Welcome to episode one hundred. When we started this programme, our intention was to document a quiet and completely isolated retirement in rural France. Instead, we seem to have accidentally orchestrated a mass transatlantic invasion of the Lot et Garonne.
To celebrate reaching this ridiculous milestone, we threw a massive garden party and invited the people who make this community so brilliant. Astoundingly, we recently realised that twenty two people have packed up their entire lives and moved thousands of miles across the ocean entirely because they watched this channel. We have viewers who became holiday guests, who then bought the house next door, and who are now currently drinking all our wine.
In this centenary special, we ask our expat friends the ultimate question: are you still happy with your lot? We dive into the honest reality of taking the leap and hear the brilliant stories of those who have already done it.
You will meet Jamie who is currently renting for ten weeks to test the waters while he hunts for a permanent home, and Sandy who single handedly runs her own beautiful holiday let whilst tackling all the local plumbing and pool maintenance. We also catch up with Simon and Carla who prove you can easily work a normal corporate job from a rural French office, and Richard who still insists on driving five hours to sit by a public lake just to catch absolutely nothing.
From navigating the absolute joy of French bureaucracy to the genuine truth about making friends in a foreign country, this is the unvarnished reality of becoming an expat.
If you are thinking of moving to France, grab a glass of something local and listen to the people who have actually done it.
Links & Resources:
đĄ Book a stay at our villa: https://villa-la-rive.com/
đŠ Follow our daily updates on that Facebook page we never use: https://www.facebook.com/Villa.la.Rive/
47 Comments
We want hand made CAKE đ
Vous ĂȘtes tous sympathiques et fantastiques. Belle communautĂ©, bravo Ă tous et merci d'aimer la France â€
Congratulations on Your 100 episode! So lovely people you are! A pleasure to watch your videos every Sunday!
Another fantastic video! Congratulations to you both đâ€
That cake!!! Talent and love. Wow!
…Congrats on your 100th!!!…what a brilliant video again…đ…
Awe, what a wonderful celebratory video ! We love being a part of this community and so glad we âjust did itâ
Nice video, really enjoyed it. I need to visit that region. I did the opposite, 25 years in the UK. Loved it but Iâ m back in France.
Iâm moving g to France in July as a divorced woman with grown kids so Iâm going alone. Iâm planning to be in Montpellier. I sort of assumed the smaller villages might just be a place for couples. Do you think thatâs accurate?
Fun episode. Thanks for sharing.
Dearest Richard and Maria, many congratulations on the 100th episode. From the first day we met you till now ( and we were really the first ) we knew you are special. Such positive energy you have brought to this region, we are sooo happy you found the house on Facebook and made the decision to move to the Lot. You say you are happy with your Lot, we say we love you a lot â€â€â€
Congratulations! And Happy Easter.
Formidable
Congratulations! Wishing you both continued joy in each day.
FĂ©licitationsâ„ïž on your 100th episode … my favourite way to start Monday mornings here in the Great South Land and as another Lot Loverđ
Wonderful vlog, you make people so happy that you created a real community around you, so amazing !
Alfi still begging a boat tour at the end, so funny đ You can definitely be happy with your LOT !
Such a positive vlog! Congratulations on the 100th episode. We hope to be happy too when we finally make the move and I wish we could be there sooner. You make me soo envious!
editing on point! as always
Congratulations! So enjoy your channel. Canât wait to visit from Seattle soon.
What a lovely community you've built!
What lovely people you are
I am so envious of you and what you do for everyone and your community good luck with everything you are doing â€
Absolutely loved this video đđđ
Not the âdrinking all our wineâ part đ sounds like the dream honestly
100 videos? Wow! Well done guys đ – our invite must have got lost in the mail đ
Thank you Richard. I am loving ur skill of editing in (pacing) the perfect music and songs to fit the mood (you knocked it out the park with this video) and how you choose/write the perfect words to fit the shots.
Back in the day, I loved finding/slicing together segments of music to fit the moment (took even more time then, before AI) When life allows, I will get back to filming & editing and I too will love using Suno.
Merci bien. Bravo đ
hi from Italy you two! what a beautiful video brought me to tears, Congratulations! on 100 Ive watched every one. Hope to see you soon.
