Life In France (A Month In Review)
I can’t quite believe it’s been a month since I blogged. With all the pre-move craziness & stress of moving to France, plus the post-move decompress & details of getting set-up and working through the basics of life (how do I set-up a bank account? how can I get a SIM for my phone? where in the world do I go to buy a mattress? etc.) somehow a WHOLE MONTH has passed since my last post.
Whaaaaaaat?
It’s not that I haven’t thought about blogging over the last 4 weeks, it’s simply that I needed some time to sort out this new life of ours. Plus to be honest, I needed some space not just from the blog, but also from the web and social media in general. I hadn’t quite realized how wound-up I was from the move, and it took a good few weeks to decompress from all that.
It took me several weeks just to come to grips with the fact that we’d actually MADE it and that all our pets were OK (I still can’t quite believe that). Then it took me several more to come to grips with the fact that we were actually LIVING here. THEN came the full and complete realization that we really weren’t RVing in the US anymore (no more beast…….!!!!!) and wondering how in the world I was going to change the look and content of my blog to anything that made sense (yes, I’m still working on that one!).
Life Changes Are A Process….
Of course all of this is perfectly normal! Making a big move like this is a bucket of emotions all at once, and it’s never completely smooth sailing. Change is super exciting, but it’s also (often) hard. I talked about pre-change emotions in my post about “Overcoming Fear And Inertia“, but there are also a whole set of post-change emotions which I think many folks go through no matter how much they’ve wanted or worked towards a given goal.
Paul and I have gone through multiple life-changes in our time together so I knew this stage was coming, but this time around it hit me much faster than I expected. It’s an interesting enough topic (for anyone making any kind of big transition in their lives) that it definitely deserves its own dedicated blog post. Plus I have yet to finish my “Moving to Europe” series of posts one of which will cover the very pertinent question of “why we didn’t we bring a small RV with us?”…so far I have ~3,000 word answer to that one.
So I’ve got a ton of blog material in the bag. It’s just a question of sorting myself out, and then getting it out of my head and onto digital paper. While I rummage through all of that however, I figured I’d give you a quick run-down of our first month here and what it’s been like including some of the good, the bad, the frustrating and the fabulous.
We Are Loving It So Far
Bottom line is yes, we’re actually living in France now and yes, so far everyone is loving it. Paul and I have settled in and we’re enjoying the rest, while the pets are absolutely LOVING their new space. All three of the paws are ridiculously relaxed and happier than we’ve seen them in years.
The cats are having a ball. Rand loves going outdoors and habitually purrs herself to sleep (she even purrs and snores at the same time), while Taggart spends hours inspecting the garden and warming herself in the sun followed by even more hours snuggling and sleeping with her sister. They are so active and healthy that it’s hard to believe they’re over 16 years old.
Polly is in dog heaven and is experiencing a very full and exciting doggie life. Of course there are all the outings to local markets and such (all very new and interesting), plus there’s all this SPACE which is now HERS and which must be properly monitored. So she takes regular walks around the property, enjoys long afternoon naps in the grass and conducts daily in-depth surveys of the local rabbit population. It’s a lot to take stock of and keeps her very busy indeed…
But we’ve also encountered a few hurdles.
Some of it is just a mental adjustment thing. The pace of life is soooooo much more relaxed here, which is both a good and (sometimes) a frustrating thing. It encourages you to slow down and enjoy the moment, but it also means accepting that everything simply takes more time (patience is admittedly not my strongest quality). Other barriers are uniquely French and have just required us to accept that c’est comme ça (“that’s the way it is”). Things are done differently here, and whether or not you think it’s inane, it’s simply the way it is.
So, what have we experienced so far?
The Food (and Food Markets) ROCK!!
Before we moved here we already knew that the food was going to be one of our favorite things about living in France. We love our food and considered ourselves pretty hard-core “foodies” in the US, but we quickly realized that we were mere amateurs compared to the average Frenchman. This point became crystal clear when I overheard this serious (and somewhat disapproving) question at a regular French open-air market…
“Ces oeufs ont été pondus hier, pas aujourd’hui?” (“these eggs were laid yesterday, not today?”)
Ah yes, NOW I understand….
From the French point of view, be it eggs or bread or veggies or meat, if it isn’t perfectly fresh and you haven’t personally met the person who raised it or made it, then why would in the world you buy it???
You can find open-air markets every single day of the week in the French countryside and it’s such an integral part of the local culture that you’d be crazy not to participate. Folks mill around the market chatting to friends, grabbing an espresso from the local café and picking up the best and freshest produce you could ever imagine. You’ll find stands over-flowing with crisp veggies, cheese-makers with at least 40 different kinds of cheese, pans sizzling with paella, fresh-baked bread so fragrant it’ll send you into an instant food coma, not to mention custom butchers, artisan sausage-makers, honey, crafts and and reams of other local specialties. If you can’t find what you’re looking for at a French open-air market, there is something seriously wrong with you.
And everything is SO DARN FRESH!
Holy smokes, I’d forgotten what real salad tastes like….
We have been reveling…..REVELING I tell you….in the exceptional quality of French ingredients. We are re-discovering the joy of vegetables, re-living the taste of pasture-raised meat and re-learning what real food is. Produce which might generally have seemed bland or indistinguishable “back home” is vibrant and flavorful here. We are in frikkin’ foodie paradise and it’s going to be darn near impossible to ever go back!
Everything is Ridiculously Dog-Friendly
We already knew that France was pretty darn dog-friendly before we got here, but I have to admit it’s been even better than we imagined.
In the short time we’ve been here Polly has been almost everywhere with us including to historic sites, restaurants, cafes and markets. And it’s been soooooo easy!
