I have been based in France for close to five years now, although for a long time I was only partially here, moving in and out due to work deployments. Since 2025, I have been living here more consistently, and one thing has become very clear: there is a lot to learn beneath the surface. France, especially in the summer, can feel effortless. One year, a close friend came to visit. If you live in the countryside, you know how special that is. Familiar faces are rare, and when they arrive, everything shifts. Her trip had come together beautifully. Work had taken her to Italy, she added a few days…