IN TODAY'S ISSUE #4
(See past issues here)
📍 Hidden Gem: Vire Normandie — A countryside gem with charm, hills, and hearty food.
🏡 Affordable Find: A 24-acre estate with a renovated home, gîte, lake, and land — all for €394,699.
🎓 Workshops + Webinars: Two sessions coming in September — my TMB hike stories and an expert chat on running a gîte.
📺 France Must-Watch: A timeless Rick Steves journey + a 4K walking tour of Normandy’s retirement gem.
👋 Personal Update
We’re leaving Tuesday to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc! 🏔️
Flying from Charlotte to Munich, then to Geneva.
I’m excited, a little nervous, and a little bummed about the weather forecast—but rain or shine, it will be an adventure.
Thanks to everyone who joined our recent live session with Valerie Aston on making money in France as a retiree—we covered everything from running a gîte to working remotely with U.S. companies.
I’ll be hosting another live session after the hike to share photos and stories. Details below!
Let’s get into it –
📍HIDDEN GEM - Vire-Normandie
Vire Normandie sits in the heart of Calvados, surrounded by rolling hills, hedgerows, and the kind of bucolic scenery that makes you want to slow down and breathe deeply. It’s a historic town with roots going back to the Middle Ages, yet today it blends countryside calm with modern conveniences.
The town itself is known for its medieval ruins, bustling market, and specialty food: andouille de Vire (a local sausage with a big reputation). Outdoor lovers will find walking trails, rivers, and panoramic viewpoints across Suisse Normande, just a short drive away.
Despite its rural feel, Vire is well-connected. It has its own train station, putting Paris just about two hours away. The town has all the essentials—shops, cafés, a hospital, and plenty of cultural events—and yet prices remain far more accessible than in larger French cities.
If you dream of space, views, and the slower rhythms of rural Normandy, Vire-Normandie could be the perfect fit.
📍 Fast Facts: Vire Normandie
🚉 Train Station: Gare de Vire — ~2 hours to Paris Montparnasse
✈️ Nearest Airport: Caen-Carpiquet (CFR) — about 1 hour drive
🏥 Nearest Hospital: Centre Hospitalier de Vire — right in town
🛍️ Amenities: 🛒 Grocery 🥖 Bakery 🍷 Bars/Restaurants 🌳 Trails 🎭 Local festivals
🚴 Cycling: La Vélomaritime runs through Vire (to Mont St. Michel!)
👣 Walkability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Compact town center; hills in surrounding countryside
🧺 Weekly Market: Yes — every Friday (one of the biggest in the area) 🌦️ Climate: Mild oceanic — cool winters, pleasant summers, plenty of green
*Anything underlined is clickable 🔗
🏠 AFFORDABLE FINDS
✨ 24-acre Normandy estate with home, gîte & lake – €394,699 (~$430,000)
This remarkable estate just outside Vire offers country living at its finest.
The property includes a beautifully renovated 4-bedroom stone farmhouse with exposed beams and panoramic views, plus a fully modernized 3-bedroom gîte perfect for guests or rentals.
Add to that a stocked fishing lake, wooded land, pastures for horses, and total privacy down a long driveway.
Despite its rural feel, it’s only 10 minutes from Vire’s shops and train station, and just an hour from Caen’s ferry terminal.
A rare blend of seclusion, charm, and practicality.
⁉️ DID YOU KNOW?
Vire’s famous sausage—andouille de Vire—is so iconic that it has its own annual festival. It’s a smoky, hearty specialty that locals pair with cider for a true Norman feast.
🎓 Workshops + Webinars
🏔️ Tour du Mont Blanc Stories & Photos (with Tommy!)
Fresh from the trail! Join me as I share photos, stories, and lessons learned from hiking the legendary Tour du Mont Blanc.
📅 Sept. 17th
🕖 7pm EST
No registration required
🏡 How to Find & Run a Profitable Gîte in France (with Rupert Springfield, from The Gîte Guru)
Dreaming of running a gîte? Rupert Springfield, known as the Gîte Guru, will share insider tips on choosing the right property, attracting guests, and making it profitable.
📅 Sept. 29th
🕛 12pm EST
No registration required
📺 France Must-Watch
Enjoy these beautiful, free videos I found!👇
🎥 Rick Steves - Normandy: War-Torn Yet Full of Life
Oldie, but goodie. This is the full Rick Steves episode on Normandy. Excellent.
👉 Watch it here
🎥 Vire-Normandie 4K Walking Tour
I find these 4K walking tours both relaxing and engaging. Just like you're there!
👉 Watch it here
🇫🇷 One Step Closer to France
That’s it for this week. Whether you’re dreaming, planning, or already packing—we’re in this together.
Until next time,
Tommy
PS - I may not have coverage to reply to emails while on my hike. Don't think I'm ignoring you!