Manon & Anthony: The Real Story Behind Their Move to France — Season 7, Episode 1

Introduced in 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way Season 7, Episode 1, Manon and Anthony’s story is not a simple romantic getaway — it’s a full-blown life pivot. From Manon’s rise as a plus-size creator in Los Angeles to Anthony’s role as a stay-at-home dad, the couple’s decision to sell their house and move to France is a risky, emotional plan intended to repair a marriage and prioritize family life. Below is a clear, chronological, SEO-friendly breakdown of what led them to this moment, the logistical and emotional challenges they faced, and the likely next steps.

Quick facts

• Manon: 32, born in Marseille, France; moved to Los Angeles after building a plus-size social media presence; entrepreneur/creative.
• Anthony: 33, from Corona, California; former security worker; full-time stay-at-home dad to son Benjamin.
• Child: Benjamin (infant) — central to the couple’s decision making.
• Major decision: Sold their U.S. house and prepared to move to France to live with Manon’s family and slow down to focus on family life.
• Primary stressors: Overwork, resentment about childcare distribution, financial shortfall after selling the house, cultural concerns about moving back to France.

How they met and the family that followed

Manon and Anthony’s relationship moved quickly: they met online, dated, eloped in Las Vegas, bought a house and welcomed son Benjamin — all within a few short years. Manon’s background as a confident social-media creator who fled negative body-image culture in France becomes important context: LA offered a community where she felt accepted; France represented family ties but also old pressures and judgment about body image.

Anthony is presented as the quieter counterpart—practical, family-oriented, and the primary caregiver to Benjamin. He left a security job to provide full-time childcare because daycare costs were high, which in turn reshaped their household roles and resentments.

Why France? The reasons behind a drastic choice

The move to France is framed as a deliberate, joint choice rather than an impulsive escape:

1. Quality of life & family support: Manon and Anthony cite healthcare, family proximity, and a slower pace as reasons. The plan includes staying with Manon’s parents initially — a financial cushion in the absence of immediate income.
2. Repairing the marriage: The couple admits they were close to divorce. Their stated hope is that living abroad will force more family time and reduce the stressors that contributed to their breakdown in the U.S.
3. Parenting priorities: Anthony’s bond with Benjamin was a source of friction (Manon felt excluded and resentful). Moving aims to rebalance roles so Manon can step back into parenting without the constant grind of their LA lifestyle.

Money matters: the financial squeeze that threatens the plan

A critical plotline: the house sale produced net proceeds that weren’t as comfortable as the couple expected. Outflows include car payoff, auction and selling fees, and immediate moving expenses. After selling, they estimate being left with a modest amount — enough to get by short-term because they’ll stay with family, but not enough for a secure restart in France.

Key financial points:

• Selling a home produced cash, but large debts (e.g., vehicle payoff) and transition costs quickly drained liquidity.
• The couple intends for Manon to work part-time and for Anthony to find entry-level work as he learns French, but short-term cashflow is tight.
• The show highlights the real risk: moving countries with a baby and limited savings is feasible only with family support — which they have, but not without emotional costs.

Cultural tension and emotional stakes

Manon’s return to France is emotionally fraught. She left France because of a lifetime of body-shaming and bullying; returning to a culture she once fled — and doing so with a family that expects traditional roles — is a major emotional gamble. Her frank reveal about being bullied and labeled growing up helps explain why she’s both terrified and determined.

At the same time, Anthony and his U.S. family worry the move is a band-aid. Relatives question whether moving abroad will actually address the root problems (communication, resentment, financial misalignment), or just postpone them.

The logistics they handled (fast): timeline of the move

• Decision & sale: Couple lists home for sale and accepts a cash offer; closing and moving timeline is tight (weeks).
• Downsizing: They must sell vehicles, furniture, and pare down possessions to move internationally in a short window.
• Temporary plan: Stay with Manon’s parents in France to reduce immediate housing costs while they regroup.
• Employment plan: Manon aims to continue some remote work; Anthony plans to learn French and pursue security or entry-level roles.

What the move can (and can’t) fix

Move can:

• Provide immediate family support (childcare, shared responsibilities).
• Slow the pace and create space for the couple to reconnect.
• Reduce some living costs short-term if they avoid rent by staying with family.

Move might not:

• Resolve deep-seated resentments or communication patterns that caused the marital strain.
• Solve long-term financial instability without stable income streams.
• Eliminate cultural pressures Manon fears (criticism, weight stigma) — returning home could revive those wounds.

Where they stand now (show snapshot)

At the end of Season 7, Episode 1, they’re committed to the plan: house sold, some cash in hand, family informed, and passports presumably in order. The real story to watch moving forward: whether the move creates sustainable family patterns or simply relocates the same problems to France.