"Oops: I Bought a Château in France": Abby's Incredible Journey 🇫🇷 @The Chateau Chronicles

Video Description

What leads someone to leave everything behind and start a new chapter in France? 🏰 In this heartfelt interview, Abigail (“Abby") shares her remarkable journey of resilience, creativity, and reinvention. Abby"s story includes a life-changing event: in 2001, her husband was among the people who never returned from the World Trade Center on September 11th. That moment reshaped her path in ways she could never have imagined. Through writing, art, and time, she slowly rebuilt her life, eventually discovering France, its culture, its language, and the possibility of beginning again. Years later, she took a leap of faith, bought a 12 bedroom château in southwest France, and transformed it into a place for creative retreats, connection, and community. This conversation is about strength, courage, language, culture, and the beauty of starting over at any age. ✨ About Abby : Abi is the creator of Château Chronicles, where she documents her château renovations and life in the French countryside. She's also the author of The Alchemy of Loss. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 📚 Find Abby here: Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@chateauchronicles Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/chateauchronicles/ Website : https://chateauchronicles.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 💬 Learning French or moving to France? I teach expats over 50 real-life French in a calm, confidence-boosting way. ✨ Special: 2 people, 1 screen, 1 price. Write to [email protected] or book a free 30-min call: https://feelgoodfrench.com/book/ 📚 Explore free resources on my blog, private lessons, and small group courses starting every month: 👉 https://feelgoodfrench.com 📩 Sign up to the newsletters to receive learning tips and free content, once a month: https://mailchi.mp/07f424779602/oui-je-veux-ma-dose-de-franais-bi-mensuelle Last but not least, feel free to join our Facebook Group on "Retiring in France": https://www.facebook.com/groups/feelgoodfrench/ ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 : Intro 02:07 : Life Changes and Writing Journey 06:34 : Inspiration for Moving to France 08:09 : Exploring Properties in France 10:37 : Finding the Right Chateau 12:44 : Creating a Community through Retreats 14:42 : Challenges of Moving and Language Barriers 17:38 : Building Connections and Friendships 20:45 : The Role of YouTube in Community Building 23:33 : Reflections on Life Changes and Pursuing Dreams 26:47 : Cultural Values and the Allure of France 30:00 The Retreat Experience: Learn French at the Chateau 33:11 : Learning French Through Real-Life Experiences 38:26 : The Journey of Language Learning 43:18 : Embracing Creativity in Language and Art 49:01 : Exploring the Nuances of French Language 53:03 : Encouragement for Future Expats #movingtofrance #RetiredInFrance #ExpatLifeFrance #StartOverAt70 #LifeInFrance #AmericansinFrance #FrenchDream #LivingAbroad #FeelGoodFrench #GoldenYearsAbroad #FranceRelocation #NewLifeInFrance