1 Year Ago We Found an Apartment in France We Loved.

Here is what has happened since . . .

Today is New Year’s Day, 2024, and it feels like a good time to look back on our French adventure that began almost exactly one year ago. After six months of research, Roberto and I traveled to Montpellier for the first time at the beginning of December 2022, and we quickly fell in love with the city.

Within ten days we had found an apartment we adored, put in an offer, and signed a “purchase offer.”

The apartment we fell in love with. The building is over 500 years old!

Four months later we returned to close on the apartment. Before that happened:

• After a LOT of stress and back and forth, we signed a “purchase agreement.”

• We sold our apartment in Austin, and we opened a French bank account, navigating the horrible loop of “You can’t open a bank account without a French address and you can’t buy French property without a bank account.”

• Learned about visas and which one we would need

• I got over my long-held insecurity about French and began studying every day.

When we arrived back in Montpellier in April we stayed for one month.

• We closed on the apartment and got the keys!

  

• But first I suffered doubt and second thoughts

• We were surprised and delighted by life in Montpellier

• But not so much when our power got cut off

• Roberto discovered the French Home Depot.

We returned to Austin for the summer, during which:

• Roberto stopped working earlier than we had planned.

• Riots broke out in France over the murder of Nahel M.

• We watched the Tour de France while Roberto explained it all to me

• We applied for and successfully received one year visas for France!

At the beginning of September, we headed back to Montpellier for a longer stay. We decided to take our two small dogs, Woody and Rudy.

• We researched the journey with the dogs months in advance

• We packed and prepared to be away from our house for three months

• We arrived at the Austin airport and were told Woody was too large for his carrier.

• Narrowly escaping disaster, we succeeded in getting the dogs to France.

Rudy after taking his anti-anxiety meds

We spent three months in our new apartment!

• When we arrived we found water damage in the apartment. Roberto dealt with our insurance company to try and get it fixed.

  

• I struggled to acquire a French cell phone number, and after two months I finally obtained one.

• We went to school and took French lessons.

• I had my first appointment with a French doctor to establish care.

• I had my first Montpellier haircut and first massage.

Upon returning to Austin in December:

• Robert weighed the pros and cons of each city.

• We continue to study French every morning.

• We are watching a lot of French TV series and films (I recommend subscribing to the channel MHZ).

  

  We are currently very into this French series about a small town under German occupation during WWII.

• We are excited to return to Montpellier in the spring but I can barely face the prospect of traveling with the dogs again. But we also can’t bear to leave them behind for months at a time. We’ll of course keep you posted on whether or not we can find a less stressful way to travel with them.

Thank you for joining us on this ridiculous, stressful, and wonderful journey. You guys help us make it through!

Jusqu’à la prochaine fois (until next time)

Carolyn & Roberto

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Buy us a cup of coffee? We’re offering a New Year’s Special that will give you 50% off for a whole year! (which means only $2.50 per month.)