Staff Reporter
On a crisp autumn afternoon in the Dordogne Valley, Debra and Eric Stillwell stroll down a cobblestone street, pausing to watch the golden leaves drift across the ground. The open-air markets, the medieval castles, and the gentle pace of life have become part of their daily routine. It is a far cry from the life they once envisioned in Los Angeles, where the future looked less like retirement and more like decades of continued work.
Story Highlights:
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Debra and Eric Stillwell left Los Angeles to retire in France’s Dordogne Valley.
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They bought a chalet-style home for about €70,000 ($81,000) in Lachapelle-Auzac.
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Rising U.S. healthcare costs and debt pushed them toward retirement abroad.
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They now live on Social Security, travel extensively, and access French healthcare.
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Their experience shows why more Americans are retiring in France.
From Los Angeles to Southwest France
For Debra, the turning point came after a late-night calculation.
“I figured it out,” she recalls. “If we stayed where we were, I would probably have had to work until I was 85.”
At 67, Debra was ready for a change. Eric, now 62, agreed. Both dreamed of a slower pace of life, and both wanted freedom from financial stress. In Los Angeles, they faced a mortgage, debts, and healthcare costs that made early retirement impossible.
“The problem was, when we were living in Los Angeles, we couldn’t afford to retire early and still pay off the mortgage and debts,” Eric explains.
Healthcare was another pressing issue. As diabetics, the couple faced premiums of more than $500 a month each. “I think it’s more expensive now,” Debra says.
For many Americans retiring in France, this is a familiar theme: healthcare and affordability.
Choosing France Over the U.S.
The Stillwells sold their California home, cleared their debts, and looked to Europe. Initially, they considered Italy. But Debra’s childhood in Montreal, where she studied French, and Eric’s family roots — a great-grandfather who emigrated from France — pointed them in another direction.
A 2013 wine cruise through Bordeaux sealed the decision. “We decided this is where we wanted to live,” Eric recalls. “The medieval towns, castles and landscapes were all enthralling.”
In 2020, they purchased a chalet-style house in the Résidence Souillac Golf & Country Club in Lachapelle-Auzac for just €70,000, or roughly $81,000.
“In the beginning, we had the romantic notion of a stone cottage with blue shutters, the typical French house,” Eric says. “Then we came across the chalet. It was the perfect choice for us.”
The golf club community, complete with pools and tennis courts, offered them a built-in network of neighbors — British, Dutch, French, and Irish families. Many, like the Stillwells, were part-time or full-time expatriates seeking the same dream: affordable living abroad.
Life in Dordogne
Settling in Dordogne required adjustments. Restaurant closing times caught them off guard, with kitchens shutting down by 1:45 p.m. Eric also spent six months studying for the French driving test after his U.S. license expired.
“The roads are too narrow here for me,” Debra admits, opting never to drive.
But the benefits outweighed the challenges. Within three months, they accessed the French healthcare system. No monthly premiums, only minimal fees. “We were lucky,” Debra says. “In this tiny town there are probably six primary care doctors.”
Though neither is fluent in French, they manage. “My words are all mixed up,” Debra laughs. “But 99% of the time they understand what I’m trying to say.” Eric adds, “It’s just been very difficult for me to figure out how to hear the French accent.”
Affordable Retirement Abroad
The Stillwells live primarily on Social Security, disproving the myth that all Americans retiring in France are wealthy.
“Everybody thinks that Americans living in France are all rich, and that’s not true,” Eric says. “Our house cost €70,000… We aren’t rich.”
Yet their money stretches further than it ever would in the U.S. Groceries, utilities, and cultural outings are cheaper. They travel widely — visiting the Loire Valley, Burgundy, the Riviera, and even attending “Star Trek” conventions in London, Rome, and Luxembourg.
Last year alone, they toured 20 countries, took three cruises, and attended a nephew’s wedding in South Korea. A December trip to Paris has become an annual ritual, with Christmas markets and the giant tree at Galeries Lafayette among their highlights.
No Looking Back
Asked what retirement in California would have looked like, Debra is blunt: “Absolutely broke.”
The couple returns to the U.S. occasionally for family events, but they have no intention of moving back. “Under the current climate, I would not go back,” Eric says.
Debra has her own long-term vision: “I lived for 30 years in Canada. I lived for 32 years in the States. My goal is to live another 30 years in France.”
For Debra and Eric, their decision to join the growing trend of Americans retiring in France has brought not only affordability but also fulfillment — a retirement filled with community, travel, and peace of mind.
For Debra and Eric Stillwell, the choice to leave Los Angeles for the Dordogne Valley was more than a move — it was a lifeline. Their story shows how Americans retiring in France can find affordable housing, reliable healthcare, and a richer quality of life on a modest income. What might have been years of financial struggle in the U.S. has become a retirement of travel, community, and peace of mind in France. For many, their journey is proof that the dream of affordable retirement abroad is not only possible, but thriving in the heart of Europe.
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