George Clooney and his family have officially become French citizens. The Oscar-winning actor, his wife Amal Clooney, and their eight-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella, received citizenship through an official decree published in the French government gazette this week. The move marks the family’s final step toward a quieter, more European lifestyle, away from the constant spotlight of Los Angeles. George Clooney, 64, has long lived internationally, splitting his time between Italy, England, and the U.S., but France is now the family’s primary base.
Clooney revealed in a recent RTL Radio interview that strict French privacy laws were a major factor in the decision. Unlike in the U.S., French law prohibits publishing images of minors without parental consent, offering a safer environment for their children. “Here, they don’t take photos of kids,” Clooney said. “There aren’t any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That’s number one for us.” He also praised the country’s culture and noted that despite still learning French, the family feels happiest in France.
The Clooneys’ new home is Domaine du Canadel, an 18th-century wine estate near the medieval village of Brignoles in Provence’s Var region. Purchased in 2021 for around $8.3 million, the 425-acre property features a swimming pool, tennis court, olive groves, an ornamental lake, and a working vineyard. George has been involved in producing white and rosé wines from the estate’s Vermentino grapes. The property places the Clooneys near other celebrity estates, including Brad Pitt’s Château Miraval and George Lucas’s Château Margüi. The family’s life at Domaine du Canadel embraces a “gentleman farmer” lifestyle, blending luxury with privacy.
Over recent years, the Clooneys have sold properties in Los Angeles and Mexico, signaling a permanent shift away from the West Coast. They still maintain homes in Italy, England, and New York, but France is now the hub for their children’s schooling and family life. “I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood,” Clooney told Esquire. “I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France… they don’t give a s*** about fame.”
With French citizenship, the Clooneys are now locals, enjoying a life focused on family, privacy, and the peaceful rhythms of Provence.
