Living the Dream: French Riviera

France as a Non-EU Expat: Visas, Income Survival & Real Stability – Roberta Jubram

What does it really take to build a business in France when you’re not European, don’t speak the language fluently, and have no safety net?
In this episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, Cecile speaks with a Brazilian entrepreneur who rebuilt her professional life from scratch after leaving the yachting industry and settling in the South of France.
After years working at sea, she made the decision to step ashore, only to discover the realities many expats face: low local salaries, language barriers, long commutes, seasonality, and the pressure of securing legal residency as a non-EU national. Faced with limited options, she chose entrepreneurship as a way to survive and eventually build stability.
This conversation offers grounded, first-hand insight into:
Navigating visas and residency as a non-EU entrepreneur in France
Why salaried work doesn’t always add up financially on the Riviera
Launching a business without capital, a showroom, or connections
Managing seasonal income and off-season stress
Building clients through trust, word-of-mouth and reputation
The unspoken social and emotional cost of relocation
Why Riviera life is far less glamorous than it appears
Honest, practical and deeply relatable, this episode cuts through the fantasy of expat life and focuses on what actually sustains a professional life abroad.Living the Dream: French Riviera Podcast Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

From Expat Side Jobs to a Global Business: Scaling a Tech Company from the French Riviera - Catherine Hemingray

What does it really take to build and scale a serious business after relocating abroad?
In this episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, Cecile speaks with a former UK nurse who rebuilt her professional life in France and went on to co-found a global communications and technology business headquartered in Cannes.
Starting with the typical expat mix of side jobs, she shares how necessity, adaptability, and a solutions-driven mindset led to unexpected opportunities: from serving individual expats to working with major international companies across Europe, North America, Asia and beyond.
This conversation offers grounded, first-hand insight into:
Reinventing your career after relocation
Scaling a business from France while serving global clients
Navigating French bureaucracy, employment law, and URSSAF
Building multicultural, multilingual teams
Maintaining strong company culture while growing internationally
Why Cannes can work as a serious business base — not just a lifestyle choice
Practical, honest and deeply informative, this episode is a must-listen for anyone considering entrepreneurship or career reinvention abroad.
https://livingthedreampodcast.com

Pilates, Barre & Nutrition: Reinventing a Wellness Career Abroad - Christine Kjeldbjerg

Staying True to Your Path: Christine’s Wellness Journey from Denmark to the French Riviera.
In this episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, Cecile welcomes Christine Kjeldberg, a wellness expert who has built a thriving career in Pilates, barre, and nutrition since relocating from Denmark nearly 20 years ago.
Christine shares how she turned a lifetime of movement, holistic health, and personal resilience into a meaningful profession on the French Riviera; beginning with teaching Pilates to her elderly neighbours and growing into a respected international wellness practitioner. From early challenges with the French language and navigating local administration to developing a niche as one of the very first Pilates instructors in the region, Christine opens up about the realities of rebuilding a career abroad.
We explore:• How she transitioned from dancer to personal trainer to Pilates and barre specialist• Why balance, between nutrition, movement and enjoyment, is at the core of her philosophy• Her return to full-time studies as a mother of two, completing both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s• The growth of her online and international clientele, including luxury wellness retreats• Her signature kombucha flavour that became a bestseller• The importance of trusting your intuition through every stage of relocation and reinvention
Christine’s story is a powerful reminder that passion and consistency can create a fulfilling life, no matter where you land.
This is the full-length episode. If you prefer the 28-minute condensed radio edition, you’ll find it on the Living the Dream – Radio Edition channel.
Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

How to Rebuild Your Professional Life Abroad: Best Coach Insights from 30 Years on the Riviera - Luus Keser

If you’re considering a move to the French Riviera, or already here and feeling stuck, this episode is a goldmine.
In this conversation, Cecile speaks with Luus, an engineer who went through extensive professional retraining to become a therapist and coach, and who has spent years observing how women adapt, reinvent their careers, and rebuild their identities after relocating abroad.
Luus offers a rare, expert perspective:she has watched many of women arrive in France, struggle with language and confidence, lose their professional identity and eventually find a path that fits.
Drawing from years of therapeutic work with individuals and couples, she shares her most powerful insights on:• why relocation destabilises your career identity• the predictable phases women go through after moving to France• the emotional and psychological blocks that appear during reinvention• the smartest way to handle career change on the Riviera• navigating fear, uncertainty, and the loss of professional confidence• how to rebuild purpose and meaning in a new culture• the role of community, language, partners, and inner work• what she has seen work consistently for long-term success
Grounded, intelligent and deeply experienced, Luus offers some of the most valuable, honest guidance you will hear about career reinvention abroad.
Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

Turning a Passion for Food into a Riviera Business: The Story Behind a Homemade Granola Brand - Ariana Shahbazi

