Fleur(28)

Amsterdam was always my home, but as a freelance illustrator the city increasingly felt like a gilded cage. My studio rent rose every year, commissions came in mostly digitally and I missed the inspiration of something new. Paris had drawn me since art school — the galleries, the ateliers, the tradition of art as a way of life. At 27, I decided to take the leap.

The first thing I needed to sort out was my work status. As an EU citizen you can live and work in France, but you need a legal structure. I chose the micro-entreprise — the French equivalent of a sole proprietorship, but simpler. You register online via autoentrepreneur.urssaf.fr, choose your activity code (APE) and within two weeks you have a SIRET number. The tax burden is low: 22% social charges on your turnover, plus income tax.

Living in Paris is expensive, but not impossible if you search smart. I rent a 25m² studio in Belleville — the 20th arrondissement — for €850 per month. That's comparable to Amsterdam, but I now live in one of the most inspiring cities in the world. Belleville is raw, multicultural and full of street art. Right up my alley. The guarantor system works differently from the Netherlands: landlords ask for a dossier with three months of pay slips, tax returns and a guarantee.

The cost of living still surprises me. A baguette costs €1.20, an espresso on a terrace €1.80. The marchés are incredibly cheap for fresh vegetables and cheese. I spend less on groceries than in Amsterdam. What is more expensive: the métro (Navigo pass €86/month) and eating out in tourist areas. But in Belleville you eat a three-course plat du jour for €14.

My network grew faster than expected. Through an expat group for creative Dutch people in Paris I got my first French commission: illustrations for a children's book from a small publisher. More followed. The French art world is more hierarchical than the Dutch one, but once you're in, doors open. I now exhibit in a gallery in Le Marais and give workshops in my studio.

My advice to young creatives: Paris isn't easy, but it's worth it. Learn French — real French, not just bonjour and merci. Register at the mairie for your carte de séjour, arrange your CPAM enrollment for healthcare and keep all invoices for your tax return. The bureaucracy is legendary, but every time I walk through Montmartre with my sketchbook I know: this is where I belong.