Julie McIvor moved to Paris with no idea that buying a derelict printing works would be so life-changing and that her passion for interior design would lead to an inspiring new career path.
I’ve always loved France. I stayed in Paris, at 14, on a school exchange and later I spent a year in Lyon as part of my university degree. I just adored my experience – the food, the people, and the exoticism. I learnt French as part of my French Management Studies degree in Leeds, but it was only by living and speaking French in France that I became fluent.
When I left university I worked for a cosmetics company. When it was taken over by Proctor and Gamble I was posted to New York for three-and-a-half amazing years. I often travelled to and from Paris on business, but I had no idea that one day I would be living there for good or that I’d meet my wonderful French Canadian husband - Lewis - there. Later when they moved their headquarters to Paris and I went too. I didn’t want to leave New York, but the opportunity to set up a marketing division developing fragrance as vice president was an offer I couldn’t resist, especially when it meant developing perfumes with Vivienne Westwood and working with Jennifer Lopez on her Glow perfume.
When I first moved to Paris it was very exciting, but my experiences were quite tough. It was isolating not knowing anyone outside of work. In 1996, Parisians were still very traditional and it took me about six-months to integrate. Even now it’s still a male dominated city and men brag about having mistresses – they’re very proud of it and it’s perfectly acceptable here. So it took a while to settle in, but now I wouldn’t consider living anywhere else. Today it’s more cosmopolitan and open, and although the Parisians have a reputation for being standoffish, once you get to know them they couldn’t be friendlier.
The cost of living is excellent – an average three-course meal is about £12.00 (€15.00) and good table wine is cheap. Public services are incredible - health care and education are free and although Parisians complain about high rent, it’s still very good value compared to London or New York. It’s also the easiest city to get around, with so many Metro stops, you never have to walk more than a few minutes to get anywhere and it’s perfectly safe. Parisians eat late so you often see families walking around late at night. It’s a café society - everyone is always outside in a cafe whatever the weather. Parisians love people-watching; even the café seats face the streets. For an expat living in Paris, you get a very nice lifestyle considering the average person earns £16,000 (€20,000) in Paris and management more like £28,000 (€35, 000).
British and American buyers tend to purchase properties in the better-known parts of Paris, like St Germain and St Michel on the left bank, which are littered with chic French cafes, restaurants and bars. Some are beginning to move to the more authentic parts of Paris, where you can still buy a reasonably-priced flat. Today an average 50 m2, two-bedroom flat in Paris would cost about £350,000.
When I first left the U.K I rented out the two-bedroom flat I owned in St Margaret’s in southwest London - my safety net back home – and eventually sold it. With the money I made from selling my U.K. home, I bought a run down old printing works in the fashion district of Paris – Montorgueil. It needed to be completely gutted and an enormous amount of work, but for £270,000 (2.7million francs at the time) it was a bargain.
Read Anna Gizowska's full article in our July 2008 edition.