Part of it is that we’re living in the countryside where dogs are a core part of life (it IS different in the big cities), but part of it is just a reflection of typical French laissez-faire attitude. If you want to bring your dog pourquoi pas (“why not”)? As long as you don’t bother anyone, why would anyone care?
In some places it goes even further than that…
Last week we were walking around a rather hippy market in a quirky little country town around ~30 mins from here (think Rastafarians, chakra incense, healing crystals and such) when a young gentleman in a long flowing tunic came over to ask why we had our dog on leash. After we tried to come up with an explanation that made sense (errr, it’s always been like that?), he proceeded to point out the other dogs that were off-leash and then launch into a 20-minute explanation about why it’s better to let them explore freely. They are more in their nature, no?
Clearly we have lots to learn….
The Nature Is Incredible
What can I say about the nature in the SW of France that will adequately describe it to you? Our location is in one of the oldest and lushest parts of France and the mix of history and nature makes for an unbelievable combo.
We are only ~1 hour from the Pyrenees, a 491 km (305 mi) long chain of majestic mountains that cap out at around 3,404 meters (11,168 ft) in a line of sharp & ragged snow-tipped peaks. We have a full view of them from our house and it’s an incredibly beautiful sight that changes hourly with the wild mountain weather that surrounds it. From crystal-clear mornings where the air is so bright and turquoise blue that it appears dreamy and surreal, to dark and stormy afternoons where the peaks look like they’re locked between an imaginary line of angry clouds, to sunsets where oranges, pinks and reds mix together in soul-soothing harmony.
There’s not a single day that goes by where I am not surprised or awed by this sight….
Plus of course it’s spring-time and that means an evolving play of color and vibrancy throughout the garden. When we arrived the tulips were in full show, but most of the other flowers and trees were still bare. Now the tulips are gone, but our trees have sprung out in brilliant green, the lilac plants are blooming (and wafting waves of delicious perfume), and the first roses are opening up. Apple trees are blossoming, fig trees are popping out teeny fig-babies and of course the grass is growing like crazy. Lawn maintenance and weeding are daily (rater critical) needs.
Since we’re planning to be here for a while we’ve taken the chance to to enjoy some good old-fashioned gardening again. We re-planted my mom’s old herb garden with sage, basil, cilantro, parsley and mint plus we re-discovered some old thyme bushes that are now clear of weeds and thriving again. Plus we’ve got a few salad heads in the works. We’re not going crazy on gardening, but we’re doing what’s fun and we’re having a total blast with it.
Speaking French Is Necessary (And Often Painful)
I think you’d be really hard-pressed to make your way around the Southwest of France without speaking any French. It’s not that folks here never speak English, but it’s sporadic and once you get out of the big city (e.g Toulouse) and into the countryside you’ll find it rare and in-between.
Thankfully both Paul and I learned to speak French in our past, but admittedly it’s been a few years so finding the exact words we need at the exact time we need them doesn’t always come as quickly or easily as we’d like. Plus the locals always seem to speak at super-sonic speeds which means our slower moving French-speaking brain neurons have zero time to catch up. We end up spending a lot of time asking folks to repeat what they just said, and sounding rather like 4-year old children when we finally figure out how to reply…
Oh and it’s physically painful too. If you’ve ever had a language headache from your brain cells working overtime to try and express yourself in a foreign language, you’ll know exactly what this feels like. Sometimes you just want to lie in bed with an ice pack on your forehead and dream of the good ol’ carefree days of speaking English.
Ah yes, life abroad….
French Bureaucracy Is An Art-Form Unto Itself
And then there is the crazy and unique living organism that is French bureaucracy. If there is one thing that’s probably the most frustrating about living in France it’s their love of seemingly unending and unnecessarily complicated paperwork. It’s a most French thing and so much a part of the culture and government that it permeates every part of life here.
Want a phone plan for your phone? No problem, you’ll just need to spend 30 minutes answering questions on the phone, then send in a handful of documents via regular post (no e-mail, of course) including your bank account info, your electricity bill (or some “attestation” that you have a place to live), proof of residence status, a signed contract, a signed declaration of some sort (there’s always one), and typically a few other bits and bobs. Then you wait a week for the SIM to arrive in the mail, then another few days for your documents to be accepted and finally, in what will feel like a MAJOR achievement, you’ll have a working phone plan.
OMG!
This same process applies to banking (we spent 1.5 hours signing documents at the bank only to be told that it would take up to 4 WEEKS before our account was “verified” and we could actually use it), and even online ordering (oh, didn’t like you order? No problem of course, we have a process for rétractation. Please just fill out these 3 forms, post them to this random address and wait 4 weeks for your refund). Plus of course ALL of this pales in comparison to the reams of documentation and patience you’ll have to supply for anything related to the government (I’ll tell you about that story some other time).
It’s just the way things are done….
Whenever you do anything formal in France you have to mentally prepare yourself for PAPERWORK and TIME, and you’ll likely have to prepare yourself for several rounds of it too. Take it in stride and (preferably) with a touch of humor and you’ll survive. Fight it and you will rapidly descend into utter lunacy from the sheer mental stress of frustration. Trust me on this…
But It’s Totally Worth It
Like all life changes that mean anything all this effort is totally worth it. We may not (yet) have a bank account, nor do we have any idea when Paul will have his residence papers (best guess is 4-6 months from now), but we do have working phones (yeah!) and we’ve already racked up 4 weeks of incredible experiences here. By the end of this week we’re hopefully going to have our first set of French-based wheels and then the planning starts. We’ve been developing some interesting ideas for how we might travel part-time this year and it’s probably not what you expect (it certainly wasn’t anything I expected). Still lots of planning to go though, so it may be a while before we make a final decision or do any reveals. In the meantime I think this’ll do quite nicely….
