Illustrator Moves to Paris at 72 After Decades of Visiting

Carol Gillott moved permanently to Paris at age 72 after decades of visiting the city as a tourist and artist. The relocation concluded a long professional life in the United States, where she worked as an illustrator in New York and maintained a frequent travel schedule to France.

Gillott first visited Paris by boat at age 16, following her older sister. She later studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the University of Pennsylvania. Her career included work in the fashion industry on Seventh Avenue and as a pharmaceutical illustrator for brands such as Advil and Prozac. Her illustrations also appeared on magazine covers for Time and Newsweek.

In 2006, she launched a blog called Paris Breakfasts to share watercolors of the city, with a focus on pastries and confections. The site attracted a readership who appreciated the colorful style. She began selling her artwork on Etsy, which generated enough income to support a full-time move. She left New York in 2012 after a trial visit, subletting her apartment in the East Village.

Gillott now lives alone in a chambre de bonne on the Ile Saint-Louis. The apartment, originally built as servants' quarters, overlooks the Seine and offers a view of the Bastille. She describes the neighborhood as having a village-like atmosphere. She supports herself through Social Security, sales from Etsy, and freelance illustration work.

Her blog continues to document life in the city. Recent posts have covered topics including the author Colette, beach umbrellas in Normandy, and the paintings of Monet. She also creates illustrated maps of Paris, marking locations associated with Napoleon and specific shops for macarons and ice cream. A subscription service sends small examples of her work to subscribers worldwide.

Gillott attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and maintains connections to the city, but she has no plans to return to the United States. She misses her sister, who lives in Philadelphia, and the museum. She navigates Paris on foot, by metro, and by bus, utilizing senior discounts at local pools and other venues.

She holds a residence permit known as the Carte de sejour. Because she is over 65, she does not need to prove language proficiency for the visa, though she is required to pass a civic exam. She notes that the French value history, a perspective she has adopted. When renting her current apartment, she was tested on French history, including the architect of the building.

Gillott observes that life in Paris centers on seasonality and food rituals. Companies and tourist boards frequently host tastings and contests for products like croissants and gallettes. She attends these events as a blogger, often receiving press invites. She recently attended a tomato festival and has previously participated in a hot chocolate festival and a kite festival.

She finds the cost of living lower than in New York, where she once survived a mugger's shot in the 1980s. She stocks up on fresh food at outdoor markets before items are discarded at the end of the day. She describes the city as safe and notes that she does not worry about crime. She says the city remains beautiful even when the weather is grey and raining.

Gillott states that she has a good French accent but does not consider herself fluent in the language. She enjoys the variety of local cheese and the culture of celebration surrounding food. She describes her life as rich, noting that she can stay busy if she enjoys food and art.