France

Since both Ben Blair and I can work from anywhere, we are dreaming of living abroad for a year (and even making some tentative plans!). Ben Blair has been looking into housing and found this Master’s House. It’s located in a small French village, 2 hours from Paris and 2 miles from the beach. It sits on 4 landscaped acres and shockingly, it’s in our budget. In fact, it’s less than the rent we paid in New York. A dining room for 30, 8 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 6 fireplaces. Oh. And a tennis court. More space than we need. Maybe you will come to visit us and help fill it up. : )

I’m sure it will be taken between now and when we’re actually ready to move, but it’s fun to think about.

What do you think? Would you like living abroad with your family? If you could work from anywhere, where would you pick?

112 thoughts on “France”

  1. My husband and I lived in Germany for two years and we would go back in a heartbeat! We had a two bedroom apartment on top of a house overlooking a small nature preserve on one side and the Black Forest on the other. We could ride our our bikes to France, Switzerland was just over an hour away, we loved to buy homemade jams and pickles and handgrown produce at the little self-serve stand around the corner, we went by bike and train everywhere (so easy to do there!) and our favorite date was to walk down the street to the local biergarten next door to a tiny chapel. You certainly don’t need a castle or Master’s House to really enjoy Europe. It’s the little things that I miss most!

  2. Oh my goodness, what a dream come true! If there was a way we could do it, we would… I think my picks would be France, Italy or Switzerland.
    Fingers crossed you are able to get this home; it sounds perfect. And yes, even though we’ve never met, we would love to come fill up a couple of rooms!

  3. How amazing would that be? Ah… take me with you! I majored in French and am totally smitten with all (well, most) things French. .. so I would go to France for sure! It’s hard to do, though. Seems like there are lots of obstacles to overcome in the process. Good luck. And if you do it, let me know how. :)

  4. Between Jordan’s plans to move to Paris and this post, I’m so envious.

    My husband and I have talked off and on about living abroad. I’d be open to going anywhere — there’s plenty to experience all over the world. I’m a bit partial to the England since I would love my son and daughter to sound like “Charlie and Lola.”

    Unfortunately, neither of us work for ourselves (I’m in advertising and he’s a high school English teacher), so I’ve resigned myself to it being an impossible dream.

  5. Either the northern or Mediterranean coasts of Spain in a small village that goes down to the sea. I’m dreaming of the bread and cheese already.

  6. I think that living abroad for a year or 2 would be grand. I would love to live in a small villiage in Italy somewhere. Not quite sure where since I have never really looked into it, but what a fun idea to think about.

  7. You and your sister Jordan need to come up with a plan to both move to France at the same time :) I believe she has posted about this a few times recently, too!

    That looks absolutely amazing, and it would be so much easier to do now, while your children are still young. I think I’d get a little too homesick for my parents and extended family if we lived abroad, but I DO often daydream about moving to Boston. I know, I know — Boston, how exotic, ha! — but I’ve lived in the Philadelphia area for my whole life and it would be fun to move to a new city that is new to both my husband and me. It would be so nice to explore and learn new corners of the city together, and we both love Beantown so much.

  8. Ah, la bella vita… I would love to live in Europe (Italy please) for a year. Or more. But alas, both our jobs require us to be *here*. (Of course I get the perk of traveling to some of the greatest National Parks in our nation – Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Zion, etc – so I can’t really complain.) Maybe when we retire. But I’d be more than happy to come visit!

  9. We have had endless talks about moving to the UK. A couple in our same field did this recently. I would love to do it permanently…
    The house looks amazing!
    Best,
    Tina

  10. What a dream of a house and how great to follow through on the dream of living abroad. I’d love to take my family and jet off to Sicily for a few years.

  11. What a dream! I can’t believe the fact that it is cheaper then your rent in NY! Thats crazy! I would definatly love to live in that house when I have a family of my own someday!! I had the opportunity to visit Paris twice and I love every minute spending time there and hoping to go back soon again!

    Daile
    dailecwilson.blogspot.com

  12. Jennifer Brailsford

    My husband and I would love to live abroad. Our favorite places would be England, Austria, or Switzerland. I say do it and have fun.

  13. That’s so funny – we’re thinking about doing the same thing! We’ve dreamed of Southern France or Italy. Maybe even Barcelona, with trips to Mallorca! As long as there is internet service, we can be up and running. Say, what are you thinking with the kids’s schooling? We’re trying to make this happen before our little ones are in real school (tho, I suppose Preschool is real school, kinda).

  14. Wow that is a beautiful home. My husband is currently a graduate student and an aspiring professor. Our plan is to have him teach summer school every other summer in order for us to fund living abroad the opposite summers.
    Currently on our smaller budget we participate in home exchange and travel around california on long weekends.

  15. We would love to go abroad for a few years. We are thinking about Japan because my husband served his mission there. Or maybe New Zealand. It is so far away for us, but it is certainly fun to dream.

  16. Wow – your timing is incredible! We leave in 2 weeks for a two year stay in Switzerland…. and you and the gang would be welcome for a visit! Yesterday, I watched all of our stuff pull away in a sea shipping container, and now I can actually feel excited (the whole packing thing was a bit of a mental block… needed to get that out of the way!!!). It will be quite an experience going from living rural in Canada (a drive to everything) to an urban European city (and no need for a vehicle!!) We feel extremely lucky to have this opportunity! If you have the chance, GO FOR IT! : )

  17. France. Yep I’d pick France. Luckily I have a standing invite from a friend that lives there & I may get to visit her next summer!!

    Wow that house is AHHHmazing!!