Thank you for sharing your beautiful new life. Please keep on writing. I may never get to France so I need to see it through your eyes. (hope that makes sense) Your mother must be looking down with joy.
Awsome post miss you guys lots,glad to
See you are well and that the pets are doing
Great
Sending you our love ❤️
Miss you guys too!
Nina
That is so exciting. It all sounds wonderful. I may never get to France but I will enjoy thru your blogs. So . of course, my curiosity got to me. I understand it’s very difficult to get ‘residency’ as such. Are you on a visa??? Just curious how it worked for you?? You mentioned your father so maybe that’s part of it. Anyway, very beautiful.
I ‘m so glad the pets are safe too.
So I’ve still got my Danish citizenship which means I don’t have to do anything (I can live and work legally in France thanks to the EU), but Paul is American so he requires a residence visa if he wants to stay in France longer than 90 days. Since he’s my husband he can basically apply as my spouse and should be granted approval. It’s a process though, so we won’t know for sure that he’s approved until around 4-6 months from now (we’ve already had our first appointment so he’s “in the system”, but our next appointment is not until July).
It IS possible for non-EU married people to get longer term visas in France, but you need to apply at your local French embassy *before* you get to France. If you do this you can get a 1-year visa, which can then be renewed when you’re here. If you want to read more about visa limits and longer-term visas I wrote about that here: https://www.wheelingit.us/2018/01/28/moving-to-europe-ii-visa-requirements-stay-limits-for-us-citizens/
Nina
Love this post and pictures. So beautiful. Enjoy
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU GUY’S ARE THE “BEATLES” OF RV’ERS. WE ARE SOOOO SORRY THAT WE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO MEET. MY WIFE AND I LOVE THE BLOGS AND THE INFO PROVIDED HAS BEEN PRICELESS. WE PURCHASE OUR 5th WHEEL IN NOVEMBER AND CAN’T WAIT. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU BOTH AND THE “PAWS” AS WELL. CHEERS, JOHN & LYNDA MILLETT.
Well shucks. Thanks for the lovely compliment and good travels to you!
Nina
It’s so great that you all made it there healthy and happy. I am so envious of you! I spent a summer traveling throughout Europe in my only extended trip abroad (so far) and remember well the feeling of brain fatigue translating the languages into english in my head and then trying to reply in the native tongue(s). By the end of my trip I was speaking a mixture of english/french/spanish and communicating pretty well which made the stress of thinking/speaking in foreign languages much less tiring. The lack of english language speakers, especially in the smaller towns and villages was a constant challenge which made my return to Seattle a great relief. That said, I discovered the deliciousness that are foccacia and tiramisu. And great wine literally everywhere, even in dinghy little trattoria’s where the house wine is poured from a wall tap like beer.
One of my favorite stays was in Nice. I had planned to spend just a couple days there in transit from northern Italy to Barcelona so I could try my luck at the Casino in Monte Carlo, and ended up spending several additional days just soaking up the palm tree ambiance of Nice.
I loved every single thing about Europe, even the challenge of language, and am so envious of you making a go of it there. Enjoy the markets and the wines and cheeses and breads and museums and, and… I apologize for the travelogue but reading your post brought back such great memories for me. Everyone should spend a summer or ten traveling Europa!
What wonderful memories! Thanks so much for sharing.
Nina
I was a bit concerned about the lack of news.
Glad to know you are all well.
You made me laugh about the french bureaucracy. I can tell you you have seen nothing yet.
Wait till you come to Portugal…
Profitez bien de votre séjour.
À bientôt.
HA! Yes I can only imagine the paperwork in Portugal. I very much hope to make it there to visit, but I also hope to avoid the paperwork 🙂
Nina
I love your blog-hoping it doesn’t change too much, but then again anything you do is great. Loved this post! I don’t think I could move to France-too old to try to learn French, but I love traveling through your experiences.
I hope you get to see some of the Tour De France-one of my dreams. Your pictures are breathtaking. Thank you so much for this blog.
The Tour De France has a stage VERY close to here (less than 30 mins away) so I think it’s going to be possible for us to see it. I’ve never experienced it up close, so I’m pretty excited about that.
Nina
I have been patiently awaiting this post. Your new life sounds idyllic Nina! From a “foodie” perspective, I might feel like I had landed in heaven. Gorgeous photos! Enjoy every moment!
Do you work there or are you retired?
We’re doing the same things we did in the US. I’ve got the blog (and a few writing gigs) while Paul continues the investing side of things.
Nina
Beautiful photos! Glad the move is going well. You guys are truly living the life and that takes courage.
Your retelling of the story of the Frenchman at the market asking about the eggs was the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. As you say, sadly in the USA many have never experienced just how good food can taste.
Dejligt at læse at I befinder jer godt i det sydfranske. Du skriver umådelig godt og tager skønne billeder. Mange smil undervejs. Det glæder mig også at I er gået igang med urtehaven.
Mange tanker og hilsner til jer – hils også din far fra Anni
Mange tak, og vi hilser igen Anni!
Nina
I was so happy when I opened my email this morning and saw that we finally have a French/Europe post! The food, the land, the markets, the colors, the people, the wine – all looks wonder. I can almost smell the lavender and taste the cheese! Can’t wait for more. Well, I guess I’ll have to!!
We still miss the market(s) of the Netherlands, I particularly miss the one that came into town once a week, where the fish lady already knew my order. And no, as we were “out in the boonies” (according to one of our Canadian/Dutch friends) almost nobody spoke English, That, in spite of the fact that the Dutch take great pride in their bilingualism. Well, “multi-lingual-ism” actually.