When Ariana moved back to the French Riviera in 2020, she knew one thing for certain: she was ready to leave her corporate marketing career behind. What she didn’t know was what would come next.
In this inspiring episode, Ariana shares how an unexpected conversation at a local market pushed her to explore a completely different path; one that led from colourful hummus to the artisanal granola business she runs today.
As a French Canadian, Arianna arrived fluent in French but eager for a fresh start. After years in Dubai working in HR marketing and questioning whether office life truly suited her, she reached a point where she simply couldn’t return to the corporate world. Instead, she gave herself permission to explore her passions: food, wellness, creativity, and see where they might lead.
Her journey into entrepreneurship was anything but planned. It grew one small decision at a time: signing up for micro-entrepreneur training, trying her first market stall, navigating French hygiene regulations, and eventually discovering that her homemade granola, once “just a family favourite”, was the product people truly wanted.
Ariana’s story is about reinvention, cultural integration, overcoming imposter syndrome, and learning to trust the process. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful chapters begin with a single conversation and a willingness to try.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a small food business in France, shift careers mid-life, or rediscover yourself in a new country, this episode will speak straight to your heart.Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

From Corporate Life to Pilates Studio: Finding Purpose and Clients in a New Country - Mel Morcom

What does it really take to rebuild your career (and your life) on the French Riviera?
In this episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, Cecile speaks with Mel, who first arrived in the South of France as a young newlywed with a corporate career in London. Years later, life took an unexpected turn, bringing her back to the Riviera as a single mother ready to start again.
Mel shares how she went from organising events at Goldman Sachs to opening her own Pilates studio in Valbonne. We dive into the realities behind the glossy postcard image, from language barriers and re-qualifying in France, to building a business from scratch and managing moments when no clients showed up.
Her story explores resilience, reinvention, and finding purpose after a major life shift. It’s also a candid look at the administrative challenges, cultural adjustments, and financial decisions involved in building a sustainable career far from home.
If you’re dreaming of relocating, navigating a transition, or curious about building a meaningful professional life on the French Riviera, Mel’s journey offers both inspiration and honesty.Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

Creating a Language School from Scratch: Building Confidence and a Business on the French Riviera - Catherine Aygen

What does it really take to build a sustainable career in France as a foreigner?In this episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, Cecile sits down with Cat, an English teacher who transformed her freelance work into a fully accredited training centre, now helping hundreds of professionals in France gain confidence in English.
Cat shares her remarkable professional evolution:• arriving in France with no job and navigating the shock of French administration• piecing together freelance work in Paris’ top universities• relocating to the Riviera only to discover a very different job market• deciding to launch her own training company and later a full Qualiopi certified training centre• mastering the complexities of France’s adult-training ecosystem, including the Compte Personnel de Formation (CPF)• strategically using lockdown and an office location to scale her business
Her story is a masterclass in career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and cultural integration.If you're dreaming of moving to France, or already here and seeking a sustainable professional path, Cat’s journey offers rare, expert insight into the real steps required to build a business and thrive.Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

A Jazz Journey from London to the French Riviera: Reinventing a Music Career in the South of France - Lizzy Parks

In this episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, we meet Lizzy Parks, a jazz musician who reinvented her professional life after relocating from London to Cannes.
Lizzy first arrived on the Riviera for a music conference, and within hours, she felt something shift. The sunshine, the atmosphere, the creative energy. It all sparked a life-changing realisation. Within three months, she had moved to France, started learning the language from scratch, and begun building a new life, both personally and professionally.
In this candid conversation, Lizzy shares how she went from feeling isolated and unable to express herself in French to becoming a well known figure in the region’s vibrant events world. She explains how she rebuilt a music career in a new country and a new language, the booming Riviera events scene and how she carved her niche, the power of community, visibility and confidence when starting again abroad, the cultural challenges that surprised her the most.
Lizzy’s story is warm, honest and full of practical wisdom. A testament to creativity, resilience and the courage to leap into the unknown.Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com

Buying Property in France: What Every Foreigner Needs to Know - Jo Franceschini

In this first episode of Living the Dream: French Riviera, Cecile welcomes Jo, a real estate agent who has spent nearly two decades guiding international families through the complexities of buying property in France.
Jo shares what most newcomers never expect: the impact of French inheritance law, why buying under the wrong status can create long-term complications, and what actually happens from the first viewing to signing with a notaire. She also shares the unexpected challenges of settling into local life, from making friends to realising that the Mediterranean isn’t made for surfing.
Whether you’re dreaming of a house with a terrace, planning a move for work in Sophia Antipolis, or simply trying to understand how French property really works, Jo’s practical advice and personal experience offer a rare, honest guide to starting again in the South of France.Living the Dream: French Riviera Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France.https://livingthedreampodcast.com