Moving to France: a 5 suitcase adventure just two years ago

I always find when you are getting ready to depart on a holiday the days seem to pass slowly.  Then two days before departure, time races with so many last-minute things to do, select what makes it into the five suitcases, bills to pay, take the dog to the in-laws, old clothes to throw out, that then you wish you had another day or two. 

Our Moving to France, trip was two years ago, yet it feels just like yesterday. This is what I wrote about the experience at the time.

Moving to France Suitcases

The trip was going to be particularly interesting as not only are we leaving for three months but we are travelling amid another Covid outbreak (omicron).  It is apparently less life threatening than the previous strains but it makes getting on a plane challenging.  Declarations are to be signed, international COVID certificates printed and then the Rapid PCR test five hours before departing.

At least once we get on the plane we don’t have to quarantine in France. It has been two years of work and living life in a familiar routine, familiar places, the beach, beautiful home. Idyllic really but to grow you need to expand your horizons.

For our girls, four and five years old, my dream is for them to learn French and experience French culture like a native. After all, they are half-French. I know my husband is ready to go. He has been ready to expand our business for 2 years and now wants to get his feet on the ground. For me, I am starting to get a bit excited.  It was twenty-five years ago that I spent some time in Nice (40 minutes from Le Tignet where we are staying) and now I am going back to live with my husband and two daughters. For me to live overseas was always a dream. While I have travelled widely the opportunity to live overseas has never presented itself.

Moving to France: The day had finally arrived

My eldest daughter woke up at 4.30a.m, backpack-ready and was very keen to get our new adventure underway.  We were not being picked up by my father-in-law until 9.00 a.m. and there was still a lot to do.  More boxes were to be stored in the roof and perishable items in the fridge were to be removed.  I wanted the house to be generally presentable for any future tenant. By the time my father-in-law arrived, I was feeling rather exhausted.

The trip over the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a highlight for the girls.  The express freeway had been cordoned off for an event, so we had to weave our way through the city.  I was able to show the girls the big office where I was doing some work with a client, the Opera House and even the restaurant where Papa and Mama had their first date.

My husband said:

When she met me ten years ago that was the happiest day of Mama’s life”.  To which I replied, “It certainly was and I am grateful every day”.  My father-in-law laughed.

We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to have our COVID testing done. We had managed two years without having a COVID test so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  The girls were a bit scared and both sat on my knee to have the tests administered.  I was impressed by how professional they all were, the whole process only took five minutes.

The wait for the result was two hours.

Torture.

Like waiting for an exam result.

Pass: you get to board your flight.
Fail: you are back home to self-isolate for seven days and another 14 days before you can fly again.

With young children, time tends to pass quickly as they are hungry, want to go for a walk, go to the toilet and ride on top of the suitcase trolley ready to be checked.

The next minute a text message chimes through. We were all COVID-positive, except for Louane.

My husband had said to me at the airport, that while we are not travelling today, there is a reason why and there will be a silver lining.  Typically, I would have been more upset, but I was tired and thought that perhaps a two-week reset in the sun by the pool, saying goodbye to the only home our girls had ever known was what we all needed.

Two weeks did seem like a long time and then just like that, we were off to the airport again.

Documents were checked, our five bags were ready (I was sure we would have to pay for excess luggage) and this time our tests were negative.  Sipping a glass of champagne in the lounge, I knew our months of preparation were about to become a reality.  I let myself feel excited again.  The excitement was not just for a holiday this time, but a real living experience one from which we may not be returning for a while.

For as long as I can remember I had wanted to live overseas.  Now was an opportunity to experience for myself a real French life with my husband and two daughters. Flying out of Sydney I did not feel sad at all, not even a tiny bit.

Have you ever considered moving to France? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.

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