Real Advice for Americans Making the Move to France

Video Description

What happens when an American family decides to start over in rural France and ends up helping others do the same? In this episode, we sit down with Raina and Jason from @BaguetteBound, an American couple who made the bold decision to relocate to southwest France in 2022 with their young daughter, Juliana. They weren’t running away from anything. But they were definitely searching for something. Space. Time. A bit of simplicity. A different rhythm of life. What started as a personal life reboot quickly turned into something much bigger than they expected. These days, they’re helping fellow Americans take the same leap. They didn’t land in France speaking fluent French or clutching a flawless five-year plan. Like most of us, they made mistakes. They just rolled with it. Bought a house earlier than they probably should have. Got through the admin. Navigated the school system. Took part in village life. And they shared it all on YouTube. Before long, Baguette Bound became more than a channel. It became a support network for others looking to do the same. In this episode, we chat about what it really means to leave behind life in Colorado and Houston and build something completely new. Not just a house, but a home. In a country where everything from the language to the lunch breaks takes a bit of getting used to. This one’s all about reinvention, resilience, and the unexpected joy of saying yes to a slower, fuller life. Because it’s not just about moving. It’s about rethinking what matters. For Raina and Jason, the French countryside offered far more than just a new address. It gave them perspective. They started letting go of expectations. Redefined what success looked like. Found community in the most unexpected places. Their daughter thrived. They got fluent in life’s little details. And somewhere along the way, they realised the real magic of moving abroad isn’t just about geography. It’s about growth. Now, through Baguette Bound, they’re helping others do the same. With honesty. With humour. And a lot of heart. 🇺🇸 What You’ll Hear About: • Why they left the US and what drew them to France • The myth of the “perfect French village” and why the people matter more • Family ties and time zones ... how to stay connected across continents • Their daughter’s school journey and why a “repeat year” in France might be a gift • Making friends with locals and fellow immigrants • The visa process - What they wish they’d known • Their advice for new movers and why renting first may be wiser • Starting Baguette Bound ... And how one idea became hundreds ⸻ ✨ Key Themes: • Language: Learning French as a family and how their daughter became the fastest learner of all • Location: The unexpected joy of settling in a village they had once avoided • Community: Finding balance between the international crowd and the local French way of life • Parenting Abroad: School life, friendships, identity and cheese speeches at garden parties • Purpose: From life coach and corporate to first-time YouTubers guiding others across borders ⸻ 💬 What Stays With You: What makes this story so rich isn’t just the challenges or the triumphs... it’s the honesty in the middle. From their early missteps (yes, they bought the house before really knowing the area) to the beautiful mistakes that shaped their life, Raina and Jason offer practical advice and warm reflection. Whether you’re in the dreaming phase or already planning the move, their story is packed with insight, encouragement, and a healthy dose of humour. ⸻ 🎉 About Baguette Bound Raina and Jason created Baguette Bound to help others navigate the move to France, especially Americans. What started with a few YouTube videos is now a full-on support system with consults, community, and real tools for relocation. 👀 Subscribe to their channel → https://www.youtube.com/@BaguetteBound 📩 Work with them → https://www.baguettebound.com ⸻ 👋 About Us: We’re Richard and Maria, a British couple who swapped island life for river life — and now share our experiences from the heart of southwest France. We run a riverside B&B, make YouTube videos about life here, and every other week, sit down with people who’ve made the move to France, expats, immigrants, families and couples, to find out how they did it. 📍 Learn more or come stay with us: 🌐 https://villa-la-rive.com 📧 [email protected] 📸 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Villa.la.Rive ⸻ 🔗 Related Videos: • Why Americans Are Moving to France → https://youtu.be/XIMQLFCJSdk • From California to France: Freeways or Prune Beer? 🚨🍺 → https://youtu.be/ewx2x3ponY8 • We Moved to France for a Better Life → https://youtu.be/Xv4ylO0wVcQ ⸻ #movingtofrance #americansinfrance #baguettebound #expatlife #lifeinfrance #familyinfrance #newlifeinfrance #relocation #francetravel #frenchdream #interviews #realstories #immigrationjourney