IN TODAY'S ISSUE

📍HIDDEN GEM: The Luberon - hilltop villages, vineyard valleys, and sun-soaked Provençal scenery that makes “someday” feel suddenly doable.

🏡 AFFORDABLE FINDS: Two affordable-ish stone properties in The Luberon. One has a pool. The other, sweeping valley views.

📜 TAX, VISA, HEALTHCARE: Not healthcare, but getting healthy: walk, hike, and cycle your way to better health (at any age).

📺 FRANCE MUST-WATCH: A stunning, 4K video tour of the Luberon and it's idyllic villages.

TRAVEL TO FRANCE WITH ME? ✈️ 🇫🇷👇

I’m planning future Retirement Retreats in France and would love your input — this quick 60-second survey will help shape them.

Take 60 seconds and join the others who chimed in! 👇

Results will determine the format of future retreats.

👋 Personal Update

The greatest joy I get from this newsletter is watching you actually take action on your French dream—and this week delivered.

• Simone got her visa approval and is leaving for France in May.
• Steve, a former consulting client, moved to Annecy last August and is living life at full volume—he emails me his adventures regularly. I’m jealous. I’m also grateful. 🙏
• Barry and his wife moved to Troyes in February and told me they’re “pinching ourselves daily that we are here for good.” That line never gets old.
• And one power-couple got the green light on their finances and will retire early—54 and 52—in France. (D & B, you legends.)

Want to be next?

Your move to France doesn’t happen by “someday-ing” it to death.

It happens when you turn the dream into a plan—and get the right people in your corner when you hit the inevitable speed bumps.

That’s exactly why I’m opening the doors soon to France Fast Track™ Masterclass Week.

In just one week, you’ll understand the full process, know the exact steps to take next, and have a clear roadmap for who to contact when you get stuck.

Plus, you’ll connect with other participants in the Fast Track—smart, motivated people who are also turning “someday” into a date on the calendar. 🗓️

Spots will be limited for this first round—so if you want in, click the button below to join the waitlist.

Alright, on to the newsletter...

Affiliate Disclosure​
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📍HIDDEN GEM - The Luberon (Provence)

If Provence is the dream, the Luberon is the “how is this place real?” version of it—a protected regional nature park packed with hilltop villages, vineyards, olive groves, lavender country, and that golden light that makes even a grocery run feel cinematic.

It sits in the Région Sud (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur), roughly between Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Manosque.

What makes the Luberon special is the variety in a relatively compact area: medieval perched villages, Roman ruins like Pont Julien, dramatic ochre landscapes around Roussillon, and wide-open valleys threaded with small roads and farm stands.

The park stretches across 77 communes over about 185,000 hectares, with a living, year-round feel—not just a summer postcard.

Outdoors, you’re spoiled for choice.

If you want the “I’m really doing this France thing” experience, look at the GR®97 Tour du Luberon—a long-distance loop that you can tackle in bite-sized sections (or not-so-bite-sized, if you’re feeling ambitious).

Prefer wheels?

The Véloroute / Voie Verte du Calavon offers a safer, mostly non-motorized cycling route through the heart of the region, with classic stops and scenery along the way.

Accessibility-wise, the Luberon is easy to reach and easy to day-trip—especially if you base yourself near gateways like Avignon TGV or Aix-en-Provence TGV, then explore by car (or bike, depending on your legs and your optimism).

The region is also recognized by UNESCO designations (biosphere reserve and geopark), which is a fancy way of saying: it’s protected for good reason.

And yes—it can be pricey in the headline villages.

But retirees and buyers who do best here usually play it smart: enjoy the famous names for weekend outings, then explore the less-hyped villages for better value and a more local rhythm.

Same sunshine, fewer tour buses, often more house for the money.

