A look into Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz's new life in France: Couple reveals how they're spending their multi-million dollar payout as they drink champagne and indulge in a Christmas feast after fleeing Australia
Brittany Higgins has shared the first update on her new life in France after moving there permanently following her latest court appearance in Sydney.
The former political staffer completed her last court appearance in Bruce Lehrmann's defamation case against Channel 10 in early December and was on a flight to Europe before Christmas.
She bought a house in the south of France and has started a new life with partner David Sharaz and their cavoodle, Kingston.
In new photos shared to Instagram on Wednesday, Ms Higgins paints a picture of a quiet life in the small town of Lunas, about halfway between Paris and Barcelona, Spain.
Ms Higgins' previous collage was posted four weeks ago and included photos of Byron Bay, Sydney Harbor and Parliament House in Canberra.
“No matter how far or wide I wander, I still call Australia home,” she captioned the series of picturesque Australian landscapes.
Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz will arrive in France on December 21
Ms Higgins gave her Instagram followers the first look at her new life in France
The couple said they were excited to settle into their new home with their pets over Christmas
The couple shared a Christmas celebration at their castle in the French village of Lunas
Pictured is the couple's five-bedroom castle in Luna, a sleepy town in southern France
The couple landed in France just days before Christmas on December 21, arriving at their rustic five-bedroom chateau for the first time.
The couple had traveled from the 4.5-star Sheraton Bordeaux Airport Hotel and were later spotted holding hands as they picked up their beloved cavoodle Kingston and cat Clover from quarantine at Bordeaux-Merigniac Airport.
The couple said they were excited to settle into their new home with their pets over Christmas, with Mr Sharaz adding he was also looking forward to doing some mowing, referring to the castle's overgrown grounds.
The first photo in the series shows Mrs. Higgins wearing a black wool coat, black leather heeled boots and a bright red ribbon tied in a bow in her hair.
She walks with Kingston down a cobblestone street covered with petals from a tree pruned by the European winter.
The caption is a quote from the French philosopher Sartre, which reads: 'Nous sommes nos choix', and roughly translated into English as 'We are our choices'.
“Here are a few of mine lately,” Ms. Higgins captioned the photos.
A series of photos showcasing her first month of adventures in France includes a shot of the Arc de Triomphe at night and what appears to be a Parisian street scene.
The collage suggests that the couple traveled through France by train, visiting art galleries and museums along the way.
The pair cooked a roast dinner paired with bubbly for their first Christmas abroad, with Mr Sharaz posing proudly at the head of a long table.
The couple fled Australia to 'start over' in the sleepy village of Lunas in France
Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz are seen in airport quarantine on December 21
Mrs Higgins moved to the sleepy French town of Lunas with her fiancé David Sharaz
Kingston, the couple's Cavoodle, was featured in several photos in the Instagram post
The couple appear to have traveled through France by train and visited several art galleries
The couple's first month in their new home seems like a welcome change from Australia
The couple's property is reportedly worth around $600,000 and was purchased last year
The village has its own automatic baguette machine, located in the center of the community
Ms Higgins' followers left messages of support in the comments.
“I love seeing you living your best life in Paris,” one person wrote.
“You deserve the very best of everything from now on,” a second agreed.
A third shared: 'You deserve peace and joy…always.'
Lunas is a community of fewer than 600 people in the country's historic Dordogne region, named after its main river and famous for more than 1,500 castles dotted around its picturesque farmlands.
The couple's first month in their new home appears to be a welcome change after the stressful end of 2023, when Ms Higgins was called to give evidence during Mr Lehrmann's defamation trial.
Mr Lehrmann is suing Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson over an interview Ms Higgins did with The Project in which she claimed she was raped in Parliament House.
He has always strongly denied the claims.