Blank canvasUS couple Robin Johnson and Jim Thaman fell in love with Cajarc, France, after visiting the village in the summer of 2001. Hemis/Alamy Stock PhotoWhile they’d both spent time in France during their younger years, neither had seriously considered living there until then. The couple say they were thrilled by how simple the buying process was. “So my first tool was a sledgehammer.”The couple had previously worked on a house together, so they had some renovating experience. However, the couple say that around 95% of their friends there are French.

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Persons: CNN —, Robin Johnson, Jim Thaman, ’ ” Johnson, who’d, they’d, Johnson, “, ”, Jim, we’ll, “ Jim, Thaman, they’ve, Robin, they've, Robin Johnson “, “ It’s, It’s, doesn’t, hasn’t, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, ”, France ” Locations: Cajarc, France, Michigan, Italy, California, Toulouse, mull, States, “, Tuscany