In this video I sat down with Sue (Sue the French TexPat), an American who retired to France and moved to Albi at 66—solo—and yes, with two dogs. We talk through how she landed on France after following the Tour de France back in 2012, and then how she narrowed it down to Albi instead of other cities in the southwest. I love Sue’s energy because she’s a real planner, and she shares the kind of practical, calm step-by-step thinking that actually helps you make a move like this feel doable. We spend a big chunk of time on the reality of finding and securing an apartment in France as a foreign retiree—especially when you don’t have French employment income. Sue explains what helped her build a strong rental file and how tools like Dossier Facile and services like GarantMe can make a difference when landlords want very specific paperwork. We also mention Jinka as a way to streamline the apartment search. And then we get into what Sue called the most stressful part: getting two dogs through the USDA process and across the Atlantic. If you’re retiring to France, moving alone, or moving with pets, Sue’s fresh experience is packed with useful tips—plus watch Part 2 where we dig into healthcare, language learning at 66, and settling into daily life here.