Meet Mimi: The British Expat Who Fell in Love With Paris (and Stayed)
For many, moving to France is a long-held dream. For Mimi, it was an obsession. At 16, after her first visit to Paris, she declared to her mum that she’d move there within two years. And, incredibly, she did.
In our latest FAB Expat interview, we sit down with Mimi, also known to her TikTok followers as the “British Emily in Paris”, to hear how she moved to France solo at just 19, navigated the post-Brexit bureaucracy, learned fluent French, and built a life and business in the City of Light.
Spoiler: it wasn’t all croissants and cobblestones, but Mimi’s story is packed with lessons, laughs, and real talk for future expats thinking of doing the same.
Moving to Paris at 19: A Little Bit Delusional, a Lot Determined
Mimi’s journey to Paris wasn’t perfectly planned. In fact, she describes her 2019 move as “delulu, Gen Z speak for wildly optimistic and a bit impulsive. With just 2,000 € from her student loan, no job lined up, and a tiny basement apartment that came with unwanted furry roommates, she dove into Paris life headfirst.
And this wasn’t pre-Brexit when things were simpler for Brits. Mimi had to navigate France’s full post-Brexit visa process: TLS applications, new passports, prefecture appointments, and the dreaded “we are not responsible if we lose your passport” disclaimers.
It was intense, but also proof that moving to France is absolutely possible, even if you're young and doing it solo.
She Speaks French (Unlike the Real Emily in Paris)
Unlike her Netflix counterpart, Mimi is fluent in French, a skill that’s been crucial for her work in social media marketing. From internships to her current job at a French startup, speaking the language helped her bridge cultural gaps, thrive professionally, and truly integrate.
But she didn’t get there without a few classic expat language fails, like using “NVM” (never mind) in a French work Slack group, not realising it has a very inappropriate connotation in French slang. Or navigating tricky words like chaud (hot) or excité that can mean something very different than intended.
Pro tip: even fluent speakers slip up. Embrace it. Laugh. Learn.
Culture Shock: The British Politeness vs. French Directness
One of Mimi’s favourite things about living in France? The honesty.
Coming from the UK, where everything is wrapped in politeness and indirectness, French directness was a breath of fresh air, even when it came to outfits. “If I ask my French boyfriend if he likes my outfit and it’s bad, he’ll just say no. And I love that.”
Living in another language and culture has also shifted her personality. In French, she’s more assertive. In English, she still catches herself defaulting to “soft” language, a fascinating bilingual identity many expats experience over time.
Why Paris Still Calls
Although she briefly relocated to Bordeaux for an internship, Mimi quickly returned to Paris, missing the energy, scale, and soul of the capital. Bordeaux was beautiful, but felt too small, too familiar. And surprisingly full of Brits.
Back in Paris, she’s lived in nearly every arrondissement from the 2nd to the 18th, slowly discovering the rhythms of each neighbourhood. These days, she loves the 18th, where she’s planning to stay.
Her perfect Paris day? Walking from the Eiffel Tower through the Tuileries and ending with a hot chocolate from Angelina or Carrette, skipping the rooftop bars, which she admits have never been her thing.
Launching a Business in France (as a Foreigner!)
Mimi is now taking her next leap: launching her own marketing agency, Mia Social. Like many expats, the paperwork journey hasn’t been easy, business plans, support letters, and French admin galore, but she’s making it happen.
Her story is a great reminder that your French life can evolve. You might arrive as a student or a language learner and end up building a whole new professional identity abroad.
So, Is She the Real Emily in Paris?
Mimi’s been called the “British Emily in Paris” by Newsweek, but she’s quick to say the comparison wasn’t her idea. Still, after sharing her journey online, working in French, surviving Paris apartments, embracing the chaos, the label kind of stuck.
But here’s the real difference: Mimi’s Paris is real. Unpolished. Sometimes awkward. But full of growth, humor, and a deep love for the city that drew her in as a teen and hasn’t let go since.
Mimi’s Quickfire Picks:
☕ Tea or café crème? Herbal tea, not English Breakfast!
🧀 Cheeseboard or scone with clotted cream? Scone all the way.
🚶♀️ Rooftop view or solo Paris walk? Long walks by the Seine.
🏙️ Favourite arrondissement? The 18th (for now).
🚌 Most French thing about her? Impatience when the metro takes more than 4 minutes.
Thinking of Moving to France?
Mimi’s story shows that you don’t have to have it all figured out. You can move to France young, alone, broke, and unsure, and still build a thriving life. The key is being open to mistakes, ready to adapt, and willing to put yourself out there.
Whether you're dreaming of student life in Paris, remote work from Bordeaux, or building a business in the French countryside, Mimi’s journey is an inspiring, and delightfully real, reminder that it can be done.
👉 Watch the full video interview below
Thinking of retiring early or slow-traveling France?
Reach out to FAB Expat for relocation support, residency guidance, or a real talk on what life abroad really looks like.