Finding Our Way in France

Finding Our Way in France is a richly detailed memoir and travelogue chronicling an American couple's relocation from Palo Alto, California to Lyon, France. The book grew out of a blog Barbara and Joe maintained over three and a half years, originally written to keep family and friends updated on their adventures and daily life in France. The blog was widely appreciated, and a friend encouraged them to share their experiences with a broader audience. Compiled from these candid "bloglets," the book captures the deliberate craft of cultural adaptation, tracing the shift from California's car-centric lifestyle to one centered on walking and using public transportation to explore Lyon. Readers witness the challenges of French bureaucracy, the pursuit of wellness, and language immersion, all presented in episodic, descriptive storytelling that transforms daily life into an insightful exploration of adaptation, resilience, and cultural fluency.

The memoir chronicles the challenges the couple overcame, deep friendships they made, cherished moments they shared and a never-to-be-forgotten experience of living abroad.

The book also includes recommendations and detailed descriptions of numerous hikes the couple undertook near Lyon and further afield in France and includes photos from Lyon, its surrounding environs and other locales in France.