‘ ELLIE I N PARIS’ – WHAT YOU ONLY KNOW I F YOU’VE LIVED I N PARIS I N YOUR TWENTIES
You have to hustle for a pied-à-terre
An estate agent is not going to meet your taxi from Charles de Gaulle and carry your suitcase up to a large garret apartment with rooftop views. “Oh my God, I feel like Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge,” exclaims Emily upon opening the shutters in her chambre. Anyone who has ever tried to find somewhere to live in Paris knows it takes blood, sweat and tears. I finally found a flat after days spent pounding the streets, scouring noticeboards and briefly getting locked in an apartment by a psychotic old man who wanted me to clean for him (and, I suspect, more).
Handsome messieurs do not grow on trees
At every café and bakery, a man who wouldn’t look out of place in an advertisement for Chanel
Bleu seems to materialise and flirt with Emily. Perhaps this says more about me… but having whiled away many hours outside Parisian cafés drinking cheap wine, I can safely say that jaw-droppingly beautiful men do not just drop by wanting to chat.
Not speaking French is an issue
You can’t get away with not speaking the language when living in Paris. But Emily seems surprised when no one in her office understands her even when she speaks English REALLY LOUDLY. It takes a lot of work to become fluent, and even when you think you’ve cracked it the lady in the boulangerie will still remind you that it’s
“UN croissant, mademoiselle, pas UNE.” But the satisfaction of being able to joke with your Parisian colleagues for the first time makes up for months spent outside of every conversation.
You cannot walk around in heels
Paris is a walking city. It’s small enough that most places are reachable on foot, while taxis can be difficult to flag down and the Métro is speedy but a bit grim. And given the fact that few buildings have lifts, your feet would be destroyed if you wore heels like Emily, day in day out.