“I needed meaning and change”: these French people who left everything to change their lives

What do the French want to change? According to the BPCE barometer, time is the first thing that matters. The French's primary desire for change is to save time so they can devote more time to leisure activities.

This quest is cited by 41% of respondents. In a fast-paced world, more than a third of French people (32%) still want to slow down their pace of life and take more time. Living space also remains a key aspect of desired changes: 36% of French people want to move to a new home.

The desire to move to another city is cited in 27% of responses, and the desire to move to another country by 12% of respondents. There's also work: 30% of French people would like to change jobs. But there's a fine line between desire and reality. In fact, while 81% of respondents would like to change certain aspects of their lives, only 53% believe they are achievable.

Sophie, a childminder in Bas-Rhin, is one of those French people who need a change of life: “Today is my last day of work with the child I look after and I am going to become a seasonal campsite worker from July 4th, because I would like to become a campsite receptionist.”

This courageous 53-year-old has converted a van to live in. “It's the summer of all changes, and I'd like to do this for a few years, sell the house, and hit the road,” she explains on RMC's Estelle Midi show. Sophie has always wanted a career in contact with nature and people. Now it's time to make her dream come true.

“My children are grown up, so it’s now or never,” she concludes.

Jean-Charles, meanwhile, was a salesman in insurance and dropped everything to become a cheesemaker. “I needed meaning and a change, and today I have my own cheese dairy,” he says.

Finally, Romain, another listener, plans to cross the Atlantic: "I'm going to Guadeloupe with my family. I had a professional opportunity, and we said yes. It wasn't an easy decision to make; we said it was now or never."

For Eric Gras, a job market specialist at Indeed France , there is, however, a difference between dream and reality. “The reality is that a third of French people regularly think about changing jobs, but only a quarter are ready to take action.” Mobility raises questions: it's not always easy to have to move region, or even country, and even less so with a family.

“Then we see that the job market has changed overall. The 20-40-20 rule (you grow up and study for 20 years, work for 40 years, and enjoy yourself for 20 years) no longer applies,” he explains.

“These days, we finish school later and we work later, which means that young people have changed their relationship with work and are considering breaks, changes… And life changes are therefore sometimes temporary, like taking a year off and doing a side activity. But not everyone can do it. It requires courage and preparation, and above all, you shouldn't do it on a whim,” warns Eric Gras.

Obviously, it's easier for young people or people over 50 to make drastic life changes. Eric Gras concludes: "Life changes are often made for a better salary, but especially for a better work-life balance. It's important for the French to have more flexibility and more meaning."