The Old School Expat The word expat has always made me feel uncomfortable. It conjures up in my mind an old-fashioned view of a person. Someone who takes tea with the best china in their adopted country and then proceeds to whine about their surroundings. I am no doubt generalising, …

By Vaucluse Dreamer: By the start of November, our little place was in a state of chaos in readiness for the work to start. The rooms were piled high with relocated furniture & building supplies and Andy had laid new Travertine floors throughout the 2 main spaces upstairs that would …

If you’ve been searching for French property for a while and find the system confusing, then you’re not alone. On the face of it, things in France seem to work the same way as in the UK, Australia, America or the Netherlands. Maybe you contacted an estate agent assuming that …

French Healthcare Information One of the most asked questions for this American expat in France is about healthcare. “What do you do about healthcare when moving to France?” The simple reply is “travellers insurance.” The answer you really want to know is “don’t worry about it.” I couldn’t be more serious. …

The following is an excerpt from my second book Are We French Yet? Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence. My wife Val and I live part of the year in Provence. Our friends Xavier and Marie-France are kind of our cultural guides, making sure we have local experiences that foreigners …

House purchase negotiations are a delicate process anywhere in the world. Tempers quickly flare, and communications can break down because of misunderstandings or hurt feelings. When you don’t speak French fluently and don’t know the ins and outs of French customs and the French real estate market, then things could …

By Vaucluse Dreamer: Firstly I have to start with an apology – the last few months have been rather chaotic with one thing and another and I find that this really is the first time I’ve been able to sit and write about our little half-life in France for quite …

The following is an excerpt from my second book Are We French Yet? Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence. Bad Timing Three days before leaving on a long trip to France, I swerved to avoid a squirrel while riding my bike, which caused me to crash and break my wrist. …

In early 2018, when the opportunity to relocate to Provence presented itself Phil Chandler and his partner jumped at the chance to escape from the “rat race” in England. Leaving behind his own successful business in the United Kingdom (UK) Phil is now pursuing a career as a freelance travel …

By Paula Kane Here it is, the last full weekend of my stint in Provence. The time always whips by and it’s hard to believe I’ve been here just over two months already. This stretch is often punctuated with a wide range of emotions, and this year has been no …