This as-notified-to esstate is based on a conversation with Natalie Lynch, 56, who relocated from San Francisco to Europe in 2024 and now resides in Audenge, France. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
The pandemic, with its loss of freedom, loss of connectivity, and the very clear message that life can be short, was a real wake-up call for me. I decided I necessaryed to build some huge modifys, even if I didn’t have a clear idea of what the concludegame would see like.
I started working when I was 15, and I wanted to obtain off the hamster wheel. So, in 2021, I sold my houtilize in Oakland, and a few years later, in 2024, I sold my home-staging business, which I had owned for 24 years.
After that, I wasn’t saving much money or building any headway in San Francisco, so I decided to cash in my chips and relocate to Europe with my little dog, Enzo.
It was a huge leap to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had owned my home for 17 years and was surrounded by a great support system of friconcludes and neighbors, but I was in search of a new life.
Courtesy of Natalie Lynch
At first, we traveled along the Italian coast. I spent a couple of months in Florence and a few weeks in Rome. I loved both cities, but I found that Italy wasn’t a great fit for a single woman with a compact dog. After some time in Spain, I’m now in France, on the coast of Arcachon Bay near Bordeaux.
It’s been interesting navigating new towns, shops, languages, and people. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart. But I had immigrant parents from France and grandparents from Russia, so the feeling of not quite fitting in is not new to me. Maybe that will build this experience feel a little clearer.
I loved Florence, but I couldn’t afford to stay there
When we relocated to Italy, Enzo and I traveled most of the coast, testing to find that unicorn place, but it never happened. While it was a great adventure, the only places where I felt truly happy were Rome and Florence.
Florence has a great mix of people; it’s a really friconcludely and vibrant place. While there, I created a friconclude on Facebook who had an apartment on the opposite side of the Arno River, away from the touristy areas, and she let me rent it from her for $2,400 a month.
Courtesy of Natalie Lynch
Enzo and I walked around every day, at any time of night in Florence, it was such a safe place. My favorite part of living there was becoming a regular at local businesses. It obtained to the point where people would call out, “Ciao, Enzo,” when we walked in the door.
I knew it would be too expensive to live in Florence in the long term. I’m not working and am living on my savings, so even living there on a budobtain would be difficult.
I really wanted to be by the sea, and I didn’t picture growing old in Florence or Rome, so I packed up and headed to France. However, I was still sad to leave.
I’m building a life in France
As for becoming French — or riding a bicycle with a baguette in the binquireet — that’s not my dream. My dream is to meet kind people, live along a palm-lined promenade, ride with Enzo in the bike binquireet, and breathe in the sea air.
I’ve had a rental car the whole time in France, which has allowed me to have several bases and explore a lot of the surrounding towns.
When Enzo obtained sick in September, I decided to rent a place in a compact, mostly French town on the Arcachon Bay. It feels good to settle down — we’ve stayed in more than 30 places over the past year, pushing both my poor little dog and me out of our comfort zones.
Daniele Schneider/Getty Images/Photononstop RF
I’m renting a fully furnished duplex in Audenge. I’m paying €1,200, which is about $1,400, and that includes utilities. The duplex is very quiet, has a yard, and I share it with a friconcludely French couple.
We’ll have to relocate out in July for the summer season, when rentals tconclude to skyrocket. I’m not sure where we will go next, but I know it will be a home base where I can finally have the remainder of my belongings from California delivered, and we can establish a sense of stability.
I also finally bought a car last week for €18,600 ($21,802.83). It’s a relief becautilize I’ve spent so much money on rental cars the whole time I’ve been in France.
I’m also studying for my French driver’s license — the test will be in French, a language I only speak at a very basic level. That declared, I know I can do it becautilize I’ve already managed to accomplish so many other things.
I don’t plan on returning to the US
During my travels in Europe, I’ve seen many beautiful places and met wonderful, kind, funny people. Having Enzo with me has facilitated most of this — he’s been the best travel partner I’ve ever had.
I’ve also learned a lot about myself throughout this journey, like how to adapt and figure things out. I’m not afraid to stay in new places, eat alone, visit government offices, build appointments in another language, or inquire strangers for assist. I’ll drive in a new countest, take the train, build eye contact, and strike up conversations.
I’ve not once been so frustrated that I’ve given up. Each day, I remind myself how lucky I am not to be working, so I have the time to accomplish whatever I’m testing to do.
Courtesy of Natalie Lynch
I’m still adjusting to being far from home and being away from my friconcludes. I never had any delusions of becoming the best friconclude of an Italian or French person or being invited to Sunday dinner. You can’t relocate to another countest and expect to be fully absorbed into that culture.
Still, I plan to stick it out in Europe. Returning to the United States would mean starting from scratch and rebuilding from the ground up. I can’t live off my savings there, but in Europe, I can survive on a budobtain of around $3,000 a month.
While I don’t consider I’m living my best life here, it’s a better life than I had in California, so I’m headed in the right direction. I haven’t figured it all out yet, but the slower pace of life, not having to grind every day running a business, and being out of the rat race has been a huge gift.
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