here, or just curious about what day-to-day life really looks like in rural France, this episode is full of lived wisdom, touching moments, and a few good laughs too.
👇 Tell us in the comments:
Would YOU consider a move like this? What would make you take the leap?
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#LifeInFrance #MovingToFrance #FrenchLifestyle #FamilyLifeAbroad #RuralFrance #HealthcareInFrance #WhyWeMoved #FrenchCulture
20 Comments
Hello from Italy you two. Really great interview on the life in France, the chats are so relaxed and interesting. Happy Sunday !
Loving your Videos. Last year we purchased a house in the Dordogne and plan to move permanently this year, great info & titbits and extremely entertaining, thank you so much x
De belles rencontres, ma France est aimée j'en suis ravie
This'll make you laugh, after a mammogram, you come out with a photo of the insides of your boobs😂
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
…and another nice video!!!…thank you!…😀…
Hi Maria and Richard.
We have only just recently found your channel so we have subscribed and then binged watched every episode and now we look forward to Sunday's to watch your next instalment.
5 years ago we were fortunate enough to buy an old farmhouse in the pretty hilltop village of Laparade a stones throw from Castelmoron which we are slowly doing up ready to permantely move to. It's so fantastic to watch your channel and see places that we know and love but also through your channel we've seen places we didn't know existed.
You do so well putting these episodes together probably one of the best on You Tube. We love the night market on Tuesday's at Laparade and loved watching you guys at the Fongrave night market. So hope you keep the weekly 15 minutes of paradise going and maybe one day we might be fortunate enough to bump into you both.
Shane & Mandy
Great episode tonight, lovely couple.
I love the positivity of your channel. No ex pats complaining that the French don’t speak English, no saying the food is weird, no recreating food which isn’t native to France because French food isn’t good enough, just adapting to the adopted country and appreciating all it offers. I know how hard it is to assimilate into a different culture and it’s language, but sheesh, adapt or leave, & don’t expect them to adapt to you.
Thank you Richard and Maria. I loved, loved this story. I wish it had been 20 times longer. There is so much more I wanted to know. I’m so jealous 😆
Brilliant episode … thanks so much Richard😍
What a great interview – you just keep making me want to move to France! Also the camera array is impressive!!!!🦘🤩
Excellent episode. People need to know more about the "long haul" foreign residents. I actually moved to France 52 years ago, straight out of university.
France is a beautiful country and since moving here 16 years ago I've only returned to my country of origin once. It's very easy to look at it with rose tinted glasses. The realties of starting business, costs involved, the low chances of success and perhaps finding a French job would be good topics of conversation.
Merci et comme je suis heureuse de voir d'autres cultures en France , c'est une richesse 😃🤗 .Merci depuis 35 ans ils ont trouvés la paix et la famille qui est importante
Ahh. A question for Brian. You mentioned that you get free medication following your heart attack. How long does the free medication last? My next question is – I had three heart attacks two years ago and then had bypass surgery. Would I get free medication once I've joined the French Health System? Now, I don't want to sound like I want the bleed the system, but I was concerned the medications I need would cost a lot of money. I'm happy to pay (because if I need them to stay alive ….) but even if I got them at a cheaper rate, I'd be over the moon. Stu
Brilliant video! Bless them at the end with your sign off. Stage fright takes over I think. It’s lovely to hear from people who are so settled with their “lot”. After being there for such a long time they’ll be well and truly embedded into the French life. They’ve led such an amazing life before settling too which makes it even more impressive. That’s what I call making the most of your life. Well done to them both 😊
France is a fantastic, beautiful country, great people, but you have to bring money with you, it's easier to spend it than make it.
Wow! Love to hear all those nice comments on my country!
And here wa are, the french people, crabbing all day long about this country going down the drain (the bad school system, the poor health system, etc) And it is a fact, unfortunately, that life was better in the past. But your comments made me realize that we should look at the glass half full and not half empty.
It is true though that life in the big cities is completely different than in the rural areas.
Well I am glad some people appreciate France, and I wish you all the best for the next 50 years! ❤
Third times a charm 😅😅😅