Life in the European Alps
Hi Steph
A series of coincidences has lead to me writing an email to someone who I’ve never met before.
I ride road and mountain bikes as much as I can both for fun and to race. I currently live in Sydney Australia, but participated in a mountain bike stage race in British Columbia this year and realised that I really wanted to live closer to some mountains.
I’ve just competed in the 24hrs of adrenaline world solo mountain bike championships here in Australia, which was a fantastic experience, but left me feeling a little empty. This had been my big goal for a couple of years and now I need something else to focus on. I want to take my riding to the next level and try some new sports like snow boarding. I’ve also been obssesing about climbing and wing suit flying even though I’m scared of heights.
At first I thought of Canada and the US but would have to work out visas and it seemed a long road. A couple of weeks ago I realised that it would be much quicker to move back to Europe and live in the Alps. I’m a dual European and Australian citizen, so why Europe didn’t occur to me first I don’t know. Geneva immediately sprang to mind as I speak a bit of French and I would hope to get a job in the finance sector. Switzerland sounds expensive so I think I’d have to keep on the career path for now even that doesn’t thrill me too much.
I trawled through pictures of the Alps last weekend and found Lauterbraunnen. I’d never heard of it before but the pictures of the valley and waterfall are surreal in their beauty. Imagine my surprise when I click through a recommendation from Prana this week to view your facebook page. There you are wing suit flying in the valley. In the space of a few days the universe has nudged me in this direction and I have no idea how why! Funny how you ask a question of the universe and then all of a sudden you start attracting things subconsciously. I know I shouldn’t be surprised as this type of thing happens to me all the time, but I am always amused, humbled, grateful and sometimes astonished by serendipity.
I’d also like to let you know that I was moved by the commentary on one of your videos. Your expression of acceptance of the potential consequences of free soloing was so honest. I know what you mean about letting go and attempting to fully appreciate events in life for what they are. I haven’t quite got it perfected yet but I’m on my way.
I’ve been through some sad times too and I find that being in the mountains is the perfect therapy for me. Your grin is so huge on the wing suit videos when you land that it’s infectious. Those adrenaline filled eyes look familiar, they look just like mine! Keep smiling it really suits you =)
Anyway the point is I’m trying to get the courage to make the move to the mountains. Any observations or advice about life in the European Alps would be great. For instance… are the natives friendly/good groups to contact; what places do you really like?
Take care
Francis
Dear Francis,
Thanks for writing to me, and for sharing all your thoughts. You are in a pretty amazing position at this moment of transition! I do love Lauterbrunnen, and pretty much everywhere in Europe that I have visited. I have a real soft spot for Italy. Recently I have noticed that I have many many friends in France, and I really like the French style of doing things too, so I could really imagine wanting to live there myself. I know a lot of people who have moved to or near Chamonix. For me, Switzerland is a nice place to be also, in that people are incredibly efficient and with it.
However, I have no idea what it would be like to actually live in Italy, France or Switzerland, since I have always been a visitor. It would be great to hear from people who have actually made such a big move and hear some other advice on logistics. What I can tell you is that Europe is amazing, and I would love to live in France myself (or Italy, or Switzerland!). Having dual citizenship and highly marketable job skills is an enormous advantage to you, so it sounds like you should really seize this opportunity to experience a new adventure…. 🙂
Steph
Having moved to the Alps myself about one and a half years ago, here’s my two cents:
I don’t know what European passport you have, but assuming it is not a Swiss one, Switzerland is going to be your most difficult option. Not only is it more expensive than the surrounding countries, it would also be more difficult for you to obtain a residency permit as Switzerland is not part of the European Union (anyone with an EU passport is allowed to live and work anywhere in the EU without having to obtain any permit whatsoever). This changes off course if you already have a job lined up before departure, as obtaining a permit with a sponsor is a lot less complicated. In any case be prepared to tackle a lot of red tape!
Judging from the fact that you are considering Geneva, you might want to consider moving just across the border to France. A lot of people who work in Geneva live in France anyway due to the far lower cost of living there. Within that region I can highly recommend Annecy, as it is a beautiful small town, right on the lake and a perfect location for lots of outdoor sports.
Hope this helps