I moved from the US to Paris. It's not always the fairy tale I imagined.

I fulfilled a lifelong dream when my husband and I moved to Paris in 2023. We live in Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement, a very artsy neighborhood, and because buying property as a non-EU citizen is different, we rent a one-bedroom flat for $1,770 a month. Paris feels like the New York City of France: bustling, international, and built for walking rather than cars.

I sold my cars before moving, walk a lot, and rely on trains; I work mostly remotely and only travel to Normandy occasionally to visit the office. Social customs take some getting used to. Working hours can be long but the pace is more laid back, lunches are longer, and people tend to keep work and personal life separate; small talk is limited and interactions often stay strictly business.

Communicating in French can be tiring even with a college minor, so we’ve built a community around an English-speaking café at my husband’s bike shop.

France, Montmartre, Paris

paris, montmartre, 18th arrondissement, rent price, one bedroom, walkable city, public transport, remote work, normandy, french language