Can’t say I miss the bureaucracy though….
Yeah it’s much the same in the Danish countryside. Similar to the Dutch, most Danish folk typically speak 2-3 languages, but once you get out in the true boonies it’s a different story. I think much of Europe is the same way.
Nina
Wonderful post and wirth the wait. I actually prefer posts once a month!
You almost had me wanting to move there right away, and tell you got to the bureaucracy. That would drive me insane. I’m so glad you have the temperament to roll with it. It looks like that’s what it’s going to take for this to work. Wishing you the very best and looking forward to more scenic photos and adventures!
I’m a pretty detailed oriented person, but I have to say the French documentation needs are testing even my limits. Its definitely a process, and most certainly requires patience and dedication. Then again my US visa was not much different. Took me 7 years to get my Green Card and almost 20 for citizenship. Government stuff is always a process…
Nina
Yes. I have a friend in the process of moving to Mexico so your tales sound familiar to me. Like your French she’s doing it all in Spanish. I think it helps that her native language is French with English being her second language. Also like you, she says it is worth the effort. I’m happy for all of you reaching for these dreams.
Don’t have time to read the whole post but be sure I will later. We are planning a trip across the U.S. and a visit to NYC and yesterday I went to your review and read the post about Liberty RV Park…… Thanks again for that…..
Glad your all adjusting to the France Lifestyle… Take Care Lee and Shelia
Awesome! Enjoy New York City….loooove that place!
Nina
FANTASTIC Post!! We were going to miss your USA RVing blogs (esp our western states), but your New Life In France is FASCINATING to read about! (a) It so happens we plan to visit my native UK for a few weeks in September, and will include just a few days for Paris, so it’s wonderful to hear a bit of ‘French ways’ (yes I realize out-in-the-country is far different to the crazy City). (b) Less-travelled Kim was amazed to hear about all the bureaucracy, and helps her feel better that perhaps life here in USA is not so bad after all!!
THANKS for ‘keeping us informed’ and sharing your experiences!!
Glad you are getting settled in. We look forward to all you get to do there. We loved France and being in the countryside. You are right about a tired brain from speaking another language. I feel like a child often when I haven’t spoken Spanish in a while.
Totally! I find it so frustrating when I can’t express myself properly. My French is fairly good, but it’s super rusty so I’m often searching for words that I should know (but just can’t quite remember). Very frustrating!
Nina
These photos are Breathtaking! Such vibrant colors and amazing textures! Thank you so much for your words and thoughts as well. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and insights with people around the world…quite literally! Your positive attitude, fearlessness, patience and joie de vivre are apparent, inspiring and contagious, Nina! Thank you so very much for what you do!
Got a phone while visiting a Mexico. Bought it, got SIM card and out in 30 mins.
But… probably the only easy thing there. Everything else takes paperwork!
Are you living at your dad’s place? “Replanting my mom’s garden”
To be fair we could have gotten a pre-paid SIM in France very quickly, but we wanted a phone plan with unlimited talk/text and a solid EU-wide data plan, all of which is way cheaper if you sign up for a contract. Of course getting on a contract is where all the paperwork comes in 🙂
And yes, we’re currently staying with my father.
Nina
There you are! I’ve waited with baited breath for this post! Chances are I’ll never make it to France, so I’ll just experience it vicariously through your blog. So glad your getting to spend time with your dad and bringing your mom’s herb garden back to life. That’s the best way to keep the spirit with you. I know, I cultivate my mom’s flowers every year and feel her with me. ☺️ The flowers are finally blooming here in Kentucky and the Commonwealth is getting ready for the Ky Derby this Saturday. My Old Ky Home is looking good. Enjoy France! I can’t wait to experience it through your posts!
Ahhhh, the Kentucky Derby. I was a big “horse gal” in my youth so it was always one of my big dreams to go see the Kentucky Derby. We never made it while we were RVing, but hopefully one day I’ll go.
Nina
Ha, very nice news indeed. Makes me want to visit Europe and I particularly love France, but my French is minimal! I could look at that view & visit markets all day though, sounds wonderful. Paperwork…not so much. Thanks for sharing.
I got some European vegetable seeds for my garden one year and had a revelation about flavors. They were so much tastier than the U.S. seeds.
I was just thinking about how all the vegetables tasted the same – tasteless. Jealous of your experience!
Nina,
What a great place. Roberta and I just made our first trip across country in our Chinook Countryside. We took deliveryin Vegas, then to Palm Desert to visit family then belined back to georgia for business reasons. It was stressful at times being newbies. Fought the winds all the way. A few more business months then off we go. I have to go back and reread all of your blogs and recommendations. Biggest thing will be to gain your knowledge about trip planning. We look forward to hearing from you guys and what RV you will settle on.
All the best,
Lloyd
Trip planning definitely takes a little while to learn. I know many folks who just “wing it” in their RVs, but I have to admit I am much more of a planner. We were always very particular about where we stayed (site quality, weather etc.) so it did take planning. The first planning trip will likely be your most difficult, but it’ll come easier and easier after that. Good travels to you!
Nina
We are a few months behind you in moving to Europe to RV for a while. Our situation is much the same as yours, with Steven holding duel citizenship with his Irish passport and me as an American. As we are also Florida residents, I’m curious if Paul did go to the Miami consulate to get a one-year residency visa and is now trying to extend, or if he is just doing the whole process in France. We’re trying to figure out if a trip to Miami is in our future. 🙂
Lovely post and photos, the French countryside seems to agree with you all.
It’s a bit of a long answer.
