They didn’t just retire in France.
They didn’t move for a job.
They built a real, working part-time life in France — on their own terms.
Meet Kasha and Kelly Williamson. One’s a former engineer. The other worked in corporate leadership. They’re based in Western North Carolina most of the year — but come spring, they head to Sospel, a tucked-away cycling paradise in the southern Alps, just 35 minutes from Monaco.
There’s no expat bubble. No five-star Paris hotels. No cargo container of furniture shipped across the Atlantic. Just two people who figured out how to integrate, affordably and fully — through the language, through Workaway, through neighbors who became family.
“We wanted the opposite of the tourist version. We wanted to live in France, not just look at it.”
From Dream to Daily Life: How They Made the Part-Time France Life Happen
Before Sospel, before any visas or village fêtes, there were years of dreaming. Returning again and again to France. Following the Tour de France. Practicing verbs. Saving money. Taking notes.
They didn’t rush into buying a house or committing to a visa process. They tested. They returned. They got creative. And slowly, it turned from a dream into something much more grounded: a rhythm. A lifestyle. A second home.
Learning French Was Their Entry Ticket to the Village
Language wasn’t optional. It was the door. And they chose to walk through it.
Kasha had four years of high school French in her past. Kelly had none. But after their honeymoon, he became obsessed. He bought Rosetta Stone. He studied hours daily. They made French their language at home in France. They even argue in French now.
They didn’t start fluent. One of them barely remembered high school French. But they went all in.
“I studied one to three hours a day, every day, for years. It took eight years to feel fluent.”
“We speak French at home. Even when it’s hard. That’s how we made friends, joined village life, and even play pétanque weekly.”
They’re now deeply integrated in their local community — even helping host village festivals.
Workaway: How They Traveled and Lived in France Without Working Illegally
Before buying a home, they explored France using Workaway.
They traded help with renovation projects for free room and board — legally, and with rich cultural immersion.
“We spent 2.5 months staying with six different hosts. It was better than tourism. It was a free French school.”
From Visitors to Homeowners: Buying in Sospel
Sospel wasn’t a plan. It was a feeling. They were cycling through the village when it hit them.
A friend offered help — part loan, part partnership — and the house hunt began. They wanted mountain views, a garden, and enough space for guests. In 2019, they found it: a stone home tucked in a quiet corner of the southern Alps.
After years of returns, they bought a house — with a little financial help from a close friend.
“It just hit us one day — coup de cœur. This village was it.”
“We didn’t want noise. We didn’t want city life. We wanted mountains, cycling, and community.”
Now they live six months a year in a 700 sq ft stone house with a 300 sq ft guest studio. They grow vegetables. They host friends. They wake to church bells and river sounds.
HomeExchange: How to Make the Part-Time Life in France Affordable
When they’re in France, they rent out their Asheville-area home. When they’re in the US, they use tools like HomeExchange to travel or reduce costs in France.
“HomeExchange is a game changer. You don’t need to pay for lodging. You just swap or use points.”
“It’s safe, legal, and makes the part-time lifestyle sustainable.”
👉 Want to try HomeExchange? Use our promo code deborah-f339e for a discount or bonus points.
What a Real Part-Time Life in France Looks Like
Forget the Instagram filter. Here’s the daily rhythm they live by in Sospel.
This isn’t a fantasy. This is their actual day:
- Mornings: Café au lait, pulling weeds, chatting with a neighbor over the garden wall
- Afternoons: A loop ride into the mountains or a swim across the Italian border
- Evenings: Aperitifs with locals, cooking with produce from the potager, and sunset pétanque
“Our life in France is slower, deeper. We even dress better over there.”
Their Best Advice for Anyone Who Dreams of a Part-Time Life in France
It’s not just about visas or village charm. It’s about your mindset — and what you’re willing to let go of.
- Don’t wait to be fluent. Start with what you have. But learn.
- Go off the tourist track. That’s not where real life happens.
- Start with Workaway or HomeExchange. You’ll save money and meet people.
- Build relationships. Language is the key.
- Don’t overthink it. Just start.
“It’s not easy. But it’s so worth it. The part-time life in France changed us completely.”
Want to Start Your Own Journey?
f you’re dreaming of your own version of this life, you don’t have to guess your way through it. I can help you do it right — with the language, the logistics, and the mindset to actually integrate.
Watch the full interview with Kasha & Kelly here: Watch the video
👉 Curious about others making the leap? Don’t miss this emotional conversation with Christy on her journey to retiring in France: Retiring in France – The Real Emotional Journey (Interview with Christy)
👉 Join my group classes for practical French that helps you integrate, not just conjugate.
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