Some people move to Paris for love, others for work. Enrico managed both. At 28, this Italian historian traded Milan for the 19th arrondissement, chasing a teenage dream of living in the City of Light – and, as it happens, the French boyfriend didn’t hurt either.

On Choosing France

“I’d dreamt of living in Paris since I was 13,” Enrico told me. “The city’s allure was irresistible. And professionally, France seemed far more accommodating for someone like me who had studied history – not the most ‘specialised’ path.”

In other words: Italy moved slowly, Paris moved faster, and he was ready to catch up.

First Hurdles: Housing and Paperwork

Like every new arrival, he attempted the impossible: finding an apartment in Paris before moving. “Budget constraints and landlords’ demands made it nearly impossible,” he admits. Salvation arrived in the form of his French partner, who helped open doors otherwise bolted shut.

And then came the inevitable brush with French bureaucracy. “The Assurance Maladie process was painfully slow — long phone waits, little communication, and an approach to digitalisation that feels… optimistic at best. But, surprisingly, the tax office was fantastic. Quick, responsive, and helpful.” A phrase rarely uttered in France, but we’ll let the tax office have its moment.

Settling in the 19th Arrondissement

Enrico planted himself firmly on the rive droite. “I prefer the vibe of the north bank,” he explained. “The 19th has it all: traditional Paris streets, modern architecture, parks, and quieter corners.” In short: it’s Paris with layers, without the postcard pretence.

The Work Culture Shock

If housing was predictable chaos, the workplace was something else. “My first week felt surreal — I had to remind myself daily that I was finally living in Paris. But the real culture shock was in the workplace. In Italy, career progression takes time. In France, I found people advancing quickly, regardless of age. It felt like a completely different rhythm.”

And job-hunting? Thankfully, easier than flat-hunting. “Friends recommended Welcome to the Jungle, and it turned out to be an excellent resource.”

Language and Social Life

Enrico’s schoolboy French helped, but it was his relationship that made the difference. “Having a French boyfriend was the best crash course,” he laughed. “Daily language practice, plus someone to untangle all the acronyms of French administration.”

Making friends, however, wasn’t always straightforward. “At work, the international crowd made things easier. But sometimes the French can seem reserved — perhaps out of nervousness about speaking English.” Still, he built a network and found his Paris rhythm.

Life Between Italy and France

Having lived in Milan, the shock of Parisian prices wasn’t as brutal as it might have been. But the housing merry-go-round left its mark: “In just two years, I moved apartments four times,” he recalled. A very Parisian rite of passage — your loyalty is not measured in years lived in a flat, but in the number of boxes you’ve carried up narrow staircases.

Final Thoughts

Enrico’s Paris is not the city of glossy tourist brochures, nor is it the cliché of artists on the Left Bank. It’s the lived-in, ever-shifting Paris of the 19th arrondissement, the administrative letters in triplicate, the workplace that hums faster than expected. A Paris chosen for love, sustained by resilience, and made richer by its challenges.

As Enrico proves, embracing change in France is less about conquering culture shock and more about learning to laugh at it — preferably while waiting on hold with Assurance Maladie.