top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon

Never too late for new French start

You recently featured people starting afresh later in life (February Edition), so here is my story.

On a house hunting trip to France I bought a wreck of a farmhouse, with a hole in the roof, no hot water, no toilet, no heating or kitchen and mushrooms growing on the ceiling. I did not know anyone and did not speak French.  

I slept on the floor and bathed in a children’s paddling pool by candlelight. I spent my time scrubbing with bleach, painting and decorating. The garden needed work and I planned to cover some of it with gravel.
On the Portsmouth ferry I met the man who was to become my future husband. After many phone calls it was time to visit him in the South of France. Weeks later he bought me a wedding ring.

At Fiji airport my fiancé saw a dress he wanted to buy for me. Later, aged 61, I married my soulmate on the beach in Barbados wearing that dress.

We returned to France, where we built our dream home to spend our golden years, happy in retirement together.

Evelyn ROXBURGH, Tarn-et-Garonne

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Income Tax in France 2023 (for 2022 income)*
Featured Help Guide
- Primarily aimed at Britons, covers pensions, rent, ISAs, shares, savings and interest - but also contains significant general information pertinent to readers of other nationalities - Overview of online declarations + step-by-step guide to the French printed forms - Includes updates given automatically after this year's site opened
Get news, views and information from France