We did indeed go to the French consulate in Miami to apply for a one-year visa and got all the way through the application process (they’d already accepted our documents) only to find out a few weeks before we left that the specific type of long-term visa that they deliver at the consulate didn’t apply to Paul. As the spouse of an EU citizen he has the right to travel with me to France, and the correct procedure (at least in France) for a longer term visa in his situation, was for him to fly over on a regular 90-day tourist visa and then present himself at the local Préfecture to apply for a spousal visa (specifically a “Carte de séjour de membre de la famille d’un citoyen de l’Union/EEE/Suisse”) once he was already situated in France. So basically we wasted our time applying in Miami and had to re-start the whole procedure once we got over here.
But that’s just France and I don’t know if that same procedure would apply in Ireland (assuming you’re starting there?). It depends entirely on Irish immigration procedures, and I’m not at all familiar with them. I’d recommend tracking down the immigration section of the Irish government website and seeing what you can find. Also if Ireland has a consulate in Miami I’d definitely contact them and ask them too.
Either way start that process now! It can take 6-8 weeks to get your visa sorted if you need to do it before arrival. Plus you may need to get records you don’t have (e.g. certified (Apostille-stamped) marriage certificates or criminal record checks), so it’s definitely not something you want to leave to the last minute.
Good luck with all your plans. Maybe we’ll see you down the road in Europe somewhere.
Nina
We are going to get residency in France. It is just so central to our travels, and it’s not so easy getting to Ireland in an RV! That said, as we move forward through the process, if it turns out that it’s easier in Ireland, we may change that. We do have the issue of buying the RV and where to register it. Like you said, so many things to think about, so many hoops to jump through! We are following your progress with great interest! Thanks for your reply!
Aha! Well if you’re starting in France and planning to establish residency here first, then yes I’d think your situation would be the same as Paul’s. You’ll need to find somewhere to establish as an initial address in France (they require proof of address for the visa application), but as long as you have that you should simply be able to present yourself at your local Préfecture after arrival. This is the visa you’ll want: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F19315
Two things:
1/ Make sure you travel with a copy of your marriage certificate. If you were married in the USA I recommend getting an Apostille stamp on it to certify it (every state offers this). Once you’re in France you may also need to get the certificate translated into French, but wait to do that until you’re over here since you need to use a court-certified translator for the specific area where you plan to establish residence.
2/ Plan on time to get the residence card! When we presented Paul at the Toulouse Préfecture last week we were surprised to learn that the first possible appointment for document submission was in July. Once he completes that appointment it can take another 3 months to get the card and he cannot travel outside of France during that time.
Hope that helps!
Nina
Thanks for that info, Nina. Yikes on the timeframe! We were hoping to land in France, apply, bug out to Germany to find a motorhome, then mosey back to France. I may need to work off my 90-day visa and then apply. At least once we get the rig, we’re free to move about France, and what’s not to love about that?
I assume Paul’s 90-day visa is extended while he awaits his appointment in July? Seems like I’ve read that is the way it works.
Thanks for all this great info!
Yup you should be able to do that. You can travel all through the Schengen region while you’re still within that first 90-day period after you land. It’s only after those 90 days are up that you have to stay within France, at least until you get your residence card.
Just make sure to apply well before your 90 days are up and make sure you have a fixed address that you can use for all your formal documents. In France the address thing is a “must” and they’ll require it for just about everything you do here (visa, bank, phone, car registration, car insurance, etc.). If you’re staying with a friend or relative they can write you an “attestation d’hébergement” (basically a document that says you live with them -> you can find a blank template of what this looks like on the web). If you’re renting or staying at an Airbnb or such, then the owner should be able to do the same (just check that they are willing to do this before you rent).
And yes, Paul’s 90-day is effectively extended while he awaits his appointment in July, at least for France. He can travel now, but has to stay within France after his first 90 days is up and until he gets his residence card. Once you’re “in the system” you’re OK to stay. Like you we don’t think this’ll be much of a problem. LOTs to see around France. We could easily travel here for years.
Nina
OMG!! what beautiful country -sounds like you are settling in nicely! I was beginning to wonder how things were going for you- glad all is well
While I have not commented in awhile do to being late to the party/blog post too often to do so – I do want to confirm we’re still following the total combo over the pond move the ’16 Feet!’.
Sure understand and appreciate the emotional ‘E Ticket Ride’ (Yeah, aging myself…) leading up to departure. And now the first four weeks of ‘assimilating’ into the new realty of Southern France. (A flashback for me, as my former Corporation has Aerospace Plant in Toulouse. An eye opener to see wine in the vending machines for sure. And our understanding of what an ECD was, turned out to be our Toulouse’ian’s Mates definition of ‘A possible outcome, and or timeline, consideration!’. (Hard for Airplanes to take off, without the Engine Pod’s available to attach to the wings!)
Enjoyed the pictures of this post, and a flashback to The Beast moving on – glad to see it will be traveling America, and who knows where else!
My biggest take away from reading this. Is that you both need a crash course on how to mentally, and physically, shift gears to a lower pace speed of living. And that is not easy! But, should pay dividends over the time ahead. (I still find my body clock waking up at 4:45AM now 5-6 years into retirement:)!)
Perhaps the have Support Groups for the transition. You should be able to find this out, if you fill out these four forms, mail them in, and …..
Ongoing best to you both, enjoy,
Smitty
The slower pace of life here is most definitely something I need to adapt to. No more Amazon overnight packages or signing up for phone plans in an hour. Everything just takes more time…I AM loving the relaxed pace of life for the “living” side of things though. It’s really helped me decompress.
Nina
Well it sounds like your first month has been wonderful and normal for such a big move. Paperwork aside, I think you’re definitely loving it!! The property and views are from fairy tales – magical and fit for the most special of people. Can’t wait to see (I know, patience!) what your transportation will be, at least for the short term. You’re really living in France!!!!!
