North Carolina to Biarritz
Alex Gaines moved to the south of France in 2013 for studies and surfing, and has never looked back
Alex Gaines, 42, from North Carolina, first moved to the south of France in 2013. He decided to do his MBA in Nice, persuading his wife to come with him.
After his studies, he took his wife, a keen surfer, to Biarritz, in south-west France, one of the country’s top surf destinations.
“We loved it,” said Alex. “When we came to Biarritz we looked at each other and said: ‘We don’t want to go back.’"
“It’s a wealthy area but it’s a bit more humble. We had the mountains, the ocean, gastronomy, security and safety, and that’s all you are looking for, in my view, for quality of life.”
He also appreciated the Basque culture and the pride people take in their heritage.
Finding work in Biarritz
Having decided they wanted to move to Biarritz, Alex was faced with the challenge of finding work.
“It's not easy, to say the least, but my wife and I were determined so we knew the sacrifices we needed to make.”
Today, Alex is a partner and director of real estate company Prestant. He helps buyers find properties in Biarritz, Paris and Bordeaux, working with mainly French, but also international, clients.
He advises other Americans thinking of making the move to really know their reasons for doing it and to find their niche when looking for work.
“You have to find where you can best serve the local labour market and you have to position yourself as a unique proposition…. an addition rather than a risk.”
It was by claiming chômage (unemployment benefit) in France that Alex was able to get into real estate.
“That was my bridge from a salaried position to an independent position – that doesn’t exist in the US.”
“There is a bit more humanity in the way things operate – for example, healthcare, social safety nets. I made my American dream in France because the French government helped me with so much.”
“I wanted to build my own life in France around quality of life, independence and adventure and those are very strong rewards for me that allowed me to overcome the challenges – uncertainty, language problems, visa problems.”