In episode 74 of Profiles in Franceformation, my guest is Sophie Hargreaves, owner of La Petite Ferme d'Alpaga - a small alpaca farm in Sanzay, located in the Deux Sèvres in the western French countryside. Sophie, along with her husband Will, moved to France to start their alpaca farm in the period between COVID and Brexit. They are now the proud parents of a small herd of alpacas and, more recently, one human child.

La Petite Ferme d'Alpaga welcomes guests and parties, has an on-site gîte, offers glamping experiences, and also sells gorgeous products made from soft alpaca wool.

https://www.lapetitefermedalpagas.com/
Instagram: @lapetitefermedalpagas/

In episode 73 of Profiles in Franceformation my guest is Lacey Bertrand-Reilly, the new Franceformation Team Member. 

In this episode, we discuss how Lacey ended up living in France, and why they have opted for Countryside living over the Big City Lifestyle. 

You will also hear:

💜 Why a courtesy robe or scarf is a top tip for people using the healthcare system

💜 What career advice and tips Lacey would give to those embarking on work in France

💜The challenges applying for French Nationality

💜Lacey’s role and involvement in Your Franceformation. 

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode! 

In episode 72 of Profiles in Franceformation my guest is Michael Yuille, a British financial advisor living in the south of France near Toulouse.  After deciding to move to France with his family, Michael became aware of the many challenges people face when trying to do retirement and financial planning while living abroad. 

British and American clients, and clients of other nationalities, struggle to understand the financial and tax implications of their move, and strict regulations normally prohibit financial advisors from working outside of their own country withoutn Special Certifications. In this episode, we'll discuss the most important aspects of financial planning for an overseas move, and Michael, who is certified in France, the UK, and the US, can help.

You will also hear:

💜 Why they ended up moving to France?

💜 What led Michael to helping people with their finances

💜 How ‘Hand holding’ helped him with relocating to France

💜What you can put in place before you move to France to help protect your finances

💜 How to avoid costly mistakes

💜 What Michael’s top 3 tips are for people before they move to France

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode! 

In Episode 71 of Profiles in Franceformation. Allison is joined by Jacqueline Menoret and Maria Laura Ribadeneira. Jacqueline studied abroad in Montpellier and then at the London School of Economics before marrying her French husband and working in higher education in Paris.

She founded the Immigrant Book Club in 2020, where she was soon joined as a co-host by Maria Laura, who is originally from Quito, Ecuador, and who studied at Vassar College. Together, they have recently launched Versions Originales, a multilingual literary review in Paris. 

In this episode, you will hear:

💜 Why they ended up moving to France?

💜 Why they don't identify with the term 'expat'

💜 Maria Laura's experience of moving from Ecuador and how that differs from the process of moving from the US

💜how the book club started and how it led to their literary review

💜 How they aim to bring bilingual people together. 

💜 What French Traditions they love and what they love about living in France

To find out more about Jacqueline and Maria Laura's Literary Review, you can visit their website https://revueversionoriginale.com/ or follow them on instagram @revueversionoriginale

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode! 

Welcome to Episode 70 of Profiles in Franceformation. I'm your host, Allison Grant Louness, and this week our guest is John Frederick. John worked in government and lived many lives in the U. S. before coming to France as a visitor to follow his dream of living in Paris. Since arriving, he's written multiple books, including Prosperity Now and Paris Histories and Mysteries.

After living in Paris for several years, John began working with us so he could work as a life coach in Paris, and the epic tale of the administrative hurdles we had to jump through to change his status will go down in Paris Histories and Mysteries.

To find out more about Joanna you can visit her website here:https://www.johnafrederick.com/

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode! 

Welcome to episode 69 of Profiles in Franceformation. I'm your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week my guest is Lounes, and this week my guest is Joanna of Happy Hugs. Joanna is originally from Romania, and she moved to the UK, where she trained as a doula, and then to France with her French husband. She now helps pregnant women navigate the French healthcare system during pregnancy, hosts birth preparation classes for first time moms, and has multiple free resources for English speaking women to prepare for pregnancy and for giving birth in France.

Today, we'll talk about the challenges of navigating maternity care for English speaking women in France who are used to different systems and options, and the resources she has for any woman planning to have a baby in France. 

To find out more about Joanna you can visit her website here: https://happyhugs.fr/

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode! 

Welcome to episode 68 of Profiles in Franceformation. I'm your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week my guest is Fabricio Carminati, a real estate agent and creator of French Riviera House Hunting. His goal is to help English-speaking property hunters find the right property and navigate the process of buying their new home in France with ease.

Fabricio talks about:

• How he started helping Americans find their dream homes in France
• How the buying process works
• What there is to offer in the French Riviera
• Handy hints and tips to help you purchase your dream home in France. 

To find out more about French Riviera House Hunting, you can find all the details here: https://linktr.ee/frenchrivierahousehunting

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode! 

Welcome to Episode 67 of Profiles in Franceformation. I’m your host Allison Grant Lounes, and this week, I’m back with Lisa Vanden Bos, who has been a pillar of the American community in France, since she arrived three decades ago.

Lisa launched FUSAC in the 90's, a print magazine that was the go-to resource for English speakers in Paris to help them find jobs, housing, and much more. Lisa has also recently launched Bill and Rosa's Book Room, a used English bookshop at Poitou Sacou. 

Listen to Lisa's story and love for France including…

• Why her Mother's scrapbook inspired the move to France
• How the business developed and the challenges they faced. 
• Navigating Retirement in France
• How Lisa navigated the citizenship process
• How Lisa created a French life. 
• The plans for the book shop
• And much more...

If you are considering moving to France, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon. 

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode!