I loooved. Must become a book. You are so brilliant and funny and … do NOT waste anymore time. Write this jusqu’au bout and publish a book. Will become a splendid Netflix show etc. I know it.
I devoured it. There it was when I woke and by the second large cup of espresso I have finished the first chapter and desperately want more. While a completely different context from my life, your story is familiar.
Just found your substack. I really enjoyed you sharing your story. I'm moving from near Boulder, CO to Bayeux, Normandie in August 2025. I wonder how crazy I must be to give up my Colorado mountains and 300+ days sunshine. My life is very good (and comfortable - maybe too comfortable) in Colorado, why mess up a good thing? But here we go...
what brings you out to bayeux? i have a really strong sentimental connection to boulder. it's where my dad lived his last years of his life, in a super sweet little guest house right on boulder creek west of town on the road to nederland.
(i may have that geography wrong. it was right on the banks of a legit rushing river and about ten minutes by car--more if you obeyed the ridiculous speed limits--from the whole foods.)
I always said living in Boulder is like being on permanent vacation, it is a very special place, I'm glad your Dad got to enjoy it.
I moved to Boulder when I was in early 40s after my son went to college. Bought a house and did all the Boulder things (climb, mtn bike, ski, etc.) I met a guy that lived in a town on the outskirts of Boulder and after 16 years dating, I finally agreed to move to the outskirts of Boulder and get married.
Here's the short version of how Normandie happened. My husband, a huge history buff, went to the 60th D-Day celebration in 2004. He FELL HARD for Normandie. For the next 10ish years when we did a big vacation we would do Paris and Normandie.
Around 4 or 5 years ago (when we had lots of time during the pandemic) he would spend hours searching the French real estate websites, amazed at the cheap prices, the history and character of the old buildings. He floated the idea of retiring to France. "It's SO cheap! it's SO green! There is SO much history!".
Me, why would give up CO?? And Normandie is rainy and doesn't have mountains.
But, I'm one for trying things that scare the hell out of me. (learned to moto race when I was 40 and learned to pole vault when I was 58) And I dare say, our life is a bit too comfortable. I could finish out my days skiing and mtn biking my ass off, or I could move to a country when I speak French like a 4 year old (been learning for 4 years) and really push myself to grow and have experiences I would never have being in my CO comfort zone.
The last 4 years we've been traveling to France visiting many locations. And after much resistance, I really came to appreciate Normandie. It has such a calm vibe, the people are so nice (it makes me emotional to think about). So we comprised, he would give up the dream of a Norman farmhouse in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of outbuildings/acreage and I would give up my mtns if we could live in a town that had a train station.
Shockingly, during our visit in May 2024 - we found a townhome if Bayeux that we both liked and agreed to. We closed in Sept 2024 and are quitting our jobs this summer and home to be there permanently late summer.
Ok, I’m now completely obsessed. How wonderful that we’ve escaped the glossy magazine gulag to write what we want, when we want, in the tone that we want—and you, my friend, are brilliant. As someone else noted below, this is a book. And then a Netflix show. Keep going, can’t wait for the next installment.
Damn Alexandra can't believe I haven't seen this until now. Great stuff and nice to see how you're doing. I'm making my exodus from Paris as well next month to the proche-banlieu. Paris just isn't viable any more.
Spectacular! Can’t wait for the next installment! Xx
will read all the things you write regarding your life…and your mom does interior design?!? what’s not to love here?
since i was 5 and she's occasionally still at it, at 80+. you cannot keep a good woman and her graph paper down.
Alex, I am late to the party. This is so good and I am about to binge my way up to present day. ❤️
happy to have you on board, lady! xoxo
Well I, for one, am riveted. ❤️
I loooved. Must become a book. You are so brilliant and funny and … do NOT waste anymore time. Write this jusqu’au bout and publish a book. Will become a splendid Netflix show etc. I know it.
Grosses bises
Brandusa
Oh Brandusa I love you.
AGREE!!!
I devoured it. There it was when I woke and by the second large cup of espresso I have finished the first chapter and desperately want more. While a completely different context from my life, your story is familiar.
Oh. Oh. Oh.
The longer we live the more “interesting” it gets, n’est-ce pas?
Just found your substack. I really enjoyed you sharing your story. I'm moving from near Boulder, CO to Bayeux, Normandie in August 2025. I wonder how crazy I must be to give up my Colorado mountains and 300+ days sunshine. My life is very good (and comfortable - maybe too comfortable) in Colorado, why mess up a good thing? But here we go...
what brings you out to bayeux? i have a really strong sentimental connection to boulder. it's where my dad lived his last years of his life, in a super sweet little guest house right on boulder creek west of town on the road to nederland.
(i may have that geography wrong. it was right on the banks of a legit rushing river and about ten minutes by car--more if you obeyed the ridiculous speed limits--from the whole foods.)
I always said living in Boulder is like being on permanent vacation, it is a very special place, I'm glad your Dad got to enjoy it.
I moved to Boulder when I was in early 40s after my son went to college. Bought a house and did all the Boulder things (climb, mtn bike, ski, etc.) I met a guy that lived in a town on the outskirts of Boulder and after 16 years dating, I finally agreed to move to the outskirts of Boulder and get married.
Here's the short version of how Normandie happened. My husband, a huge history buff, went to the 60th D-Day celebration in 2004. He FELL HARD for Normandie. For the next 10ish years when we did a big vacation we would do Paris and Normandie.
Around 4 or 5 years ago (when we had lots of time during the pandemic) he would spend hours searching the French real estate websites, amazed at the cheap prices, the history and character of the old buildings. He floated the idea of retiring to France. "It's SO cheap! it's SO green! There is SO much history!".
Me, why would give up CO?? And Normandie is rainy and doesn't have mountains.
But, I'm one for trying things that scare the hell out of me. (learned to moto race when I was 40 and learned to pole vault when I was 58) And I dare say, our life is a bit too comfortable. I could finish out my days skiing and mtn biking my ass off, or I could move to a country when I speak French like a 4 year old (been learning for 4 years) and really push myself to grow and have experiences I would never have being in my CO comfort zone.
The last 4 years we've been traveling to France visiting many locations. And after much resistance, I really came to appreciate Normandie. It has such a calm vibe, the people are so nice (it makes me emotional to think about). So we comprised, he would give up the dream of a Norman farmhouse in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of outbuildings/acreage and I would give up my mtns if we could live in a town that had a train station.
Shockingly, during our visit in May 2024 - we found a townhome if Bayeux that we both liked and agreed to. We closed in Sept 2024 and are quitting our jobs this summer and home to be there permanently late summer.
Voilà
that is so exciting! bienvenue!
There will never be enough Alex Marshall writing in the world. It's good that you're dropping these on a schedule because otherwise I will binge-read.
awwww. xoxo
Ok, I’m now completely obsessed. How wonderful that we’ve escaped the glossy magazine gulag to write what we want, when we want, in the tone that we want—and you, my friend, are brilliant. As someone else noted below, this is a book. And then a Netflix show. Keep going, can’t wait for the next installment.
thank you thank you! and considering the source, high praise. xoxo
Glossy magazine gulag. Cracks me up!😂😂😂
Damn Alexandra can't believe I haven't seen this until now. Great stuff and nice to see how you're doing. I'm making my exodus from Paris as well next month to the proche-banlieu. Paris just isn't viable any more.