Valerie Valcourt has lived across the United States, including Seattle, New York City, and Washington, D.C., but last year she quit her six-figure big tech job to attend pastry school in France. Biggest move yet.
Valcourt, 34, told CNBC Make It that she started the process in 2020 when, despite making more than $100,000 at a major company in Seattle, she felt “really low” and wondered : “What do I want to do? Will it bring me happiness?”
She had always wanted to live abroad and go to culinary school, so she started researching her options. She moved to Connecticut to live with her family, saved $20,000, and was accepted into a cooking program in the South of France in mid-2022.
Valcourt officially moved to France in January 2023, embarking on a three-month crash course that included intensive pastry and French courses, followed by a four-month internship.
All told, she paid about 10,000 euros ($10,850) in tuition and 1,800 euros ($1,953) in accommodation fees.
Valerie Valcourt quit her job as an administrative assistant in her 30s and moved to France to attend culinary school.
Courtesy of Valerie Valcourt
Spend less money and enjoy quality life
Valcourt now works full-time as a pastry assistant at Maison Chabran in Pont-d’Isère, France.
She earns about 20,000 euros ($21,705) a year, less than a quarter of her previous salary in the United States.
Even so, Valcourt lived comfortably in France on much less money.
I don’t make much money, but I can live here.
Valerie Valcott
American who moved to France to study pastry school
First, her employer is offering her seasonal housing, at least until the new intern class starts in April. When she finally finds her own apartment, Valcourt expects to pay about 300 euros ($326) a month for a studio, or 500 euros ($543) a month for a one-bedroom apartment. Some units even come with furniture.
Valcott says her expenses never dropped while living in some of America’s largest and most expensive cities Even living with roommates, the monthly rent is over $800.
Most of her meals come from her job at a restaurant, so she rarely spends money on groceries. She will start budgeting for her food in April and expects to spend 30 euros ($33) per trip every two weeks, up to 50 euros if I’m feeling fancy and want extra snacks and stuff ( ($55)”. She said she was surprised by the freshness and high quality of the products, even with the affordable prices.
Valcourt said having her employer cover her living and food expenses was “a huge factor” in taking the job, especially as she was just starting out in her cooking career.
“I don’t make much money, but I can live here,” she said. “I can do this pastry job and build my resume and build myself up to where I want to be and not have to worry about where I put my head at night.”
Access is “super accessible” as Valcourt lives just a short walk from work. She can take a bus to larger cities for about €1 ($1.09), and traveling to Europe by train or plane is very affordable. Valcourt recently traveled to Switzerland, paying 40 euros ($44) for a round-trip train fare Tickets. She saw another offer, taking the train from Paris to London for only 29 euros ($32).
With lower expenses, Valcourt can save between 1,300 and 1,500 euros ($1,421 to $1,640) each month. She said she had “more than enough” money to buy a car to explore more of France and start paying for an apartment in the coming months.
Cultural differences in work and life
Valcourt noticed a huge difference in the way the French approach work and personal life compared to American work culture norms.
She works about 42 to 46 hours a week at the restaurant, but her hours may vary if it’s a holiday or the restaurant is full. Workers are entitled to two paid days off per month, or approximately five weeks per year – Generous by American standards.
Valcott and her colleagues work hard, but they also take their downtime seriously.
“The French are very determined not to work overtime,” she said. “When it’s time to stop, it’s time to stop and go home and rest.”
She and her colleagues also support leaving the workplace and not letting stress build up at home.
Valcott also learned from colleagues that not all stereotypes are true. She said the French were criticized for being aloof, but she found them to be very friendly and enjoyed making small talk. She can also carry on a conversation in French which helps.
Finally, she loves the way the French celebrate things big and small. “There are always celebrations happening across the country or in villages,” she said. Luckily for her and her passion for food, they often share meals together and “the reverence for food and pastries here is super cool.”
Valcourt feels lucky that her school and employer helped her obtain the visa she needed to stay in the country, and she currently has a permanent employment contract with her company, which employs many foreign and seasonal workers.
She said she doesn’t have a five-year plan, but generally hopes to learn as many cooking and pastry techniques as possible and see as much of France as possible.She would eventually return to the United States to be closer to her family and even discussed opening a bakery with her father Together.
Conversions of Euros to US dollars are made using the OANDA exchange rate of 1 Euro to US$1.09 on March 12, 2024. All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar.
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