Our French Journey: Big News and Big Challenges

[@lollygee172]

Every time I watch you both I get ‘homesick’ fur my future home. You’re allowing me to revisit several of the towns and villages I fell in love with on my recent visit. I too liked the idea of being close to but not in Agen for the train options. If you haven’t already, visit the cathedral next time. It’s gorgeous…

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Ooh thank you … yes will explore! Love the fact you’re homesick for a new home to be!

[@amandavanasselt]

Brilliant news re the talent visa, so excited for you x

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you! We need a good chef any ideas?? 😂 x

[@jamesbenjamin8078]

Fair play to you squire…….as another french dweller, I share your views on giving to the community in which you live. Good luck with it!

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

So very much appreciated… thank you!

[@HomesteadInFrance]

Great news to get the visa and also to create the new club! Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you, we are sooo excited! Happy New Year!

[@anniedodds8150]

Interesting news about the new Yacht club. My other half often went to the Yacht club before he left Jersey and we’ve been there for meals on trips back… small world 😊

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Aha we must have met! After being on the house committee there, Maria also became club manager after the big refurb I did… small world indeed!

[@anniedodds8150]

@@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance Maybe, although he left Jersey in 2005. Also he says he has ‘history’ with the Yacht Club… he didn’t elaborate 😂

[@LivinCindysLife]

I'll bet that some framed prints of your lovely wildlife and nature photos from the river would provide beautiful artwork to adorn the walls of the new yacht club!🤔

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

What a lovely thought! Yes I had better start taking some more!

[@rachel-b8d]

Congratulations on your exciting news! (I’m a fan of anything to do with boats!)

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you! We are just so happy at sea or on rivers! :)

[@aurevoirpet-ourfrenchlife6772]

What an exciting venture for you both. Bringing a bit of Jersey back into your lives. No doubt it will be bloody hard work to start with but hopefully when it’s in full swing you’ll be revelling in it. Well done and bonne chance🥰. Maria, you missed a good shop in Agen. If you ever go again it’s called Jennyfer. I got some cracking combat trousers there once. Good prices for the clothes and style wise a bit like an H&M relative 😂

[@Maria_Hall]

I know the shop you mean. I’ve bought trousers similar there. Shopping with Richard and Albie has to be fast unfortunately 🤦‍♀️🥱😆 xx

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Just watched your trip to Spain! Lovely episode have left a comment. Happy New Year!

[@aurevoirpet-ourfrenchlife6772]

@ thank you. We had a lovely time. Hope you did too 😁

[@Wilsons_World]

Saint-Omer, really good beer 🍻

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

It’s a fab little pub!

[@Anyone4music]

Wow ! Great News, that sounds very exciting .

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you!

[@familygoexplore]

Congratulations both :D this is very exciting! Happy Christmas :)

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you, yes we are sooo excited! Wishing you a very happy new year! :)

[@shaunah.8605]

FFT 😂 Congratulations on the new visa, what a fantastic opportunity! I was also going to ask about the sirens but i saw your answer above. Yes, what a world.

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you, it’s too good an opportunity to miss! Yes strange times for us all!

[@jamesw9093]

Great news Rich, can't wait for the yacht club to open. I'll be there daily for my latte!

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

It is good news, i just hope i can arrange enough muscle power to achieve a spring opening! 😅

[@jamesw9093]

@ Is an ambitious deadline. We want Richard to finish our wall before you employ him!🤣

[@amandagrigg871]

Super video thank you and merry Christmas xx

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and we wish you a very happy new year! Xx

[@jeanmas4197]

So jealous for that cassoulet. I think after 25 years in USA I'm finally starting to get homesick (or it's the orange buffoon effect perhaps). Anyway I need that cassoulet so I'm moving back in 2025 or 2026.

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

It was soooo good! Yes move back! 😊

[@nickbuhaenko-smith3280]

That”s great news. We live in Pinel-Hauterive and would be interested talking to you about joining / assisting / what the club will offer. I would really like to learn how to sail a small dinghy

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Yes please let’s talk, early days but we will need as much help as possible. The Base nearby also do sailing training. I’m hoping we can help each other by encouraging more sailing on the lot. It’s a vast wide river so perfect to learn on. Please do email us on [e-mail] so we can swap details in the new year. 😊

[@kochenundbacken70]

Very nice video. Wish you merry Christmas!!

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Thank you, wishing you and family a very happy new year!

[@Jean-LucGrosgeorges]

bonjour, après le cassoulet vous n'étiez plus à jeun à Agen. le célèbre mot de Cambronne commençant par M pour vous portez chance pour votre club (vous avez la licence pour l'alcool ?). Merci pour la balade et joyeux Noël

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

merci beaucoup. nous allons avoir besoin de beaucoup de chance pour nous aider à démarrer ! le cassoulet était superbe. joyeux noël à vous et à votre famille :)

[@Jean-LucGrosgeorges]

@@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance merci beaucoup

[@Kitiwake]

Sounds like a multi million Euro project.

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

I hope not, I fear we would break the bank! 😂

[@kerouac2]

Excellent news about the yacht club but I hope that you have understood enough about 21st century French culture to know that you cannot just make this a refuge for wealthy expats. You very much have to include the locals in all of their diversity, create social programmes for local youth and maybe even finance some language training for the employees. And try to include some old timers in your plans or they will turn against you, and that would lead to disaster;

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Actually yes very much so, the club is in four tiers, rowing, fishing, boating and social. Cadets for sailing and rowing will be very much encouraged and supported. In my last club with money raised we sent cadets all around the world. Actually we have very few wealthy expats around us so the aim is to be very local :)

[@susansawatzky3816]

@@Maria_and_Rich_NewlifeinfranceI am so excited for you👍👏👏

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

@@susansawatzky3816thank you, should be fun!

[@tral403Hrytw]

Do you really need to speak fluent french to move there? I assume it would help a lot right!

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

You don’t need to be fluent to move to France, but having some basic French definitely helps, especially in rural areas where English isn’t as commonly spoken. It’s amazing how far simple phrases like bonjour, merci, and excusez-moi can go in daily life. But whilst we are still learning, we can already see that learning french does make a huge difference building relationships with locals, and feeling more integrated into the community. As said. we’re still very much still learning ourselves-it’s a journey, and thankfully, the French are quite understanding (and often amused!) by our efforts. So no, fluency isn’t a must, but a little effort goes a long way-and it’s so rewarding when you see progress! 😊

[@tral403Hrytw]

@@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance thank you. Love your channel.

[@tral403Hrytw]

@@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance thanks. So if you want to fly, where do you usually fly from? Paris? And do you have to drive or take a bus?

[@retirement-adventures]

Why is France on high alert?

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

@@retirement-adventures Following the March 22 terrorist attack in Moscow, Russia, the French government elevated its Vigipirate national security alert system to the highest level. It’s remained the same since so the sirens are tested everyday at noon.

[@Wilsons_World]

@@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance didn’t know that 🤔

[@Sayitlikitiz101]

Wott?

[@Maria_and_Rich_Newlifeinfrance]

Which wott? 😂