A French Lens Podcast

It was a particularly dark Halloween night. Thirteen guests shambled into the dining room as we prepared for a dinner that started at 8:15 p.m. In this episode of A French Lens, we walk through the evening. Would we be able to keep up with a conversation that is 95% French. We cover what we understood, what we missed, and what the experience taught us about really living here. If you’re moving to France or have been invited to your first French dinner, this one’s for you.The AirBnB that we first stayed at while in Blois: Our Amazing AirBnB This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

In this episode, Abbie sits down with Jeff for an honest conversation about what it’s like to live in a country where you don’t speak the language and what he left behind. We talk about the nerves of running errands alone, the moments of embarrassment and pride, learning French as an adult, homesickness, and what it means to move across the world for your spouse’s dream. If you’ve ever wondered what the move looks like from the other side, this one’s for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

Have you ever had great expectations for a part of your business only for it to come crashing down once you witness the reality of what you are planning? That's exactly what we experienced when we recently took a trip to Paris to scout locations for photoshoots. The expectation of the city was not the reality experienced. Join us in Luxembourg Gardens, in Paris, as we discuss this challenging realization. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

What is it like to be a client of a new photography business in France? In this episode of A French Lens, we walk through the full experience using a real session: Abbie's first family photoshoot at Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire. We cover how the process works, from the first conversation to choosing a location, rescheduling around overcast weather, and meeting the family at home beforehand so the kids felt comfortable. We also talk honestly about first-session jitters, the camera that wouldn't hold its focus, and the quick call to switch camera bodies rather than stop and troubleshoot. If you're planning a Loire Valley trip and thinking about a photoshoot, or you're curious what it takes to launch a business abroad, this is the unpolished behind-the-scenes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

How much does it actually cost for us to live in France? In this episode of A French Lens, we open up our real spending for September, our first full month living in Blois in the Loire Valley, and compare every category to what we budgeted.We planned for $4,250. We spent $9,279.16 (oof). In this episode we cover our monthly budget line by line: rent, groceries, restaurants and take-out, transportation, cell phone and internet, utilities, insurance, health, cat expenses, and our “guilt free” fun money. We also break down what’s behind our rent, what’s in our “Other” category, and what it costs to support a kid in college in Europe.If you’re budgeting for a move to France, researching the cost of living in France as an American, or just curious what an ordinary month looks like after quitting two stable careers, this is the unfiltered version. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

Our French lease said "furnished," and we still spent $1,668.58 (in total) setting up the apartment. In this episode of A French Lens, we look at what French law actually requires a landlord to provide, what's missing in real life (sheets, towels, a hair dryer, anything that makes it feel like home), and how a carefully planned IKEA list collided with a salad spinner and a very cute coffee mug. We get into the difference between rational and emotional spending, the "do we really need this?" debates, and how living off savings while building a business changes what we buy. If you're about to sign a furnished lease abroad, we'll tell you where we'd double your budget. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

This week, we split up for the first time since moving to France. Abbie traveled to Brussels and Bruges to attend to family matters, while Jeff stayed behind in Blois completely on his own. On paper it sounds like Abbie had the "alone" trip. In practice, she was surrounded by people the whole time, and Jeff was the one facing real solitude. He still doesn’t speak the language fluently and now had no one to lean on if something went sideways. In this episode of A French Lens, we trade places asking the questions: Abbie on what it was actually like managing family and logistics on the road, and Jeff on what a week of true solo living in a foreign country does to your confidence. If you've ever wondered what happens when an expat couple gets separated for a week, this one's for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

Before we moved, we had a spreadsheet for everything — every category planned, every cost estimated. Now that we've actually been living in France for a while, it's time to check that plan against reality. In this episode of A French Lens, Jeff opens up our real numbers: what we budgeted for, what blew past our estimates, what turned out cheaper than expected, and the honest conversation we had to have with each other to reset our plan. If you're budgeting for your own move to France (or anywhere abroad), this is the unfiltered version. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

We spend a lot of time talking about the hard parts of moving abroad — the bureaucracy, the budget, the adjustment. So in this episode of A French Lens, we're doing something different: our real, honest list of favorite things about life here so far. Some we expected. Some genuinely surprised us. Some we still don't fully agree on. If you're curious what actually makes this move worth it — beyond the highlight reel — this is that list. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com

We quit our jobs, packed up our lives, and moved to France together — which sounded romantic until we realized we’d gone from a normal US routine to being in the same room, all day, every day, with nowhere else to go. In this episode of A French Lens, we get honest about the friction that comes with total togetherness after a big move: the arguments that aren’t about the dishes, thoughts on boundaries, and what we think are the steps moving forward. If you’re planning a move abroad with a partner (or just working from home together more than you used to), this one’s for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afrenchlens.substack.com