As I inhale the salty sea air, my soul dances to the beat of North African drums radiating from the distance. The aroma of Spanish paella, kebab, and spicy merguez rises from the bustling market stalls across the street. Fresh local produce, Tunisian leather goods, hand-made lavender soap, it’s all on offer and it’s all within arms reach. I see women wrapped in traditional African cloth, women donning the burqa, and women dressed in high heels and mini-skirts. The world has merged into one. The mix is exotic, eclectic and uniquely Marseille. 

I was about to turn 40 when I decided to bail out of ‘normal’ society. I quit my job, sold my house, car and all of my possessions, and traded my ‘day job’ in favor of a backpack and a one-way ticket to Who Cares. Sound familiar? No doubt you’ve read many stories like this, but in my case, I promise it’s all true! Midlife crisis? Definitely. Regrets? None. 

Here’s what happened next: The short version of a very long story looks like this: I fell in love with a Frenchman (in Australia) who’d told me if I didn’t accompany him to France, I would miss him so much I’d end up swimming to France (from Australia) within three weeks. I probably don’t need to tell you that his proposition sounded entirely ludicrous and deliciously arrogant, which, off course, is why it worked. Hence, based on the fact that I’m a hopeless romantic, and an even worse swimmer, I was forced to succumb and book a cheap plane ticket (all within 3 weeks).

If you’re like most people (including myself) and you’ve never heard of Marseille (much less cared about it), you need to stick around. France’s oldest and second biggest city is about to dust off its bad reputation, slap on a coat of paint and shamelessly seduce anybody that’s unaware of her many charms and delicacies. 

Why? Marseille’s just won the trophy of becoming the European capital of culture for 2013. As I write, I can hear the continuous hum of (not so distant) renovations. Vacant dock buildings and warehouses are metamorphosing into artistic spaces, theatres, galleries and live music venues (hopefully they’ll be done by the time you get here :) 

Best discovered on foot, Marseille offers all sorts of investigative nooks. Perched on a hill, one of its best-kept secrets is Cours Julien. The town’s hippest neighborhood is crammed with cafés, restaurants, avantgarde shops, theatres and street art. Observe local artists creating one of-a-kind jewellery and unusual pieces of clothing in funky warehouse ateliers. 

Le Panier, Marseille’s oldest and most atmospheric quartier is still inhabited, and well preserved. Explore rustic buildings, cobblestone paths, original ceramics, tucked away restaurants, art exhibitions and more hidden treasures including hand made chocolates and Savon de Marseille olive oil soap (traditional soap making is a 600-year-old practice around these parts). In June, the place bursts into life with a free 48-hour live music festival known as the Fete du Panier. People spill out into the street to soak up the music, food, and wine. If you’re a music lover like me, you’ll be interested to know that the eclectic fusion of Arab, African and French culture is responsible for nudging Marseille to the forefront of innovative hip-hop and world music. 

Metaphorically speaking compared to its archrival Paris, Marseille was always the worst house in the best street (though the two cities are entirely different beasts) but that’s all about to change. Without a doubt, Paris has a reputation built on romance, with its awe-inspiring architecture and fashionable Parisians. But what about the heavily inflated prices? The pollution? And that famous ‘look, but don’t touch what you can’t afford attitude’? 

Albeit, the city continues to draw millions of tourists every year. Personally, I prefer the down to earth, laid-back Mediterranean attitude and it seems I’m not the only one. The Parisians themselves are beginning to discover the benefits of venturing south. 

Here’s why: Marseille is the least expensive place on the Mediterranean coast. The weather is superb and on location alone, she’s a winner. France’s largest port is the doorway to North Africa. You can take an over night ferry to Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Paris is only 3 hours by train. Spain and Italy are right next-door. Barcelona is 4 hours by car. Italy takes 2. Trains take a little longer but as far as I’m concerned they’re the best option. It means travel minus the stress and you get to kick back and check out the incredible landscape. I bring a book, some yummy food and as little unnecessary ‘stuff’ as possible. (Freedom and minimalism at its best, but hey, that’s another article altogether.) 

Fact is, almost every country in Europe is easily accessible from anywhere within Europe so you’ll never feel stuck. The hard part is deciding on the best place for your base and I think I can help you with that.

Can I be blunt here? If you’ve ever dreamt of living in France, and you don’t want to live in the middle of nowhere where the sun never shines, (north-west & central France) then this could very well be your last opportunity. I’m so certain of this fact; I’m trying to convince my own mother of retiring here. She currently lives in Australia and I know what you’re thinking, but we’re talking about affordability and quality of life here. With that in mind, I have to admit that France comes out on top. Now, that’s a big statement coming from an Australian girl, but I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. 

There’s only one catch. If you (and my mum) wish to claim your little piece of French paradise, you need to do it before 2013, which is when the rest of the world will catch on. By then it’ll be too late. 

Whether you’re looking for a home or simply a good investment, here’s the scoop. Marseille is the current hot spot and there’s never been a better time than the present. 

Real estate bargains are everywhere, especially if you’ve got some imagination and aren’t afraid of a little elbow grease. Right now, there are steals to be had for less than $100 000 USD. 