So happy to receive your update . .somehow you feel almost like family and I look forward to reading what you are up to . . . love your sense of adventure and joy for life!
As we were traveling north today I said to Michael, “moving to Europe must have been incredibly stressful for Nina, she isn’t on social media and she hasn’t written a blog in a long time.” Was so glad to see your blog tonight and loved reading about your new life! And so glad the pets are doing great!
Yeah I did kind of “drop of the map” for a while there. Turned off everything including Facebook & Instagram. I’m coming back….but slowly.
Nina
Love your home pictures as well as surrounding area including the gorgeous Pyrenees. As gorgeous as that place is, I’d still be homesick. I love to visit places but my heart is where my home is.
OMG I don’t need to go out of the country to experience bureaucracy. We have it on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Very annoying. They call their appointment time ‘Indian time’ meaning it could be anytime after the appointed time. So you have to patiently wait until ‘they’ show up or ‘open’ up an office. Tons of paperwork because they do not do anything official via the telephone or email. You have to fill out forms, wait for Indian time to elapse, talk to someone only to be directed elsewhere and again until you finally reach the right office after 4 hours…then LUNCH TIME!! Ugh!! wait some more and finally if you’re lucky you found the right office and filled out the right paperwork at end of day….if you’re lucky. Otherwise you have to make another trip and it starts all over again because the next contact is not the same person that you dealt with last time.
My grandmother use to tell me animals are much like humans. They too get homesick. She explained this to me because as a young girl I could not understand why our sheep would continually run away (yes the whole flock of 100+) back home. We took the sheep to summer camp where the grass was plentiful and to let areas rest/rejuvenate from grazing. Instead of enjoying the bountiful lush grass, the sheep preferred to go home. This was true with our horses. Our cats would mysteriously disappear but our dogs stayed with us and some stayed with the herd (when they ran away back home). I find this behavior in my current dogs too….they get excited when they recognize a land mark driving into Phoenix and super excited when they recognize land marks close to our neighborhood. Makes me think of Disney movie where the cat and dog find their way home. I’m so glad your pets are feeling right at home…the best place to be 🙂
Love your blog and will continue to follow from Phoenix, AZ or where ever I may be.
I often wonder what Polly is thinking about all this. She spent the first 9 years of her life in the RV and has literally only ever known one other place (when she was a puppy). In human years that’s practically 60 years in one place!! I am sure she’s wondering where her “house” is and when she’ll go back. She’s settled in very nicely here, but it did take a while for her to be comfortable.
Nina
It is so beautiful there! I’m so happy you and the paws (and Paul) are happy. I love France. You will love the TdF. Get there early, bring food and water. People in their caravans arrive days in advance and park on the side of the road. One of the most amazing things is the publicity caravan. They drive floats up the course and throw cheese and trinkets at the spectators. The TdF is just awesome. We’ve been twice and just loved it.
Can’t wait to see it. We’re definitely going this year.
Nina
I’m 100% sure there isn’t another human being on the planet that could tempt me to read a blog about a couple and their pets who moved to France!!!
But you’ve got me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next edition!
Can’t hardly wait for it!
Awww shucks Bob. I sure wish we could have met-up in the USA. I’ve always admired and followed your blog from afar. Maybe one day!
Nina
Finally, a post from France! I’ve been waiting for it. I received a “How would you like to go to France for a year?” phone call from my employer, Control Data Corp, back in 1967. I ended up on one of their computer sites at Sud Aviation in Toulouse. They furnished me a hostess to shepherd me through the ID carte and banking queues. It was culture shock at first. Such things as on my first day at work, standing at the urinal and hearing high heels clicking behind me in the unisex rest room. LOL I met a pretty French girl, a former professional ice skater with Holiday on Ice, and we’ve now been married 49 years.
The US bureaucracy for immigrants is a mess too. She had to wait for a green card and her citizenship saga of multiple visits to at least four different venues over three years was frustrating. She became a US citizen in 2000. Since she holds dual citizenship she gets to vote in both the US and French elections.
I miss France and if we could afford it, I would move there tomorrow! It is beautiful and the people are fantastic. Yes, the food is too! (I miss the pate!) The only rude french that I’ve ever encountered are waiters in heavy tourist spots. I am not fluent in French. But that has never been a handicap. On our last trip back, we rented an apartment near Montparnasse and within two days I was treated as a local with handshakes and Bonjours! from the baker, the cafe barrister and the butcher.
Do go watch the Tour de France. I love it. Was in Paris for one of Armstrong’s finishes. I stay glued to the TV for it during July. The commercial caravans that proceed the racers is awesome. (Blink and you will miss the racers — they go by FAST!)
Where exactly are you? I am guessing somewhere between Pau and Auch.
Glad you’re having fun. Post more often!
TOTALLY agree with your assessment of US bureaucracy. Many things are super easy in the USA, but dealing with the government is not one of them. It took me 7 years and MANY documents & rounds of “stuff” to get my Green Card back in the day. And getting my citizenship was an equally long and involved process (took me a whole year after I started the application to finally complete it). I’m very happy that whole process is behind me.
Our location is about ~1 hour southwest of Toulouse. Pretty much exactly half way between Toulouse and the base of the Pyrenees along the A64. Carbonne is really close (and easily visible on the map).
Nina
I have been through Carbonne. Mostly, however, I would go through Pamiers and Foix on my way for booze runs to Andorra. Back then, a fifth of Cutty Sark cost $2 and I’d fill my trunk. LOL (Those were the days. Have been sober for over 35 years now.)
