Many midlife Americans fantasize about living abroad—especially when the Orange Monster dominates our thoughts and our country seems to be going the way of the Handmaid's Tale.

But what does it actually take to uproot your life and make the leap?

To help us unpack the realities of expat life, I spoke to Sacha Cohen, a Gen X writer, journalist, and former public relations executive who recently traded the Beltway for the Belle Époque.

After years of dreaming blue, white, and red, Sacha and her husband finally made the move earlier this year, embracing la bonne vie with both eyes open.

Sacha writes A Good Vintage, a Substack exploring midlife reinvention and l'art de vivre. She's an animal lover (currently pet-less but planning for a French poodle), a Francophile, and someone who's learning what it really means to start over in your late 50s.

We talked about:

• The backstory of her move—how years of annual trips to France turned into test-runs in Bordeaux, Rouen, and Dijon before the final decision

• What the French get right: quality of life, work-life balance, prioritizing family and friends, socialist values, healthcare, seasonal food.

• What the French get wrong: toilet paper quality, no dryers

• The challenges Americans don't expect from explaining yourself at the gym to buying sheets and towels

• The truth about making a living in France, ageism without language barriers, and the reality that moving doesn't magically transform you

• Why she loves having no history in Paris—the freedom to reinvent yourself with every new person you meet

• Practical advice for anyone considering the leap: dip your toes in slowly, research relentlessly, learn the language, build community, and be emotionally resilient Sacha Cohen!