If you’re a millionaire you don’t need to know these things, but if you’re like me and always dreamt about the possibility but never thought it achievable, then you do. Like I said, I live a simple life, and I’m writing this for the person who values lifestyle over anything else. I’m living proof that you can have a rich life without the rich price tag. 

Example: We live in a small 50 square meter apartment. The building is a typical 1800’s classic ‘Haussmann’ design. Characteristically, this type of apartment has high 3.7-meter ceilings and floor to ceiling windows and/or doors, which open onto a balcony. Most of the time you’ll also find original fireplaces and antique terracotta tile floors. 

We’re on the 5th floor (and there’s no elevator), which means coming home can sometimes feel like climbing Mount Everest. But if you’re young and/or young at heart and that kind of thing doesn’t bother you, (let’s face it, we can all do with the exercise) then you’re in for a huge surprise. For starters, the higher the floor, the cheaper the price. You get the best view, more light and here’s the good part… You can add a mezzanine, (which is what we’re currently doing.) If you live on the top floor you’re well within your rights to tear down the ceiling and extend. Normally, there’s an extra 2.5 metres of space between the ceiling and the roof, which is legally yours. If you’re a handy person, you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself. Adding an extra 10 metres of space, will cost you around 2-3000 euro but you’ll be increasing the value of your home by around 20 000 euro. If you hire someone else to do it, it’ll cost around 5000 euro plus materials. 

If you want to live near the center, look no further than the 1st or 2nd Arrondissement. We’re in la Joliette, which is 10 minutes from the centre and the port. We have a Sea view and we can walk to the beach, hence, we don’t need a car. A small apartment is ideal if you like to travel. Just lock it and walk away. The bigger the place, the more you need to worry about it when you’re not there. 

To give you an indication of what you’ll find. Yesterday we saw a small apartment at the port - prime location - for 58 000 euro. Today, we stumbled on an artist’s atelier - in the old part of town - for 66 000 euro. They’re both in need of renovation…but you get my drift. 

180 000 euro will buy you a sizeable apartment with a small garden near the Sea. It’s a mixed bag and it all depends on your budget and what you’re looking for. 

Try www.logicimmo.com to study a range of what’s out there. It’s in French, but don’t let that deter you. Do a search on Marseille 1st or 2nd Arrondissement. À Louer means (For Rent) and À Vendre (To Buy). Type in your price range and voila! 

Finally, if cities don’t rock your world and you’d rather explore the southern coast and country, check out the following link. http://www.coastandcountryfrance.com/ You’ll find lots of information about the real estate legalities involved (in English) and if you have any further enquiries, contact Maria Dailler at md@coast-country.com (She’s an English lass married to a Frenchman and with 20 years experience in the French real estate business, she’s as good as it gets.) 

Ok, now that you’ve found your very own place in the sun, you probably want to know how you can stay. I arrived in France without a clue in terms of how things work. My partner had even less of an idea about the legal requirements and practicalities of staying here on a permanent basis. (When you’re in love you don’t worry about all that boring stuff). Big mistake! Costly mistake! 

Simply put, France is a red-tape bureaucratic nightmare. Whether or not we got married in France was irrelevant. Either way, I was required to return to Australia and apply for a long-term one-year spousal visa. In the end it was a lot simpler for us to fly to Australia, get married there, apply for the visa and come back. In fact as a French citizen, all he needed to get married in Australia was a translated birth certificate and a passport. It’s a lot more complicated for a French person to marry in France. Yup. But that’s not where it ends. France is the only EU country whereby marrying a French citizen does not automatically give you any permanent rights. I’m here legally and I can work. But for the next 5 years I am required to check in once a year and continue with the formalities. As far as I know, after 5 years I can apply for a French passport. I’m not complaining. I was lucky enough to kiss the kind of prince that turns into a frog ?  But for most people that’s probably not the case. 

From what I understand, here are the ground rules for moving to France: You can stay in France on a tourist visa for 3 – 12 months without any problems. I you wish to stay longer, you’ll have to apply for a one-year permit and renew it each year until you can stay indefinitely. This can take anything from 3 to 10 years. Bear in mind that after a year, you’ll need to start paying French taxes on worldwide income etc. There’s a lot of information available and everyone’s situation is unique, so it pays to do your research. 

Last but not least, if you want to eat as many croissants as you want then you’ll need to have some sort of income. I’m a classically trained actor. That’s what I did in Australia (when I got the work, which wasn’t too often). I loved the actual work, but hated the lifestyle. Hated what you had to do and who you had to be to get work. Almost every day I’d ask myself what I’d do differently, given the chance. The answer was this. I knew I wanted to be able work from anywhere in the world, on my own terms. I wanted to be location independent. I wanted to be free. But most importantly, I wanted to do something I love. 

You may be lucky enough to have a job like that already. Or a job that easily adapts itself online. My advice is if you don’t, and that’s what you envision, do what you have to do in order to make it happen. Learn the skills. Do the course. Starting over is never easy but it’s also never too late. And dreams can come true but you need to let yourself dream them. If I can do it, anyone can.