For the season finale - YES! the last episode before we take a little break -  I talk with the lovely Amy Carter who moved to France in 2018. She opened a gite - Le Bezy - with her husband James and then 6 months later lockdown happened. She tells us the process of setting up a gite in France and we talk about what it’s like to live and work with her husband. They are both passionate cyclists and it allows them to explore their new home and also meet new people. 

Amy talks about their love of the French way of life and how they always planned to move here - even if they didn’t really speak French. The more seasonal rhythm - generally in France and with a gite - and they are now able to be entrepreneurs and create their own life/work balance. 

We cover veganism and finding vegan cheese in the land of traditional cheese, rocket yoga and becoming a yoga teacher. Amy is sunshine incarnate and I hope this conversation brings you some warmth and laughter!

I am French is hosted by Karen French (yup, that’s my real surname) 

Interweb info: 

Karen French
Website  www.karenfrenchinfrance.com
IG / FB  @iamfrenchpodcast

Amy Carter
Website: Le Bezy
IG: @amy_le_bezy_pyrenees

Selected Resources from this episode: 

• Where their gite is located
• Rocket Yoga training

Wanna be a Frenchie insider? Get the I am French podcast Newsletter here!

For this Australia Day, I sat down with the fabulous Andrew Prior of, wait for it...Andrewpriorfabulously! Well, I got tripped up by the teacher’s strike so it’s a day late. Note to self: get organised. ha!

So, Andrew moved to France from Australia with his husband 4 years ago and after first being based in Paris they moved down to Nouvelle-Acquaitaine near Poitiers just before the first lockdown.  

We chat about life before he came to France and how he starred on MasterChef Australia. Having always been a foodie the show changed his life and afterwards, he started running food tours. The plan was to continue doing that here in France but with the pandemic, he pivoted to creating a cooking show on YouTube. 

Andrew talks about living in the countryside and how he incorporates French cooking into his life and cooking show. We talk about his dream to start a cooking school, there’s a story about a cat petting cafe in Japan, taking his Kitchen Aid as carry on luggage and finding out about the first confinement in the supermarket. Andrew is hilarious - Dad jokes and all - I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. Enjoy all the fabulousness!

I am French is hosted by Karen French (yup, that’s my real surname) 

Interweb info: 

Karen French 

Website  www.karenfrenchinfrance.com

 IG / FB  @iamfrenchpodcast

Andrew Prior

 Website: andrewpriorfabulously.com

 IG: andrewpriorfabulously

 YouTube: andrewprior

Selected Resources from this episode: aaand Fact check!

• History of Australia according to Wikipedia. The French had arrived 2 days before Janurary 26th 1788 but I think the British had already landed in Australia since the year before 1770. 
• Same sex marriage in Australia: December 2017, France: April 2013, UK: March 2014.
• Michelin star chef Joel Robuchon info
• Famous butter region Charentes Poitou
• Chef Rachel Khoo
• Food writer and cook Nigella Lawson

Wanna be a Frenchie insider? Get the I am French podcast Newsletter here!

Shannon Pratuch is an American who fell in love with France on a work trip and then strategically planned her move here over the following years. Having closed her business in the US Shannon made the leap to live in France and dove into the immigration and visa process all whilst setting herself up here in France.

Shannon gives great advice about how to find the right home and area of France for you - not just the logistics and budget considerations but the emotional elements of how we navigate moving to a new country.
POST RECORDING NOTE (2023): Shannon no longer works in Real Estate so do enjoy her advice but she's no longer working in this industry.

We talk about city and country life, making friends with French and English speaking people and how she recommends people rent before they buy. 
There’s so much great insight in this episode and not just for immigrants such as, ‘Change is not something to be afraid of’, and ‘Never make assumptions’. Wise words. Enjoy!

I am French is hosted by Karen French (yup, that’s my real surname) 

Interweb info: 

Karen French 

IG / FB  @iamfrenchpodcast

Shannon Pratuch

Website: thisfrench.life

IG: @thisfrench.life

YouTube: Thisfrench.life

Selected Resources from this episode:

• Discover the town of Beaune

PLEASE NOTE: Shannon no longer works in Real Estate

Wanna be a Frenchie insider? Get the I am French podcast Newsletter here!