In episode 76 of Profiles in Franceformation, host Allison Grant Lounes interviews travel consultant and photographer Tadji Kretschmer, who relocated to Paris in 2021. Tadji shares how the 2020 pandemic led her to create an Instagram account, "Inseinely Paris", and to follow her dream of moving to Paris. She also discusses the importance of embracing the local lifestyle and establishing a community, and the challenges she experienced with French bureaucracy.Follow Tadjiwww.travelswithtad...

In this first episode of the 2024-2025 season of Profiles in Franceformation, host Allison Grant Lounes shares practical advice for planning a successful move to France in 2025. Join Allison as she talks through the finer details of some of the more popular visa types, including the various work visas available for self-employed and salaried professionals. The episode also touches on some of the recent changes in French immigration policies and common hurdles in the relocation process.&n...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 FranceHow the buying process worksWhat there is to offer in the...

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...

Welcome to episode 66 of the Profiles in Franceformation podcast. I’m your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and today my guest is author Erin Zhurkin. Erin moved to Paris to follow her husband’s job and has lived in 6 different countries, including France, and she now lives in Seoul, South Korea, with her family. Her novel, Plus-Size in Paris, is out this week, and available on Amazon. Purchase Plus-Size in Paris on Amazon.Follow Erin on Instagram @ErinZhurkinWrites and @plussizeinparisCheck out...

Welcome to episode 65 of Profiles in Franceformation. This week’s guest is Robynne Pendariès, a professional organizer and ADHD coach who found her calling after joining Message, the Paris-based group for English-speaking parents in France. Robynne followed love to Paris after school and discovered her knack for organizing during the early years of motherhood. She is involved with many groups and associations in Paris, including Message and AAWE, the Association of American Women in Europe,...

Welcome to episode 64 of Profiles in Franceformation. This week’s guests are Mark and Kim Jesperen, an author and artist from Maine who fell in love with their home and village in southern France and purchased their French house in 3 days when their trip was unexpectedly extended. Mark Jespersen - Author www.facebook.com/lapetitefantome www.mark-jespersen.com Jespersen & Associates LLC - www.ja-online.com

Welcome to episode 63 of Profiles in Franceformation. This week’s guest is Fiona Warren, a currency transfer specialist with Currencies Direct who moved from the London suburbs to southwest France in 2009. In this episode, we talk about how transferring money has evolved significantly and become much easier and cheaper since the early days, and the different ways you can transfer money internationally so you can pursue your dreams of buying property, starting a business and establishing your...

Welcome to Episode 62 of Profiles in Franceformation! This week, my guest is Marta Hobbs, author of Unraveling: A Woman's Search for Freedom and the Journey of Coming Home, a memoir about her spiritual healing journey. Marta has been an immigrant twice, in very different circumstances. The first time, she was a young girl fleeing communist Poland in a cloak-and-dagger operation, and she arrived in the unwelcoming city of New York, not speaking a word of English, to compound the trauma of...

Welcome to Episode 60 of Profiles in Franceformation. I’m your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day with an episode on a very important topic that can affect any woman moving to France. Sarah McGrath is an Australian woman who volunteered as a advocate for domestic violence survivors at home, before moving to France and becoming the founder of Women for Women France. Women for Women France is a non-profit organization that helps immigrant...

Welcome to Episode 59 of Profiles in Franceformation! I’m your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week, I’m speaking with Charlotte King, my friend, an art history and wine expert, and the co-owner of two companies in France. Bacchus and Clio offers customized tours of France focusing on wine, gastronomy, and French history and culture, while Kira Consultants offers trainings on food and wine to professionals in the restauarant industry. Charlotte moved to France at the same time as me, and...

Introduction: Welcome to Episode 58 of Profiles in Franceformation. I’m your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week, my very special guest is Amy Gruber. Amy is a former educator turned communications consultant who made the decision to begin her Franceformation in January 2020 - right before covid closed the borders. She finally received her Profession Libérale visa and moved from Michigan to Côtes d’Armor, Brittany, in November 2021, where she lives with her dog, Stella, and her cat,...

Introduction: Welcome to episode 57 of the Profiles in Franceformation podcast! I’m your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week, I’m interviewing Daniel Tostado, an American attorney who was a teaching assistant with TAPIF in La Réunion, before attending law school in France and becoming an immigration attorney registered with the Paris bar. Daniel does all kinds of things to serve the American community in France, including hosting a regular free legal clinic at the American Church in...

Welcome to episode 56 of the Profiles in Franceformation podcast! This week, I’m interviewing Maquita Guild-Schwarz, a retired pediatrician who moved to Montpellier, France, with her husband in 1998 after living in Nairobi, Kenya, and 5 other countries. Throughout her time in France, Maquita has joined several volunteer organizations, such as the American Women’s Group, Restos Bébés du Coeur, and Cancer Support France. - Restos Bébé du Coeur Montpellier - Cancer Support France Maquita talks...

Welcome to Episode #55 of Profiles in Franceformation, I'm your host, Allison Grant Lounes and in this episode, I'm speaking with Kylie Lang, a British copywriter, author, and amateur line dancer who lives in the Charente region, and who runs Life in Rural France on Facebook and Instagram.  Kylie talks about… The reasoning behind her decision to move to France after having lived in many different places, and how she and her husband chose to settle in CharentesHer experience of purchasing a...

Welcome to Episode #54 of Profiles in Franceformation, I’m your host, Allison Grant Lounes and in this episode, we speak with one of our Franceformation clients, Ashley Sorci, who pursued her dream of moving to France and who runs a student exchange program between France and the US.  Ashley also tells us about… What initially inspired her to move to France and how she chose to settle in her new hometown of StrasbourgHer experience studying abroad in BordeauxThe feelings and reverse culture...

Today’s very special guest is Kim Mousseron, the very first full-time member of the Franceformation team, as she began her permanent role as an International Mobility Consultant on January 2nd. Kim has a Master’s from Middlebury College, and a rich and varied professional history of teaching, office and administrative work and most recently, as a housing coordinator and administrator in a study abroad program. She is a longtime member of the American Women’s Group of Languedoc Roussillion and...