Birmingham to rural France sounded like an adventure—until Jackie mistook a bat for a late-night bird and announced, on her very first day, “I can’t do this.” What followed is a warm, funny and deeply honest journey of faith, friendship and finding the confidence to build a new life in an unfamiliar place.

About the Sunflowers Podcast

The Sunflowers Podcast is dedicated to women over 45 who are reinventing their lives under the French sun. Hosted by Jane, we share authentic stories of relocation, integration, and personal growth. Whether you’re dreaming of a French maison or already navigating life in the Hexagon, this is your community for inspiration and practical wisdom.

• Sunflowers Community on Facebook
• Sunflowers Stories Podcast Facebook Page

If you enjoyed this first show of the Sunflowers Podcast, please Subscribe on Youtube and hit the icon so you never miss a new story. Leaving a comment and liking the video helps more women find our community!

If you want to support us more in continue creating podcasts, you can buy Jane a sunflower

View all Sunflowers Stories on Youtube

This podcast was produced with the help of Jane and Kim

Why Kim chose to Move to France from the Netherlands

Leaving a familiar life behind is never just about changing countries. For Kim and her husband, it meant leaving successful businesses, a thriving videography company and years of hard work in the Netherlands to embrace a completely different way of life in rural France.

Like many people who dream of moving abroad, they were searching for something that couldn’t be measured by income alone: more time, a stronger sense of community and the opportunity to create a lifestyle that reflected their values.

About the Sunflowers Podcast

The Sunflowers Podcast is dedicated to women who are reinventing their lives under the French sun.

Hosted by Jane, we share authentic stories of relocation, integration, and personal growth.

Whether you’re dreaming of a French maison or already navigating life in the Hexagon, this is your community for inspiration and practical wisdom.

Free Resources & Links

• Listen on Spotify
• Sunflowers Community on Facebook
• Sunflowers Stories Podcast Facebook Page

Support us

If you enjoyed this first show of the Sunflowers Podcast, please Subscribe on YouTube and hit the icon so you never miss a new story. Leaving a comment and liking the video helps more women find our community!

If you want to support us more in continue creating podcasts, you can buy Jane a sunflower

Want to contact Sunflowers Story with any questions you have? Use our contact form on our homepage.

Sunflowers Podcast Playlist on Youtube

• View all Sunflowers Stories on YouTube

This podcast was produced with the help of Jane and Kim

A New Life in France: Taking the Leap of Faith

What happens when you move to France with a plan… and France has other ideas?

In this episode of Sunflowers Stories, I chat with Cat, who has called France home for more than 15 years. What started with buying and renovating an old French property eventually became something much bigger — a completely new life in France.

We talk about those early days before Google Translate and YouTube made navigating French life quite so easy, the realities of renovating, language barriers, making friends and discovering that the career you had before moving abroad doesn't always fit the life you've created afterwards.

Cat's own journey has taken her from marketing and business development into life coaching, spirituality, intuition and energy work. Along the way, she's learned a great deal about resilience, reinvention and trusting yourself when you don't quite know where the road is taking you.

One thing Cat says sums up so much of our conversation:

“You just grab onto the bit that is a possibility and you go with it.”

Sometimes starting again isn't about having everything figured out. Sometimes it's about seeing what's possible, taking that leap of faith and building from there.

🌻 If you've moved abroad, reinvented yourself, or ever found that life didn't quite follow the plan, I think you'll recognise something of yourself in this conversation.

Watch the full episode and join us for a warm, funny and very honest conversation about life in France, identity, resilience and starting again.

Imagine having a life-changing stroke just days before you're due to sign the papers on a new life in France. Most people would have walked away. Sharon and her husband made a different decision. They came anyway.

In this episode of Sunflowers Stories, Sharon shares the reality of starting over while recovering from a stroke, taking on a renovation project, and rebuilding a life in a new country.

It's a story of courage, determination, resilience, and discovering that sometimes the hardest journeys lead to the most extraordinary chapters.

If you've ever wondered whether it's too late, too risky, or too difficult to follow your dream, this conversation is for you.

🌻 About the Sunflowers Podcast

The Sunflowers Podcast is dedicated to women over 45 who are reinventing their lives under the French sun. Hosted by Jane, we share authentic stories of relocation, integration, and personal growth. Whether you’re dreaming of a French maison or already navigating life in the Hexagon, this is your community for inspiration and practical wisdom.
🔗 Free Resources & Links

View, read and more on our website https://sunflowersstories.com

Sunflowers Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1414096076161344/

Sunflowers Stories Podcast Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590357642336
✨ Support us

If you enjoyed this first show of the Sunflowers Podcast, please Subscribe on Spotify or Youtube and hit the 🔔 icon so you never miss a new story.
Leaving a comment and liking the video helps more women find our community!
If you want to support us more in continue creating podcasts, you can buy Jane a sunflower 🌻 https://ko-fi.com/sunflowerspodcast
📺 Sunflowers Podcast Playlist

