Why did you move to France? It’s a question we’re asked all the time, from friends and acquaintances on both sides of the pond, especially since Americans are a bit of a rarity in a region with lots of expats. In other words, why did we leave a beautiful home, a town we adore, and a lifetime of friends and family, to move to a country where we knew virtually no one and spoke the language only marginally? It’s not a trivial question, that one: how will you spend le troisième âge, as the French call it, that precious slice of life that falls after work and before the decline?
For us, the answer was a certain restlessness, a longing to learn more about the big wide world, and an urge to turn things upside down and give them a good shake, to see what would fall out. Ron was ready to quit work but a bit lost without it, and a tad bored with our familiar setting. Our happiest pursuit was travel, our preferred destination was Europe, and our favorite country was France. We jumped right in to what was, for us, the center of the action. And except for a chance introduction to a couple of American expats and some very nice chatelains, right into the unknown.
One chilly March day on the cusp of spring, having sold our house and most of our belongings, we hopped on a plane with a couple of suitcases and our fat ginger cat called Piccolo. And so, good-bye to all that. We arrived at the château, having met Nicole and Pierre twice, briefly. The remaining things we couldn’t part with were to arrive by container in 6 weeks, so it only took us a few minutes to unpack. We stood pensively at the window, looking out at the tiny, quiet hamlet that was to be our home, staring at the next page of our lives. “Let’s take a walk”, Ron said.
I always know I’m in France by the scent in the air—does each country have its own aroma? The smell, the feel of something ancient, the beauty of the countryside and stone houses enveloped us.
On that walk we might have said, “What in the world have we done?” or “What were we thinking”? But instead, after rounding the first corner, we both looked at each other and said, wondrously, “We LIVE here!”
That phrase became our mantra in the early days. With each new experience, one of us was likely to whisper in the other’s ear: “Hey, we LIVE here!”
What a gift and a blessing that is, and one I wish for all of you: health, happiness and meaning in le troisième âge. There are so many paths to that special place, from safe, comfy ones to wildly adventurous ones, and everything in between. For us, it’s simple: We live here.
Et vous? What about your troisième âge?
RECIPE: A bistro classic, Salade Comptoise
And of course we moved here for the FOOD! One new discovery was this simple but copious salad, common at French bistros and a specialty of the neighboring Franche-Compté region.
Butter lettuce
Walnuts (pecans will do fine too)
butter
Cooked potatoes, cut in small wedges (use leftover baked or roasted potatoes, or just cook whole potatos in the microwave)
Compté, gruyere or swiss cheese, cut into small strips
Tomato wedges
Sliced ham (optional), cut in small pieces and rolled up
French dressing # 1 (see blog, June 17)
In a black skillet, sauté walnuts in small amount of butter over medium heat, adding sea salt and ground pepper, for a couple of minutes, stirring. Set aside.
In same pan, add more butter and sauté potatoes over medium high heat until nicely browned. Set aside.
Put a generous amount of lettuce on each plate. Top with ham, cheese and potatoes. Garnish with tomato wedges. Drizzle dressing over all and sprinkle with walnuts.
Serve with a crusty baguette, and a glass of chilled rosé.
In the comments this past week: Lavender hints from Linda, a tisane from Tricia, and Gai is blogging about lavender too. Mark discovers the origins of lavender and Patricia cooks with it in Italy. And in the ‘Share a Recipe’ section, a recipe for TOMATO tarte tatin, which is so good that Claudia made it 3 times in one week-end!
18 thoughts on ““So, why did y’all move to France?””
I work to have enough money to travel, to make friends in foreign lands, to speak enough of their language to be polite. I want to speak/read/write French well enough to never say the equivalent of “done did” (again — hah!)
Love the recipe and the fact that the “suthun” in you came out with “may use pecans!” I enjoy une tranche of compté and a fresh baguette with a chilled rosé aussi!
…no “p” in Franche-Comté nor in the cheese, chérie….
Brave people! I was transplanted to Germany 40 years ago from Australia – not planned really to be a permanent transplant….ended up like that. We’re not that far from you actually. So if you ever get to Freiburg near the Black Forest, look me up? We often drive down to Beaune, pay our respects to the Magi in Autun ….. LOVE romanesque everythings……
My son and his children spent 7 years in Mt. P. So yes I appreciate the beauty of the place you left. The eldest grandson is a Citadel grad. One thing that I would REALLY appreciate in France is the lack of no-see-ums.
