Walking through her chambre de bonne, a 150-square-foot studio apartment renovated from 18th-century servant quarters, Fiona Grove ’21 gives a glimpse into the post workday life of a Paris au pair. Squeezed into the tiny living space, there’s a beige futon that she folds down every night. The mini fridge is adorned with artwork from the children she nannies — Penelope, 9, and twins Roxanne and Louise, 3. The toilet is down the hall, but luckily, Grove is the only resident on the floor.
Though that description might seem dim, it all fades away when you look out the window, which displays a glittering view of west Paris. Just steps away from the building is the Arc de Triomphe and an open-air market with flower stalls, boucheries, boulangeries, and more.
Grove makes it a point to show the realities of being a recent graduate living in a foreign country, never shying away from the upsides (the most delectable cafés) and the down (her apartment may be haunted).
“I’ve met people here from all over,” she says. “Everyone came here for a different reason [and] have really different educational backgrounds, family backgrounds, perspectives on life. But, we all have this one characteristic in common: We were brave enough to start a new life in a new city… We wanted to meet new people, have new experiences, and that’s kind of beautiful to me.”
Move to Paris with Grove:
On the weekends, become entranced by Monet
“Musée Marmottan Monet is in the 16th Arrondissement. The buildings were all constructed in the late 19th century. They’re beautiful: When you picture in your head what Paris looks like, you’re probably picturing the 16th Arrondissement. The works of Monet and his contemporaries were incorporated into the family home of a devoted ‘protector’ of French arts and the Impressionist movement; it feels intimate and personal, but the artwork and the sculptures inside are still absolutely breathtaking.
“I also really like Musée de l’Orangerie, which is right by Place de la Concorde, where Emmanuel Macron’s house is. And it has the Monet water lily paintings, which are absolutely massive.”
Take an afternoon stroll along the Seine
“The best place to walk around is the third and fourth Arrondissement, which is the Le Marais area. A bunch of streets are closed down, so it’s really easy to walk. I like walking from where I live into central Paris by going along the Seine and then cutting back up.”
Feed your love for English lit with a new read at Shakespeare and Company
“There’s a lovely English language bookstore called Shakespeare and Company, which is in the medieval Latin quarter. It is touristy, but it is such a beautiful building. They have a cool rare book collection. There’s a great café next to it, and there’s a beautiful view of Notre Dame.”
Say cheese
“I have eaten a lot more cheese here than I think I have in my entire life. I have recently gotten really into Comté. With the family that I work for, I have had raclette, which is a food that you eat in winter. It’s these melted strips of cheese, and there’s a special machine that you use to make it. It’s a really long affair, but you put it on charcuterie meat and potato and bread, and it’s so good.”
Give the world a glimpse of your life through TikTok (and get 1.5M likes)
“Generally, I think a lot of Americans aren’t aware [that being an au pair] is an option if you’re interested in living and working abroad for an extended period of time. I’m going to share everything about my experience so far. Bisous!”
Grove majored in international relations and Asian studies at Colgate, where she studied Japanese. She first became interested in working as an au pair while on the Geneva Study Group, when she happened to meet one.