Making changes after living in a MH for years and never calling one place home is not easy, but exciting at the same time. While we didn’t move to France, we did move to Nevada! I thought I was ready for this part time change but it has been harder than I realized. I love out MH but grew so tired of planning and the lack of privacy. We love Boulder City and are slowly adjusting the size of the house. But we do have privacy and quiet. We are both anxious to get back on the road which will happen later this month. We’ll most likely only spend a month here and there at the house, but it is nice to know we can return anytime we want a break. We are surrounded with spectacular scenery everywhere we go, as well. I can see why you are loving your new location. You most definitely have the views. Glad you were there for the spring time greenery and flowers. The farmers markets alone would make the move worth all the effort. Sounds like you are now able to breath a little after your endless hours of planning and worrying:)
I’m glad to hear you’ve mostly settled in, but also not surprised the travel itch is already back. You’ve got the best of both worlds now and it’ll just take a little while for the routine to settle into place.
And yeah, post-transition emotions are most definitely a thing. No matter how much you feel that it’s the right choice for you at that time, there will always be inklings of “what did we just do????”. It’s all perfectly normal and simply part of the transition process. I’ll def be writing about this in more detail.
Nina
“. . . came over to ask why we had our dog on leash.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Europeans at restaurants and various attractions around LA with their children on leashes. 😀
It’s good to see that most of the pressure is off, now. Beautiful pix!
Pat
HA! Yeah I’ve seen those kid leashes before. Always made me chuckle, but they do kinda make sense. Pressure is most definitely off here.
Nina
So glad you guys and the furry babies are all doing well! Looks amazing over there.
So glad for the update! Glad to hear the animals did and are doing well. And your photography is wonderful as usual. Looking forward to following along on your adventure. I know it takes time and energy for these post and I want you to know I sure do appreciate them!!
Your post brought back many memories. My family and I moved to France in Sept of 2001 for a year. We lived in Paris and Agen (a town in SW France, midway between Toulouse and Bordeaux).
Food – as you say, the local markets and the quality and freshness of the produce is incredible. We were also struck by the variety. For meat, Americans usually choose between chicken, pork or beef. In France, they routinely serve capons, guinea hens, pheasant, cornish game hens, veal, sweetbreads, kidneys, and on and on. All produce has the name and number of the departement and many people won’t buy produce if it wasn’t grown in their departement. Egg yolks are so much yellower than those in the States, and I had to get used to cracking eggs with more force, because the shells are thicker. In Agen, we also had a Potager or vegetable garden, and I can still recall the smell and the sounds (bees) of that garden in summer.
Paperwork and bureaucracy – The French invented the term and we certainly encountered it. My visa required that I get a Tuberculosis scan, and that got put off, twice by the doctor, once by us, and when we left at the end of 11 months, it still hadn’t been completed. Related to this is service. When I first arrived in France, I felt like they didn’t provide very good service. In a restaurant, it could take 15 minutes to get l’addition (the check). Self-service is almost unheard of, and few things then (or it sounds like now) could be done easily on the Internet. The longer I loved there, the more I came to appreciate a different concept of service in France. For example, my fishmonger always had recommendations and would take the time to tell me how to prepare something, even if he had customers waiting. The cheese guy always had time to educate me on the different cheeses and went out of his way to help me get a selection for a dinner party.
Language – oh do I know the language headache. I remember the first time that I went to a French dinner party where my wife and I were the only Americans. 3 hours of rapid French, with multiple conversations going on all around me, gave me a huge headache by the end of the night. The other thing I found is that my personality was somewhat different when speaking French. I was more tentative, more unsure of myself. In English, I took pride in finding the perfect word or turn of phrase. In French, I was happy to just get my point across, roughly.
Have a great time in France and keep the blog posts coming!
Jim
Totally with you on that service thing. It’s annoying at first, especially if you’re used to snappy service but it’s a whole different approach here. Everyone takes the time to talk and at the restaurants they give you extra time so that you can fully enjoy your meal (the idea is not to bother you too often so that you don’t feel rushed). It’s takes time to adapt, but I’m liking it already.
Nina
Glad you all are loving it so much. Cheers to you both!
Glad to hear you’re settling in! I’m still working through your old blog posts. Up to February 2015 now. Garnering tons of good info for our RV adventures! A few random thoughts:
Stress: Most stressful life events — death of a loved one, illness, job loss, marriage, divorce, job change, a big move (in no particular order). My sister and my best friend were both sick as dogs on their wedding days, because the body doesn’t know the difference between good stress and bad stress. I, on the other hand, have been guaranteed to get strep throat within a week of starting a new job. It’s good that you’ve given yourselves some time to decompress.
Language: The few times we’ve visited Hawaii, for the first couple of days I had half-sleeping dreams where random vowels would float through my brain. Just trying to make sense of Ka’aawa and such.
France: Related to language, we were in Aix during a cruise a few years back and stopped for lunch at a cafe. I had some veal dish. The French lady next to me, in French, tried to ask how it was. My high school French was enough to let me understand what she was asking, but I couldn’t remember the word for “fatty” (gros), so I pinched the rubber tire around my belly. She got it.
I’m guessing the next travel adventure may be river boats?? The European houseboats have always intrigued me. Now you’ve got me thinking….
Enjoy! You’re in a beautiful spot!