Friends always ask the same questions…And we answer…Because we are lucky enough to have had the opportunity to live in France (and now part time). I believe we have the very best of both worlds…France and Virginia. Benjamin Franklin said “Everyman has two nations and one of them is France” And he truly was right!
We love France and order Salade Comptoise.
Thank you for the wonderful food for us to prepare.
Now that the watershed is far behind you, instead of why did you move to France I’d like to know what keeps you in France. Hmm, your blogs give fragments of the answer, I suppose.
You moved for all the right reasons!!
We moved to Narbonne in southern France for the same reasons – food, climate, the scent of lavender in the air, the salty beaches and seafood too! We lived for a few years aboard boats in Europe and finally decided to make the move in our ‘troisieme age’ (in our fifties) and now live in a 300 year old ‘maison de maitre’ in Narbonne city center. We also write a tri-monthly column called ‘Notes from Narbonne’ which is anyone can read at http://www.robandmarlane.com – Bisous, Rob and Marlane
Bonjour Lynn,
We’ve been enjoying you blog (or as you mother would say, blob) and your great photos. Your most recent post, concerning why and how you moved to France, and reactions once there, is particularly thoughtful and well done.
We won’t make it to Burgundy on our next trip to France (we’re heading to the Pynenees and then Paris in the early fall), but the beautiful Château de Balleure looks like a place that we’ll have to visit on our trip after that — in the spring of 2011. By the way, I see that you are just north and a bit west of another fine chateau/ B&B where we stayed a few years ago, in Ozenay. We still recall fondly a fun dinner nearby on the terrace/ front porch of the simple and stylish “Le Saint Martin” (run by two Swiss fellows) in the little berg of Chapaize, which looks to be about 8-10 km from you — have you been?
Also: I’ve finally found the time to add two references to your fine blog on our little “Paris and Beyond” site — after your lead of a few weeks ago (thanks again for the notice and nice comments).
Jake
Bonjour from Lynn,
Maureen, thanks for the correction. I looked that up to be sure I was spelling it right and I STILL put that p in there!
Jake we know the lovely Ozenay well, and Cafe St. Martin is one of our favorite restaurants–we are there all the time!
And Mark, it’s true–answering that question will be on-going!
Thanks for all the nice comments—Lynn
I wonder if I could have had the guts to do what you are now doing but the other way around though: Leaving France for Virginia for example.
Maybe many years ago I could have tried, I don’t know because, in many ways, it’s really an adventure but now, being dans le troisième âge, it’s kind of late and I am satisfied to simply share my time between Paris and northern Britanny
What a lovely post.
I have recently discovered your blog thanks to Kristin Espinasse. As a French woman born in Dijon, Burgundy, living in Isère, I find it extremely interesting. Thanks for your articles and wonderful photos.
Thinking of you both as we view ‘A Year in Provence’ via Netflix. Peter Mayle and wife could well be you and Ron — except, of course, in Burgundy! Read the books years ago and now enjoying movie views of the lovely French countryside. There’s life beyond Paris!
Will see Mickey off this coming week and keep our eyes on the homestead while she’s visiting. Have a wonderful time together. T
Bonjour Lynn;
Perhaps you can tell us about the process that you and your husband went through to relocate to France, the carte sejour, dealing with real estate agents, setting up a bank account, etc. Thanks——-
I would love also to hear about the relocation process–have not yet reached the troiseme age, but it is rapidly approaching! We can’t quite figure out how we would handle all our animals. We have horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, chickens, etc. Obviously, moving is much simpler with just one fat ginger cat!
I found your site via Kristin Espinasse also. We moved to SC a year ago from San Francisco (my husband grew up here) and our oldest daughter is now living in Charleston, attending the College of Charleston.
I have served the squash gratin twice now, with rave reviews! Thanks!
Ann in Abbeville, SC
So fascinating! I’m very much feeling the itch to explore my world too. I’m curious to know about moving with your cat. I have a dog- about 20-23lbs. It seems like you were able to keep your cat in the plane cabin with you? How did she adjust?
we’re about to embark on a similar journey to the one you made – http://upstixtofrance.blogspot.com/
i’m trying to document it from the very start! i wanted to say that your lovely site is a source of real inspiration and joy – the pictures and the words remind me – while i sit here typing in rainy london, that in the end it will be worth it!
best, teresa