From Business Insider · Paola Westbeek · · 3m
Built a life in the Netherlands, then started over in France
Paola Westbeek spent nearly three decades in the Netherlands before selling her home and moving to a French village in her late 40s.
In brief
Paola Westbeek spent nearly three decades in the Netherlands before selling her home and moving to a French village in her late 40s. Paola Westbeek sold her Dutch home and moved to Duras, France in September after nearly three decades in the Netherlands, pursuing a long-held dream despite the challenges of starting…
From New Jersey to the Netherlands
Paola Westbeek was raised in New Jersey but moved to the Netherlands in October 1997 at age 19 to start a new life with the man who would become her husband.
Building a Dutch life
Westbeek learned Dutch, studied journalism at a local university, married her partner, had a daughter, and earned a degree in Dutch Studies. By 2008 she was a Dutch citizen with a writing career.
A home in Almere
In 2008, Westbeek bought a beautiful four-bedroom home with a glorious garden and dreamy kitchen in Almere, a city in the heart of the Netherlands.
A village in southwest France
In 2009, Westbeek visited Duras, a village in southwest France surrounded by vineyards, prune orchards, and sunflower fields. She stayed at a cottage near the town center and felt an immediate connection to the place.
The Château de Duras
Westbeek remembers laying eyes on the Château de Duras, a majestic castle that has stood in the village since the twelfth century, and feeling an immediate connection she couldn't quite explain.
Years of summer visits
In the years that followed, Westbeek and her husband spent at least two weeks in Duras every summer.Each time they drove away, it felt like she was leaving a little piece of her heart behind.
Considering the move
By 2022, Westbeek and her husband started genuinely considering a move to Duras, but it felt daunting. She wondered if she could really start all over again in her late 40s.
The house next door
In spring this year, Westbeek put her Dutch home on the market.Within seven days it was sold.
The move to France
In September, Westbeek and her husband moved to Duras. The transition has not been easy, but she wakes up every morning and pinches herself at her new life in the French countryside.
Never too late to start over
Moving to the Netherlands taught Westbeek she was stronger than she thought. Now she is realizing it is never too late to start all over again in pursuit of a long-held dream.
“it's never too late to start all over again in pursuit of a long-held dream”
The short version
Paola Westbeek sold her Dutch home and moved to Duras, France in September after nearly three decades in the Netherlands, pursuing a long-held dream despite the challenges of starting over in her late 40s.