📍 Fast Facts: The Luberon (Regional Nature Park)​
👫 Population: ~176,500 residents across the park territory
🗺️ Size: 185,000 hectares (457,145 acres)
🏘️ Communes: 77​
🚉 Train Access: Avignon TGV / Aix-en-Provence TGV are common gateways (best explored by car once you arrive)
✈️ Nearest Airport: Marseille Provence (MRS) — typically ~1 to 1.5 hours by car depending on where you’re staying
🏥 Hospitals (in/near region): Centre Hospitalier du Pays d’Apt (Apt) and Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Cavaillon–Lauris (Cavaillon)​
👣 Walkability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (very walkable within villages; between villages, a car helps—hilltop terrain is common)
🧺 Weekly Markets: Yes — many. Apt market is the biggest weekly market in the Luberon and runs Saturday morning year-round​
🌦️ Climate: Mediterranean-Provençal—hot, dry summers and generally mild winters (varies by elevation)

AFFORDABLE-ISH FINDS 🏠

2 Bedroom Stone House With Pool Near Gordes €499,000 (~$570,000)

Tucked away in the peaceful countryside near Gordes, this fully renovated single-level home (83 m²) combines Provençal charm with modern comfort. Inside, you’ll find a bright living area with an equipped kitchen, two comfortable bedrooms, and a stylish shower room, plus a welcoming entryway and plenty of built-in storage.

Outside, enjoy an easy-care garden, a terrace, and your own swimming pool, along with two private parking spaces. A rare find in this sought-after area—ideal as a primary home, a lock-and-leave second residence, or a strong seasonal rental opportunity.

Stone House With Sweeping Panoramic View Over The Luberon €583,000 (~$665,500)

This approx. 120 m² dry-stone village house sits on a 360 m² plot and serves up sweeping panoramic views over the Luberon.

Tucked into a quiet, sought-after setting, it’s just a 5-minute walk to the village center of Gordes—the perfect mix of peaceful retreat and everyday convenience.

TAX, VISA, OR HEALTHCARE TIP 💡

Okay, I’m bending the rules this week—in the best way.

Instead of a tax/visa/healthcare tip, let’s talk about something that helps all of those: staying healthy enough to enjoy France when you get there.

Here are three spring-friendly activities you can do at almost any age, plus why they matter:

1) Walking (the underrated superpower)

• More steps are consistently linked with better health outcomes, including lower risk of chronic disease and death.
• And it’s not just physical: a large systematic review found that higher daily steps were associated with a lower risk of depression.
• Bonus: walking is one of the easiest ways to hit the general guideline of 150 minutes/week of moderate activity (think brisk walking).

2) Hiking (walking’s scenic older cousin)​
Hiking gives you many of the same benefits as walking—plus you get time in nature, views most people never see, and that “I did something today” feeling that sticks. And France? It’s basically a giant invitation to lace up your shoes.

3) Cycling (kind to the joints, great for the soul)​
Cycling is lower impact than running, and it’s still one of the fastest ways I know to feel like your 10-year-old self again—wind in your face, brain turned down, joy turned up.

And here’s the France-specific kicker: France makes all three easier.

• Walkable villages and city parks
• Well-marked hiking routes (hello, GR trails)
• And dedicated cycle paths in regions like the Luberon (including routes built along old rail lines)

A simple “start this week” plan:

• Walk 10–20 minutes daily (at a brisk pace).
• Add one longer weekend walk or light hike.
• If your joints complain, swap one walk for an easy bike ride.

No perfection required. Consistency wins.

FRANCE MUST-WATCH 📺

VILLAGES of LUBERON - FRANCE (From Gordes to Cucuron: visit of the most charming villages in 4K)

The Luberon, a picturesque region in the south of France known for its medieval villages, lavender fields and green hills.

We start our visit with Gordes, one of the most beautiful villages in France, with its narrow streets, stone houses and medieval castle. We continue our discovery with Roussillon, famous for its ocher cliffs and colorful houses.

Finally, we end our visit with Cucuron, a peaceful and charming village, with its famous basin, its belfry the "Clock Tower" and its ramparts.

That's it for this week's issue.

À bientôt,

Tommy

PS - Don't forget to join the France Fast Track™ waitlist!