After a day trip to Carcassonne, Theresa and her husband decided to relocate here from the States. The year was 2009, their children were grown, and the time was right.
She tells us what life is like in this corner of France…
LIOS: What made you choose Carcassonne over any other town in France?
Theresa: We wanted a mid-size town with historical significance and the ability to walk to the train station. We can walk to the train station and take day trips without worrying about a car park.
(Theresa added in a later conversation that she takes the train quite regularly to Narbonne, or other places of interest, on her own and has also flown solo from Carcassonne to take a trip to London.)
Carcassonne has been the perfect choice for us. We enjoy the south of France for weather and cultural events.
LIOS: What are the best things about living in Carcassonne?
Theresa: The best part of living here is the return to a simpler life. We eat healthier foods as we shop every day. A trip to the post office or the bakery is always begun with a greeting of “Bonjour.” We enjoy the attention to detail from restaurants to flowers being wrapped with ribbon.
LIOS: What don’t you like about living in Carcassonne?
Theresa: We thought and thought and couldn’t come up with anything we don’t enjoy. This doesn’t mean that things are always smooth but we make it work.
LIOS: Is the windy weather a problem? Carcassonne is known by many to be windy…
Theresa: It has never been a major concern for us. We appreciate the breeze that cooled our apartment and the fact that we never have to use air conditioning.
LIOS: What type of property do you own, and is it in the Bastide or La Cité? How many months of the year do you spend in Carcassonne?
Theresa: We own a two-story, two-bedroom town house in the Bastide. We spend about five months in total each year in Carcassonne. We are usually in here for summer and then return in the fall and winter and maybe the following spring…
We again thought about how we wanted to live while in France, we have a garage (where we can leave our Citroën deux chevaux of course!), and a small courtyard. It was the first place we looked at and when we realized what our limited budget would buy we knew we had a winner.
LIOS: Do you rent your property out when you are not there?
Theresa: We do not rent out the property. It’s truly our second home (though we have been told we could rent it out).
LIOS: How did you find your property? Would you recommend a particular realtor?
Theresa: Buying property in France is much different than in the United States. It’s important to find a realtor to work with you that understands both markets.
We hired a lovely couple who were realtors and expats. They not only guided us through the experiences but reminded us of the differences and did not allow us to make assumptions based on our knowledge of American real estate.
We stuck to our budget and recognized that finding what we were looking for would need some flexibility. For example, we were able to move in but it has taken some time to make things as we want.
Nothing happens quickly in France, and you must be prepared to relax. Our home is just what we wanted but it is next to a restaurant, which I think was a stumbling block for others; it was a compromise we were willing to make.
The restaurant owners now look out for our property when we aren’t there. Our realtors were worth every penny and are now dear friends.
LIOS: Do you think it’s necessary to learn French in order to get by? Did you speak French before coming here?
Theresa: My husband was born in France and is a French citizen. He has lived in the States for 45 years, and I had never heard him speak French until our first trip many years ago.
He speaks French fluently, but I do not. You need to know some French before you live in a city like Carcassonne, however, you can get by.
We try to speak only French at least one day a week, which we have been told is a good way for me to improve. The experience is much richer when you can communicate… and a little wine can always ease your tongue!
LIOS: Are there any Anglophone expat groups?
Theresa: We’re not aware of any formal expat groups, but we have met many English-speaking people on vacation. One of the reasons for living in an historical city is you will meet English speakers and hear English, especially in the summer.
LIOS: What about the cost of living? How does it compare to back in the States?
Theresa: You can live well for very little in Carcassonne.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are reasonable. Restaurants can be pricey so searching out inexpensive options is necessary but certainly possible. Internet and TV are inexpensive as we don’t have a million channels like in the States.
We don’t use air conditioning so utilities are reasonable throughout most of the year; heat is electric and can be pricey if used constantly. Taxes should also be considered.
LIOS: Could you comment about the availability, price, and quality of medical and dental care?
Theresa: We have not needed medical or dental care. The local pharmacies are terrific for minor issues such as colds. We contacted our U.S. insurer (Blue Cross – Blue Shield) and take paperwork with us if we need medical care in France.
LIOS: What about the surrounding area? Are there particular villages that you would recommend visiting?
Theresa: We would recommend driving through the Corbières Mountains, train trips to Avignon and Toulouse. Limoux is fun at Carnival time. We try to take a Sunday drive in any direction and stop for lunch, we have found some gems that way, Castelnaudary being one that comes to mind. There are some of the aptly labelled “most beautiful villages in France” close by.
LIOS: If you could offer any other insider knowledge to someone considering moving to Carcassonne, what would you tell them?
Theresa: Carcassonne is easily explored in a few days as a tourist, however living here requires a dedication to the French lifestyle.
Bonne route,
Kat Kalashian
Editor, In Focus: Europe
