cooley communications

For decades, the thought of living in France existed quietly in my imagination-a dream deferred by responsibilities, obligations, and life’s practical realities. But overtime some kindled dreams do come true. After tying up loose ends, releasing long-held commitments, and overcoming certain obstacles, I chose to change my life, finally answering this call that persistently tugged at my heart.

In the fall of 2023, with my faithful Chihuahua, Colonel, a suitcase, and limited French, I boarded a train in Paris, France, on a solo three-week scouting journey to explore six distinct French cities, each offering its own rhythm, beauty, and promise. I wasn’t traveling as a tourist-I was searching for a place to belong. From cobblestone streets to quiet neighborhoods steeped in history, each stop brought clarity, choices, and self-discovery. And then, like magic, I found it: the medieval city that grabbed my heart and felt so much like home.

This book, Six French Cities, marks the beginning of my French journey-the moment a decades-old dream shifted from longing to certainty. It is a story of courage, determination, reinvention, and listening to that inner voice that insists it’s never too late to begin again. In choosing France, I paved the way toward a new life, and this is where that story truly starts.