Its so nice to see an English community living the dream in France. In France you do not see this kind of cummunity, so happy for you both. We moved to France in 1975 being in the construction industry, never returned to live in the UK. Now an old retired geezer living the dream in the south of France.
Congratulations to ALL of you! …….đđđŹđ§đșđžđ«đ·â€
We just stayed with Richard & Maria and it was the most beautiful place with fabulous and gracious hosts. We loved it. We will be back and are plotting our move to France!
I'm fast approaching my "golden years" so prob gonna do this. Be part of a gen that didnt pay nearly enough tax to cover govt spending of the day hence leave a mega debt for my grandkids gen whilst expecting them to pay my triple lock pension.
Not that they'll see any benefit of my grey pound of course cuz I'll be living in Thailand.
Or maybe I'll pick France to make my selfishness look somehow less bad because it's what nice, middle class people typically do.
What a lovely happy vlog. I think this one has been my favourite so far. All those people enjoying life in the Lot. I moved to the Charente, in 2004, with my husband Terry. We were only 54, no plans to get a job in France, after years of us both doing 12 hours shifts. It was a massive change. Harder for Terry because he had been used to working in a busy papermill with lots going on and lot of people to talk too. I worked on my own on the night shift at the hospital, so I didn't mind so much that we didn't know anyone here. The immobilier said she thought there might be one other English family living nearby. A pilot, and his wife who had lots of horses. I don't think we were quite in the same league. It turned out there were lots of other expats and we soon made new friends. When Terry died 7 years ago, a lot of people said it would be better if I moved back to the UK, or to Guernsey, were I was born. Too expensive to go back to Guernsey, and too cold and dark to go back to Lancashire. I didn't drive which made it hard but I love it here and I am so glad I stayed and found ways to cope. I've no regrets. Before we moved here, everyone said why do you want to go? The French are rude, arrogant and they don't like the English. Well I've got lovely French neighbours, I've only met one truly nasty French person that worked at the tax office. Everyone else has been so friendy and helpful. I love it here.
Cheers to you lot.
Keep your fascism in America. Itâs been tried in Europe and thankfully the Canadians and Brits liberated us from it, we donât want it back
A huge thankyou and Congratulations Richard and Maria for taking us along with you on those 100 fabulous episodes. It was so heartwarming in these troubled times to see you all so happy with your varied âlotsâ. This video such a big smile on my face. Hereâs to many many more! đ„đŸ
A huge Thank you and Congratulations Richard and Maria for taking us along with you on those 100 fabulous episodes. It is so heartwarming in these troubled times to see you all so happy with your varied âlotsâ. This video put such a big smile on my face. Hereâs to many many more! đ„đŸ
What a lovely positive video, the success of your move though, comes down to your personalities and attitude towards life. I wish you continued happiness and success in all your endeavors, love to you both
Dave xx
Why are there never any French people in your videos? Just curious.
Richard Et Maria. Il faut faire des vidĂ©os en français maintenant. đ allez ça fait 3 ans ! Courage đȘ
Thank you for your vonderful videos! Love from Belgrade
Happy as always ⊠fab to see some familiar faces from our trip last summer đđđ
Hi Maria and Richard yet another great vlog and a milestone 100 brilliant and all the people (and what a cake the work đthat went into it Looks a great place to live look forward to the next
Des sourires, du partage et de la bienveillance : cela donne des gens heureux. Merci d'avoir rassemblĂ©, pour cette centiĂšme, toutes ces belles personnes qui ont fait le choix de venir vivre en France et qui sont heureuses ici. Richard, est-ce votre voix que j'ai entendue dans la chanson ? Le soleil revient et, avec lui, les sourires.đ
Congratulations! You are surrounded by the English speaking people and you can fully enjoy so many events. We are in the Basque Country (in Spain) and I miss company of the English speaking people. I am a bit jealous, but happy for you. My little village is also lovey. Cheers đ
Maria et Richard , Accueil, expats, chambres d' hĂŽtes, dĂ©couvertes du Lot, bateau, restaurations, rĂ©unions, ….il y a un point commun dans tout ça ….votre Lot, votre destin….isn' it ?
Congrats on 100 episodes of bringing your special warmth and joy to the world. Cheers! đ„
Such Lovely film and makes you see your home I a new light when your new to it !
. Congratulations from New Zealand- is that the All Black Ardie Sarvea in the background of Raina & Jasonâs interview ?