River boats are not out of the question. I never thought I’d consider anything on water, but they look relaxed enough that I think I could actually manage without getting sea-sick. Plus there’s plenty of space for the pets. We’ve been watching a few videos about canals in both England and France. We’ll see…
Nina
Chers Nina et Paul
Depuis votre départ en RV je vous ai suivi, car nous visitions les USA en RV de 34 pieds et vos escales et commentaires nous on été bien utiles pour tous nos périples entre 2011 et 2017 fin de nos séjours.
nous avons essayé de vous rencontrés pendant un de nos séjours, mais hélas vous étiez à ce moment là en France pour l’enterrement de votre maman et nous n’avons pas pu voir Paul faute de temps, j’avais laissé un petit mot coincé dans la porte de votre RV mais hélas sans réponse.
Nous sommes revenus sur notre bateau aux Antilles et vous maintenant vous voilà en France
Ce que vous dites de la France est à peu prés exact même si pour les papiers cela vous semble bien dur à avoir, mais sachez que nous avons eu le même problème au USA autant pour les papiers, la banques et aussi pour le téléphone sauf si nous n’en prenions pas de travail.
Pour la langue nous avions aussi le même soucis au départ les gens parlaient lentement mais ensuite c’était d’une rapidité que nous faisions répéter sans arrêt.
Mais nous avions trouvé des parades, le rire et les traductions du téléphone même si ce n’est pas toujours facile cela nous a bien aidé.
Il est toujours difficile de changer et de pays et de façons de vivre mais quand on a l’aventure en soi on aplanis bien des difficultés.
Je vous souhaite une très agréables séjour en France et surtout continuez à nous faire partager vos séjours autant en commentaires qu’en photos (elles font souvent partis du diaporama de mon ordinateur);
Amicalement
Pour tous traduction internet
Dear Nina and Paul
Since your departure in RV I followed you, because we visited the USA in RV of 34 feet and your stops and comments we were very useful for all our journeys between 2011 and 2017 end of our stays.
we tried to meet you during one of our stays, but alas you were at that time in France for the burial of your mother and we could not see Paul for lack of time, I left a little word stuck in the door of your RV but unfortunately no answer.
We went back to our boat in the West Indies and now you are in France
What you say about France is almost exact even if for papers it seems very hard to have, but know that we had the same problem in the US as much for papers, banks and also for the phone unless we did not take any work.
For the language we had also the same worries at the beginning the people spoke slowly but then it was of a speed which we made repeated without stop.
But we had found parades, laughter and phone translations even though it was not always easy it helped us a lot.
It is always difficult to change and country and ways of life but when you have the adventure in oneself one has solved many difficulties.
I wish you a very pleasant stay in France and especially continue to make us share your stays in comments as well as photos (they are often part of the slideshow of my computer);
Sincerely
I’m so very sorry we missed you!! Thank for the comment & thoughts, both in English and French (very impressive!). Totally agree with you on the paperwork thing…it’s a bear everywhere!
Nina
Sounds wonderful! I spent a couple of months in that area some years ago so I have some understanding of what you’re describing. I keep thinking that you are getting spoiled and that the Fry’s in Yuma isn’t going to “cut it” for you two anymore!
😉
Fry’s may indeed be hard to go back to….but boondocking may make up for it 🙂
Nina
Amazing isn’t it? Real food! Flavor! Life!!
Are you SURE you don’t wanna come back, settle in front of yer TV or on yer ATV with a Bud Light and fly the flag of pride in homogeneity and no taste (in their mouths OR minds)?
Viva La France!!!
Thanks for the updated map of your travels. I didn’t see Sun Valley, ID on your map and I remember you being in Stanley and photographing Stanley Lake and if I remember correctly Redfish Lake. I ask as your pictures at the time made us put it on our list to visit.
We had been to Sun Valley and Stanley but not to the lakes.
Thanks
You got me worried with that one, but I checked and it’s on there! Look at the 2016 line and follow it to Ketchum, ID. All my blogs and links from that area are there. We just loved Sun Valley. One of the highlights of that year.
Nina
Maybe I missed something on your other European posts, but I thought that you were suppose to full time RV over in Europe. I was looking forward to the European campground reviews from many countries. Anyways have fun over there.
In Michigan my wife enjoys going to farmers road side stands to purchase fresh vegetables. When we visited Wisconsin we went to a couple of “cheese” farms where they had a ton of different cheeses, just not sure how many different types the place offered.
I just got done reading a basic Word Press book just in case I want to form a RV blog or a football blog in a couple of years.
RVing over here is still the plan, but we need to get through my dad’s cancer treatments first. Once we see how that all goes, we’ll look at the next step. At this point it looks like it’ll be at least a couple of months before we start that plan. So for now we’re just hanging tight and focusing on settling in and getting practical stuff sorted (Paul’s long-term visa etc.).
Nina
So enjoyed this post and the pics of the breathtaking countryside (and pets). David Lebovitz touches on the challenges of the bureaucracy of everyday life in France, which seems humourous to the reader, but must be maddening. Thanks for taking time out to post. What an incredible adventure. Good for you. That green landscape -oof!!
Nina, you’d be great at video, a whole new dimension of storytelling! Gone with the Wynns made the transition beautifully on YouTube and so can you! I love to watch their videos on our 65″ TV in HD. Next to actually being there with you, it would be nice to be able to live vicariously through your videos and enjoy your travel experiences. (The SV Delos crew on YouTube has also gone from complete video novices to some of the best reality TV available.)
We’ve dabbled in video and thought about doing more. We’re friends (and a big fans too!) of the Wynns, and we really enjoy traveling along with them through that medium. It really does add another dimension.
Nina
Ah, very nice! We have friends in Spain. She is a native and he an American ex-pat. She is used to the bureaucracy but he is constantly berating it. But it’s all in what you are used to – or allow yourself to get used to. In the US, if something doesn’t get done in 3 weeks, it’s been forgotten. I guess that’s part of our impatience? In the meantime, keep posting! I love the pictures, both word and photo! ~Jim