View all Sunflowers Stories on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v30wLsW76GQ&list=PLT9cFRDbfS_X2y1yzyRtGtmY10TtUWxhD

In this episode of Sunflowers Stories, I chat with Shelley about a dream that was years in the making and the determination it took to finally make it a reality.Like many people who dream of a life in France, Shelley and her family spent years searching for the right property, wondering if the move would ever happen. Then lockdown changed everything. What had once felt like a distant dream suddenly became a catalyst for action, prompting them to take the leap and begin a completely new chapter.Shelley shares the realities of relocating to France, from the excitement of finding the perfect home to navigating the practical challenges that come with moving countries. We talk about the paperwork involved in bringing large dogs to France, the unexpected hurdles along the way, and the importance of patience when things don't always go to plan.We also explore one of the most emotional aspects of relocation—leaving adult children behind. While many people focus on the adventure of moving abroad, Shelley speaks honestly about the mixed emotions that can come with creating a new life while maintaining close family connections across borders.This is a story about perseverance, patience, family, and having the courage to keep believing in a dream, even when it takes longer than expected to arrive. If you've ever wondered whether your dream is taking too long, Shelley's journey is a powerful reminder that some dreams are worth waiting for.Join us for a heartfelt conversation about finding home, embracing change, and discovering that sometimes the best things in life happen in their own time.

🌻 About the Sunflowers Podcast

The Sunflowers Podcast is dedicated to women who are reinventing their lives under the French sun.

Hosted by Jane, we share authentic stories of relocation, integration, and personal growth.

Whether you’re dreaming of a French maison or already navigating life in the Hexagon, this is your community for inspiration and practical wisdom.

🔗 Free Resources & Links

• Listen on Spotify
• Sunflowers Community on Facebook
• Sunflowers Stories Podcast Facebook Page

✨ Support us

If you want to support us more in continue creating podcasts, you can buy Jane a sunflower 🌻

📺 Sunflowers Podcast Playlist

• View all Sunflowers Stories on Youtube

n this episode of Sunflowers Stories, I sit down with Vicky to talk about what it really means to start over and build a life that reflects who you are becoming.After relocating from Wales to France, Vicky embraced a series of new adventures. From opening a bar and becoming part of her local community to launching Novice to Novelist, she has helped countless aspiring writers find the confidence to share their stories. Along the way, she has also navigated the challenges of relocation, entrepreneurship, publishing, and writing her own books.This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, creativity, and the reality of building a new life in another country. Whether you're dreaming of a move abroad, writing a book, starting a business, or simply wondering what comes next, Vicky's story is a reminder that sometimes the most rewarding chapters begin when you're willing to turn the page.Join us for an honest and inspiring conversation about following your passions, creating opportunities, and building a life filled with purpose.

"If life is too short, why wait? Just do it." 🌻

In this second episode of the Sunflowers Podcast, Jane sits down with Sacha, the entrepreneur behind the charming Rêveries Tea Room in Boussac.

Sacha shares her incredible journey from Northern Ireland to the heart of France, reflecting on how her past experiences shaped the woman she is today.

We dive into the realities of starting a business in a foreign country, the transition from a corporate background to artisan candle making, and the importance of community. Sacha’s story is a testament to the fact that while the "homework" (bureaucracy and planning) is essential, the courage to simply start is what truly changes your life.

In this episode, you will learn:

- How to balance multiple passions (tea and candles!) in a rural French setting.

- The importance of "doing your homework" before moving your professional qualifications abroad.

- Why the French lifestyle is about living for today and "Carpe Diem."

Chapters:

• 0:00 - Welcome to Sunflowers: Introducing Sacha and Rêveries Tea Room.

• 0:47 - Sacha’s Background: Life in Northern Ireland and the journey to France.

• 5:15 - The "Why": Why choose France and how the dream started.

• 11:30 - From Corporate to Creative: Developing the candle business.

• 18:45 - Running a Tea Room: The joys and challenges of a physical shop in Boussac.

• 24:10 - The "Homework" Phase: Critical advice on qualifications and bureaucracy.

• 28:30 - Carpe Diem: Why life is too short to wait for retirement.

• 30:10 - Closing: Tea, cakes, and final thoughts.

  
  

"You don't just move to a country; you find a new version of yourself." 🌻

In this debut episode of the Sunflowers Podcast, Jane sits down with her guest to discuss the courageous leap from a familiar life to a new adventure in France. They dive into the reality of leaving behind established structures to embrace a life that feels more "real."

In this episode, we explore:

• The Turning Point: What drives a woman to leave everything behind after 45?

• The Integration Curve: Navigating the French language, local bureaucracy, and those first awkward conversations at the boulangerie.

• A New Identity: How the challenges of settling in a new culture help you bloom in ways you never expected.

This conversation is an honest, warm, and humorous tribute to the courage it takes to start over. Whether you are already living in France or are still dreaming of your own 'maison', this episode offers the inspiration and sisterhood you need.

Subscribe to join our community of modern-day explorers and bloom under the French sun.