Au revoir, France

When I left Pixar, I told myself and everyone that Mayah and I were going to try to live in France for at least a year, maybe two. Then you never know in life, we might stay for good. Life was getting comfortable in San Francisco, years were flying by and one thing I learnt that makes it slow down for me is getting out of my comfort zone and try something different. It was my eighth international move, so I knew something about that. 

As exciting as it was for me, leaving a dream job to move to France was even more so for some of my friends. Some told me I was living their secret dream and some even booked the flight to come visit us in France before we got our own.

As it turns out (duh) moving in two is more complicated than moving alone. How you feel about a place gets more nuanced. The reasons to be in a place or another stack up, making it difficult to make up your mind. In the end, after almost exactly two years, we decided to move back and as of three days ago, we are living in San Francisco again.

Coming back to the Bay area is a joyful thing. Seeing our friends and family really is making it easy. Leaving Lyon, on the other hand, wasn't easy at all. We fell in love with that city, the friends we made there, and the life we had. Making Lyon feel like home was actually easy. Perhaps it's because looking at the state of things in each place, I would say that Lyon felt more civilized. Culture is everywhere and approachable, with intimate concerts, plays, workshops. Streets are clean, walking around at night feels (and is) safe, even pleasant with breathtaking views of lit up historical buildings, hills, river banks at every turn. Streets are sprawling with affordable cafes, bakeries and bistros, and people are out enjoying them. Public transport is clean fast and safe, people on it often read books or connect with each other. And the markets! oh the French markets in Lyon are such a treat for someone who loves food and cooking.

Speaking of cooking, as promised when we decided to move to the French gourmet capital Lyon, I did a number of cooking courses. Initially it was hard to follow, as they were entirely in French, in the evening, after a full day of work. But I stuck it out and gained a great deal of theoretical and practical depth.

We got a nice apartment with a lovely kitchen, which we made good use of, making some new French food and refining some of our classic recipes using French techniques, which as extremely applicable in many other cuisines.

Time did slow down for us, as I had hoped. The last two years may have flown for some, but it felt like five for us. Everything was new. Our home, the language we spoke everyday, the local culture, the landscapes, the opportunities for day trips. We could not see much of Mayah's family while we were there, though they did visit, along with a large amount of friends from Pixar and California. On the other hand, we were only four hours drive away from mine, so we often went to spend the weekends in Italy.

We organized a wedding party, almost two years after we got married, with my Italian family. We picked the remains of a little medieval fortress, now used as a brewery, in the valley of Susa, which connects Italy to France through the Alps.

These two years we also took advantage of our location to explore France a bit more, as I got to check a bunch of items off my bucket list. We went to see Paris and Versailles (where we ran into more Pixar friends of course). We explored the frosty Bretagne in the winter, along with Mont Saint Michel, and explored the idyllic cattle farms of the region.



We ate our way through the red hills of Dordogne in the Fall, road tripping the countryside with some of our favorite people. We dined on chestnuts and duck confits, and slept in farmhouses and castles, and we marveled as we saw ancient caves covered with prehistoric murals.

In the Summer we cruised across the dreamy landscapes of Provence, which was just like in those movies that I always felt were simply idealizing the romantic vibe of a blooming countryside and the exaggerated charms of the French joie-de-vivre. Turns out, that vibe is real. It's a unique place and I felt like moving there and opening a bed and breakfast. If I did't love my job I would probably have done it.

As the heat picked up - something that is easy to underestimate when you are used to the Bay Area climate - we decided hike the rocky cliffs of the French Riviera, and to bathe in the blue waters of the Mediterranean sea, to escape the burning heat of the city.



Speaking of bucket lists and French Rivieras, we attended the Cannes Film Festival. We walked the red carpets and enjoyed the local delicacies. We saw a screening of the Black Panther on the beach screen, presented by the Oakland-born director himself. I am positive we ran into a number of French and international celebrities, although we could not always recognize them.

Staying local was exciting too. Beyond Lyon, less than two hour bus ride away, lies Annecy. Besides having a beautiful lake and a lot of delicious Savoyard delicacies, it is the seat of the Annecy Animation Film Festival, which is a pilgrimage destination for many in our Animation world. We ran into a ton of friends from across the globe, which makes the CG world feel small and cozy, yet huge and marvelous.

So, was it worth leaving Pixar after ten years?
It's a bit tough, but I think so, as the life experiences we got made us grow, personally and as a couple, more than two extra years in SF.
Do I miss Pixar?
You bet! it was an amazing place with incredible people, and I am reminded of it every time I visit. There are things and people that I love and that I will always miss - although now I'm not so far, so I'll definitely see them more.

So... What am I up to in SF now then? I am not going back to Pixar, as many asked. Adobe, as you may know, has acquired Substance last year, and it is giving my teams a shot at doing something very impactful - and fun too. I am so very excited about the new challenges and opportunity ahead. Tomorrow morning I'll start my first day at the SF office!

Au revoir, France! I'll come visit soon again, because I miss you already.