  18. Gabrielle
    If you move to France I will do my best to pay you a visit. And I’ll invite you to visit me too! I live in Toulouse (southwest of France) with my family and I love it. I’m originally from Miami but have been in France for a little over six years.
    The house looks like a dream come true. I hope your tentative plans work out for your family – what an experience!
    Bises, D

  19. That sounds so delightful. My family lived in England for a year when I was in middle school, and it was fantastic. It opened my eyes so much to the outside world. We went to the American School in London, so we didn’t have any adjustment issues with our education. My husband and I are dying to some day do the same with our family– maybe to London or France or Tokyo.
    I can’t believe a house like that in France could ever be affordable!! Truly amazing.

  20. My husband and I talk about living in Costa Rica all the time. Or Holland–which is completely on the opposite spectrum of Costa Rica but just as lovely.

    How fun if both you and your sister moved to France for a year!

  21. Zach and I would Lu-hu-huve to live abroad. We would love to do it in the next 5 years (before our family is too big… even though it looks like you are making it happen, so if we don’t do it in the next 5 years… there’s still a chance!) Anyways, you and your sister are awesome. Seriously, you should just call the realtor (or whoever) and say you’ll take the house. Even if it takes you a couple months to get there, it would be RAD!

  22. Hubby and I have discussed both France and Italy (he works virtual office anyway – and I do freelance writing). My parents lived in Europe when I was young, hubby’s family is from Latin America (he was born in Peru) – AND hubby and I took our school age daughter and infant son to Paris years ago (just 5, I guess) and lived in Montmartre in an apartment for a few weeks (my daughter did her schoolwork every night at the kitchen table, we walked to the corner bakery in the mornings where people got to know us – so nice); we were there with friends who were staying 6 months so … were just with them on the first leg of their trip. Anyway, when we went to NYC a few months after returning, we realized how affordable France – even Paris! – was comparatively. We have most recently discussed Italy where his cousin has a B & B. Good luck with your plans!

  23. I was fortunate enough to live abroad for many years growing up. It really made me the person I am today. I would love to live in either Africa or Australia with my family. Either location would provide so many opportunities to be in nature and to experience difference cultures.

  24. I live on the beach in Hawaii and I sat here for a while trying to to come up with a place. I am thinking someplace like Sweden or New Zealand would be fun.

  25. yes, yes and more yes. my parents sacrificed everything to head to York, England for one whole year with their seven children in tow. we lived in a place similar to your photo + mold and slimy bathrooms. still, it was an adventure that bonded our family like none else. all of us look to that year as a great force of good in our lives; such an incredible experience. if you indeed decide upon it, you’ll have to get loads of encouragement from my mom, http://www.travelinoma.blogspot.com. she’d love to give you some tips. xo.

  26. Japan — I have traveled there with my grandparents, and I fell absolutely in love. It’s clean, accessible, both urban and quaint. The food is AWESOME.

  27. We are down to year 9 of our 10 year plan which ends with us moving the family to France, most likely the South of France….we plan to try for a year and see how it goes!

  28. Dreamy! So nice to hear of someone wanting to do this with a family of 5. We have a 2 year old boy, just found out we are having another boy… and someday I’d like to add a girl in the mix if the universe will let us. My husband and I often dream about moving to foreign lands with the family, but it is also an overwhelming thought moving that many little people with you. If you go, I will anticipate every post to see how your experience is going!

    Good luck and Happy Travels!
    Eva

  29. Oh, this is such a dream of mine. It seems that it will have to wait though as my hubby (who is the main moola maker) actually works in an office in the states with little opportunity to not do that at this point. But…where there’s a will, there’s a way, right?!?

  30. We are probably going to go to Sydney in the next year. My husband grew up in Singapore and wants to leave the US again. His sister and family are in Sydney. I’ve always wanted to live abroad. We decided come January, we will buckle down, look for jobs and get out.

  31. I’ve been thinking about this exact subject. Seeing this blog post made my wife consider me working from home more than she was previously. She’d love to live in France at some point (or anywhere abroad really). I’m happy wherever she is happy.

  32. That would be so awesome! My husband and I have talked about moving to Sweden or Switzerland a few times. We’d obviously have to find jobs and get visas and that sort of thing… but both would be really neat! In the more realistic dreams, we’re thinking of moving to Calgary, Alberta. I have dual citizenship since I was born in Canada. If we stayed there I (and maybe him, not sure how that works??) could get free healthcare and actually AFFORD to have a kid someday! Pretty awesome.

  33. Oh how the world has changed. So many of us can work virtually from anywhere (my husband is in the same boat). Do it while you can – before the kids get in their senior years at school. We have teenagers and it is not as easy to up and go (but only 18 months to go until their schooling is done – but who’s counting!!!). Have fun – dreaming, planning, doing?

  34. I grew up living abroad. We lived in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Spain. I would love to do the same thing with my kids. I hold an EU passport, so working and living wouldn’t be an issue, but convincing my spouse to do it certainly is! For now, I need to be content with possibly spending just summers in Spain. Can’t wait!

  35. Sounds lovely!
    There are so many places I’d love to live. We’ve seriously talked about moving to Belize or Costa Rica but the Mediterranean would be fabulous ,too. All I know is, I’m very tired of NY winters!

  36. I did live abroad with my family! I spent seven years with them in France, and three years with them in Germany :). My parents still live there (for their mission work). I think growing up cross-culturally had a wonderful effect on who I am today :) If you’d like any information on great places to live and visit in France, feel free to contact me!

  37. I could live anywhere for a year! But I do think it would be fun to live in an Italian Farmhouse. France would also be nice. I lived in Hawaii for a year and I think any of the Polynesian Islands would be dreamy!

  38. exactly the question we’ve been pondering for a while!
    we’ve been hopping around for years and this year is living in Siam Reap, thing is, we hav no idea where to go next year! it’s been a never-ending discussion! New Zealand, Ireland, perhaps exotic Bali … definitely not back to france yet ^_^

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