Originally from the UK, Sonia never intended to move to France. After many years of travelling, and a long stint living in Dubai, she went to Belley in eastern France in July 2020 to visit family. But when pandemic lockdown rules changed, it was difficult for her to leave. “I ended up staying and helping to start a bed and breakfast with my brother’s mother-in-law,” she says.
In the spring of 2022, she went out for dinner with a friend, where she met the owner, Olivier, who had moved to the area from Paris to open his restaurant. “I really liked the restaurant because the staff accommodated my vegetarianism, which was a hard thing to find in France!” she says. “It was really quiet, so we ended up chatting to Olivier over the countertop.” At the time, she says, her French wasn’t good. “Olivier was talking about life and future plans. I didn’t understand it all but I thought: ‘Oh my God, he’s cute and funny.’”
Luckily, he thought exactly the same about Sonia. “At one point, she asked me if I was looking for a wife and I went bright red,” he says, laughing. Before they left, he offered to cook for her again. “I was feeling shy, so I gave my phone number to her friend to pass on.” Sonia’s friend suggested she get in touch with him, but she was “very British” about it and thought he should contact her. “Six weeks after first talking to him at his restaurant, I hadn’t heard anything. I had the strong feeling that he fancied me and I wanted to see him again, so I sent a message suggesting we have tea,” she says. Because Olivier never drank tea, he had to rush out to buy a teapot.
Having been divorced 10 years earlier, Sonia wasn’t sure if she wanted to jump into anything; she was content on her own. But despite the language barrier, she and Olivier connected straight away. “I have no idea what we talked about, but there was this huge sensation that it was right,” says Sonia. “It encouraged me to learn more French – I started taking classes.”
Olivier says Sonia was “friendly with no drama. We felt naturally compatible and both have a big interest in food.” They met again a few days later at the chateau where Sonia was living. “We had a little walk in the woods and I just knew that I definitely wanted to be with him. That was the first day we kissed,” she says.
In the months that followed, Sonia focused on learning French while Olivier learned English. This gave them the chance to get to know each other better. “As our language improved, there were no more miscommunications,” she says. “Our relationship grew stronger and I moved in with Olivier that summer.”
Olivier believes that meeting as an older couple encouraged them to move quickly. “I think you have to go fast, because we know that life is short,” he says. “When you’re happy in your relationship, every minute is important and you want to be with the person you love as much as possible.”
The couple now live in Ceyzérieu, surrounded by mountains, and enjoy “a simple life”. “We go to Lyon for the shops or cinema, but otherwise we are happy in our field, in our wellies. We are surrounded by people who make cheese and honey and wine, which we love.” Olivier says they also love being in the garden, “surrounded by nature”, and having people over for food. Having closed his restaurant, he now cooks for private clients, while Sonia teaches English. She has two sons who live in Canada and Dubai; Olivier has a son who lives nearby, plus a young grandson the couple see regularly.
Olivier loves that his partner is “happy all the time, from the beginning of the day to the end”. He says that she is a “totally free spirit. We are different by culture, but she helps me discover things and be open-minded.”
Sonia says that if they had met 20 years before they did, they might not be together. “We’ve softened over the years and we’re grateful for this second chance at love,” she says. “I like that I can be myself with him and I don’t have to tone down my personality. I feel so young and silly with him; it’s like being 21 again.”
