Reroute: life and travel after 50

A new series exploring travel in midlife

Welcome to ReRoute: Life and Travel After 50, a new RestlessUrban series that explores what happens when curiosity meets reinvention. I’m inviting you to come along as I trade the familiar for the unknown, following my instincts (and my passport) toward a more intentional way of living — and traveling — in midlife. This isn’t about bucket lists or luxury escapes; it’s about rediscovering joy, wonder, and freedom one journey at a time.

Whether you’re dreaming of your own midlife escape, plotting a new chapter abroad, or simply craving inspiration for a slower, more soulful way to explore, I hope you’ll join me on this journey — starting with my first reroute back to France.

Embracing midlife travel

As the 50+ community continues to impress and inspire with stories of starting new careers, going back to school, or getting into peak physical shape, travel is another area where midlife inspiration abounds. In a recent national study, 70 percent of adults 50+ were planning trips this year — a record high — and trips taken annually (3.9) surpassed trips planned (3.6) for the first time ever. (Source: AARP.)

As a self-professed Francophile whose downtime activity usually revolves around trip planning of some kind (Normandy 2026), I’m embracing every midlife travel trend I come across — from slow travel to “workcations” to gap years if I can. With technology and the pandemic to (sort of) thank, new types of travel abound, and many are built for the midlife adventurer.

Beyond just getting on a plane (though I do get butterflies when passing an airport), I also believe that Europe is where I need to be as I age. The European way of life — quality of food, culture, beauty, and more — feels like medicine for health, longevity, and the soul. Add to that how travel keeps you mentally sharp — from learning new languages to navigating train stations to stepping outside the comfort of your living room — and you have a true win-win, not to mention a lot of fun.

As a curious traveler on a mission, I’ll be sharing experiences, discoveries, and tips as I continue to uncover the beauty and adventure of midlife travel on my France-bound journey.

Slow travel: a new rhythm of life

One positive of the lockdown was the evolution of work, with new flexibility to work remotely in many industries. I seized upon this when deciding to pivot from a full-time corporate job to contract-for-hire, doing the same work but on a freelance basis. I also relocated back to my hometown after decades in Toronto to keep costs down and be closer to family. Those decisions opened the door to my first slow travel experience — living in an apartment in France for a month.

Slow travel means longer stays in one place to truly immerse in the culture. As someone exploring the regions of France while planning a longer-term future there, this trend has real appeal. There are tangible benefits — discounted prices for stays of 28 days or longer on Airbnb, long-term car rental discounts, and the joy of unpacking once and settling in.

Continue the journey

There’s so much more to this story. In Part Two of ReRoute: Life and Travel After 50, I’ll take you inside the French village that changed everything — where slow living, new friendships, and a little dog named Pierre turned a month abroad into a new way of life.