ON QUITTE DUBAÏ... (POUR PARIS)

Plans to Leave Dubai

Margot and Manoah plan to leave Dubai and return to France, likely around January or February. They emphasize that this is a personal choice, not a claim that Dubai is a bad place to live. They recognize that Dubai’s security, services, and tax advantages work well for some people and businesses, but feel the city no longer matches their priorities.

Reasons for the Move

• Work and professional growth: One speaker wants more in-person contact with entrepreneurs, events, filming opportunities, and collaborators. They feel more creative and productive in France and believe the professional growth available there could outweigh Dubai’s tax benefits.
• Social life and stimulation: They spend much of their time working, see friends infrequently, and find it difficult to build a broader network. Dubai can feel like a small social bubble, while Paris offers more variety and opportunities to meet people in their fields.
• Family and lifestyle: Being far from parents, siblings, and childhood friends is difficult. They also dislike Dubai’s intense summer heat, sand, and air pollution. Social outings can feel expensive without being especially memorable.
• Different personal experiences: One speaker is excited to return to a faster-paced, more social environment, while the other feels more nostalgic after several years in Dubai. They acknowledge that living there helped them become more disciplined and establish routines.

What They’ve Gained in Dubai

They say Dubai encouraged a more structured lifestyle, including going to the gym, working consistently, and paying more attention to their health. They also discuss becoming more socially confident and making a deliberate effort to expand their network in France. One speaker recommends Captivate as a useful book for improving social skills.

Tax and Business Considerations

They caution against assuming that spending fewer than six months in France automatically settles questions of tax residency. They believe a much shorter stay may be needed to feel safe, but present this as their understanding—not formal advice.

They also hint at new business structures and a major change to one speaker’s business model.

Locations, Products, and People Mentioned

• Locations: Dubai, Paris, France, Bali, and London
• Other references: Volvic, Emaar, and Captivate
• Speakers: Margot and Manoah