Living the Dream: Women Reinventing Their Careers Abroad | Stories from the French Riviera23 Maalis

How 9/11 Redirected a Nicola Horlick-Level Career to Life on the Riviera - Helen Bates

What happens when a high-achieving career no longer aligns with the life you want to build?

In this episode of Living the Dream: Women, Work & Relocation on the French Riviera, Helen shares her journey from a career in finance to building a new professional life in the South of France.

At the start of her career, she had a clear ambition: to follow in the footsteps of Nicola Horlick and succeed at the highest level in finance.

But a pivotal moment, being in New York during 9/11, shifted her perspective. It wasn’t about leaving finance overnight, but about recognising that the life she was working towards no longer matched what she wanted long term.

Together with her husband, she made a deliberate decision to build a different kind of life on the French Riviera: one that prioritised lifestyle, flexibility, and time.

They created a property rental business in Cannes, combining financial planning with a long-term relocation strategy. On paper, everything worked.

But building a life abroad also meant navigating the realities many expats face:

– The complexity of French administration and business set-up – Cultural differences in customer service and professional expectations – A business model dependent on tourism and seasonal income – And the impact of COVID, when travel stopped and their revenue disappeared overnight

In that moment of uncertainty, Helen adapted once again.

What started as a small opportunity through her children’s school evolved into a new career: tutoring English and maths, bringing a renewed sense of purpose and independence alongside the family business.

This episode explores the professional journey behind relocation: how women adapt their careers abroad, how financial realities shape decisions, and how success can be redefined beyond income and status.

A thoughtful conversation about building a sustainable life on the French Riviera, one that truly fits.

This is the full-length episode. If you would like to listen to a condensed 28-minute version, it is available on Living the Dream – Radio Edition.

Living the Dream: French Riviera Podcast Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France. https://livingthedreampodcast.com

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The Other Side of Monaco: The Brave Face Behind the Glamour - Gabrielle Achilleos

Financial struggle, hidden loneliness and the courage to ask for help. Monaco is one of the wealthiest places on earth. It is also one of the loneliest places to run out of money. Gabrielle Achilleos ...

21 Syys 39min

She Had Everything. She Left It All. Twice. Delphine Breyne

From French Model to New York Beauty Founder: Starting Over at 36, Building a Brand During COVID, and Finding Backing at Cannes 2026 She left France with two suitcases at 36. She came back with a Vogu...

24 Kesä 50min

Living in English on the French Riviera: Mystical Experience and Career Limitations - Kirsti Formoso

Living in English on the French Riviera can feel easy, especially in a region where so many people speak your language. But what does that ease really cost when it comes to building a career? In this ...

30 Maalis 51min

Trailing Spouse in France: Rebuilding a Regulated Architect Career - Nita Sharma

Relocating abroad is challenging for anyone. But what happens when your profession is highly regulated and your qualifications don’t automatically transfer? When Nita moved as a trailing spouse from L...

16 Maalis 46min

Never Retiring: Love and a Tranquil Life on the Riviera - Faye Villalba

Faye arrived on the Côte d’Azur in the late 1990s after a decade in Madrid and a career in film production that had taken her across Europe. Monaco was glamorous. The Riviera was quieter than she expe...

9 Maalis 45min

Investing in France as an Expat: Financial Confidence & Wealth Management - Vicky Kirby

Vicky moved from Manchester to the French Riviera with a plan, savings in place, jobs secured, and a dream built years earlier on a beach in the South of France. But building a long-term professional ...

2 Maalis 55min

Yacht Crew to Global Brand: Luxury Crewwear from the French Riviera - Lu Kenhard

At 18, Lu arrived on the French Riviera with a plane ticket, a job on a yacht in Golfe Juan, and no idea that the industry would shape her entire life. The job lasted 24 hours. The career lasted decad...

23 Helmi 31min