Our Big Move To France

Rouen and Lille

When we came to France, we landed in Nantes. It’s a great city, vibrant with cyclists and art, culture and fantasy. But it doesn’t feel like home. So we have been researching other towns, and eventually packed up the kitties and headed out to explore Rouen and Lille.

I had picked Rouen due to all its incredible history and the city’s efforts to preserve its medieval buildings and streets. Terry picked Lille due to its investment into bicycle infrastructure and its location, sitting right smack at the intersection of rail lines to Paris, London and Amsterdam.

Rouen: Our first stop was Rouen, city where Joan of Arc was tortured, tried and burnt alive by the English armies. Her image is everywhere.

From the narrow cobbled streets, the hewn timber houses, to the fortified stone walls, Rouen is preserved in time. There is so much just to look at, it felt at times overwhelming and dizzying.

We stayed in a quaint, quirky, musty old home, in the neighborhood where Paul Gauguin had once lived and painted. We walked to the nearby subway, or just walked all the way to the historical city center, as we quickly learned just how close we were to everything.

Part of the interesting and dark history was the Black Plague, which killed 2/3 of the population. They dug a mass grave, filled with bodies and lime, surrounded by buildings to house the not-yet-dead. The timbers of these houses are carved with skulls and digging implements.

Although the town is incredibly rich in history, and the best vegan meal we’ve ever had, I felt dark, foreboding and heavy in this town of tragedy. I don’t think I could live there.

Next up was Lille. Lille proved to be open, bright, and a perfect mix of the historical and modern. The bike paths are wide and miles are speared from the car lanes. So smart. With a primarily Socialist led government, the investment in public infrastructure is clearly evident. And tons of green spaces!

They were breaking down and clearing out all the Christmas markets, so it was a busy time for civic workers.

The town of Lille is actually pretty small but the surrounding villages have been incorporated into a kind of big city, all served with incredible public transportation and connectivity.

The bus systems and trams are efficient and well relied upon. We took a train out to Roubaix, of pro cycling fame, and found it was a quick 20 minute ride, just inside the Belgium border… a nice area for possible relocation.

In the end we were excited about Lille and will be moving there in a couple of weeks. Initially staying in an Airbnb near the city center, we will be exploring areas and looking at apartments. Hopefully we’ll find our permanent place by mid- March!