Emigration Stories
Real stories from Dutch people who made the move
Henk & Wilma (56)
Amersfoort → Dordogne
After 30 years in Amersfoort we traded our terraced house for a fermette in the Dordogne. The best decision of our lives.
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Fleur (28)
Amsterdam → Parijs
As an illustrator I dreamed of Paris. With a micro-entreprise and a studio in Belleville that dream became reality.
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Bas & Nienke (38)
Rotterdam → Montpellier
Moving to the south of France with three kids seemed crazy. But the Ă©cole publique, CAF allowances and outdoor life made it the best choice for our family.
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Maarten (44)
Leiden → Saint-Émilion (Bordeaux)
From Leiden hospitality to a wine estate near Bordeaux. Setting up a SARL, understanding French business culture and turning my passion into a profession.
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Corrie (68)
Den Haag → Apt (Provence)
Moving to Provence alone at 67. Everyone thought it was brave, I thought it was necessary. The Sécurité Sociale takes care of me, the life keeps me young.
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Sander & Lotte (32)
Utrecht → Lyon
As auto-entrepreneurs in Lyon we combine remote work with French life. Good wine, lower costs and a language that opens doors.
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Jan & Marie (62)
Groningen → Dordogne
From an upstairs flat in Groningen to a chambre d'hôtes in the Dordogne. We now fund our retirement with hospitality and gâteaux.
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Lisa (34)
Eindhoven → Nice
As a software engineer I moved from Eindhoven to Nice. Sophia Antipolis is Europe's Silicon Valley, and the CĂ´te d'Azur is my backyard.
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Pieter & Sylvie (47)
Breda → Colmar (Elzas)
Sylvie is French, I'm from Brabant. After twenty years in the Netherlands we chose her homeland: Alsace. Two cultures, one family, zero regrets.
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Eva (26)
Nijmegen → Toulouse
After my bachelor's in Nijmegen I chose a master's in aerospace engineering in Toulouse. Airbus, CNES and student life the Netherlands can't match.
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Theo (71)
Haarlem → Lot (Cahors)
The light in the Lot is different. As a painter I sought inspiration, as a retiree I sought peace. In Cahors I found both.
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Daan & Sophie (30)
Amsterdam → Chamonix (Franse Alpen)
From canals to glaciers. We traded Amsterdam for Chamonix and started an outdoor company at the foot of Mont Blanc.
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Ingrid (52)
Tilburg → Normandië (Calvados)
My dream of a campsite in Normandy became reality. Three gîtes, ten camping pitches and a cider orchard that enchants the guests.
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Robin (22)
Delft → Nantes
After my culinary training in Delft I went to Nantes for an apprenticeship at a Michelin-starred restaurant. French cuisine can only be learned in France.
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Annemiek & François (45)
Den Bosch → Ardèche
François is French, I'm from Brabant. Together we bought a ruin in the Ardèche and built our dream home stone by stone.
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Marloes (39)
Zwolle → Bretagne (Finistère)
As a nurse I moved to Brittany. Getting my diploma recognized, arranging the carte vitale and working in a hôpital — it was an adventure.
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Jeroen & Petra (55)
Arnhem → Languedoc (Carcassonne)
From hobby brewers in Arnhem to vignerons in the Languedoc. Our own vineyard, our own cave and an AOC label — every wine lover's dream.
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Kim (36)
Enschede → Strasbourg
As a policy advisor at the European Parliament I moved to Strasbourg. International career, French comfort and a unique border city.
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Hendrik (75)
Apeldoorn → Loire-vallei (Amboise)
At 73 I moved to the Loire Valley. The château gardens, the mild climate and a life among the roses — my last great adventure.
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Tessa & Marc (41)
Hilversum → Baskenland (Bayonne)
With two children to the French Basque Country. Surfing, pelota and an école bilingue — the perfect adventure for a family that dares to live differently.
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Anouk (43)
Rotterdam → Corsica (Ajaccio)
From the Maas to the Mediterranean. In Corsica I combine diving lessons with yoga retreats — a life impossible in the Netherlands.
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Rick & Ilse (35)
Leiden → Annecy (Haute-Savoie)
With a newborn to Annecy. The lake, the mountains and a micro-entreprise in outdoor photography — our life as a young family in the Alps.
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Gerrit (58)
Almere → Provence (Nyons)
From project leader in Almere to olive farmer in Nyons. 200 olive trees, a moulin and a stall at the marché — the simple life I always sought.
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Joyce & Thomas (33)
Utrecht → Parijs (Île-de-France)
Thomas was transferred to Paris by his bank. Together we navigated the jungle of Parisian rent, the préfecture and life in the city of light.
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Sandra (49)
Maastricht → Marseille
As founder of a social cooperative I moved to Marseille. Raw, honest and vibrant — the city nobody expects and everyone is surprised by.
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