海角大神

I鈥檇 never seen so many red berets in my life. But there they were: five young tourists, all wearing the iconic French hat on a blustery October day. Cellphone cameras at the ready, they stood, one by one, not at the Eiffel Tower or the Pantheon a few steps away, but in front of a basic brown door at 1 Place de l鈥橢strapade.

But this isn鈥檛 just any door. This is where 鈥淓mily in Paris鈥� lives.

Now in its fourth season, the hit Netflix show features Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins), an overly enthusiastic, workaholic Chicago native who lands her dream job at a Paris-based marketing firm.

Through her epic cultural fails, viewers get a dose not only of the myriad ways in which American tourists offend Parisians, but also of every antiquated stereotype about the French that producer Darren Star (of 鈥淪ex and the City鈥� fame) could dredge up: All the men cheat on their partners, the boss smokes in her office, and everyone gorges themselves on croissants and still manages to stay bone-thin.

The French can鈥檛 get enough of it.

鈥淚鈥檝e watched the entire series even if it鈥檚 not highbrow,鈥� says Agathe, a Parisian who works at Universal Music next door to the restaurant where many of the 鈥淓mily in Paris鈥� scenes are filmed. (Like others interviewed, Agathe asked to be identified by her first name only.) 鈥淚t鈥檚 a guilty pleasure.鈥�

Agathe is not alone. After five episodes of its latest season, 鈥淓mily in Paris鈥� became the most-watched show in France. Even French President Emmanuel Macron is a fan, after his wife, Brigitte, made a cameo appearance in Episode 7.

But now, there鈥檚 a chance that Emily will say 鈥渁rrivederci鈥� to Paris, after her marketing firm decided at the end of the fourth season to open a branch in Rome. That has French fans of the love-to-hate series, and even Mr. Macron himself, up in arms.

鈥淲e will fight hard. And we will ask them to remain in Paris!鈥� Mr. Macron told Variety magazine in a recent interview. 鈥溾�楨mily in Paris鈥� in Rome doesn鈥榯 make sense.鈥�

Indeed, it is largely thanks to Americans鈥� deeply rooted vision of France that 鈥淓mily in Paris鈥� has been such a success. Even if they fantasize about Italy 鈥� think Julia Roberts languishing over a plate of pasta in 鈥淓at Pray Love鈥� 鈥� they fantasize about France more. The country has been the world鈥檚 top tourist destination for three decades, and France鈥檚 capital is the key to its soft power.

鈥淔rance鈥檚 cultural power is ingrained in the French from an early age,鈥� says Fabrice Raffin, a socioanthropologist who studies culture at the University of Picardie. 鈥淥ur gastronomy, luxury, fashion, and history are pillars of French identity. There鈥檚 definitely something elitist about it.鈥�

So while the French may be screaming at their television screens as they watch Emily attend yet another glamorous cocktail party without ever stepping foot in a smelly metro car, they can鈥檛 help but admit to getting sucked into Emily鈥檚 idealistic view of the city.

鈥淧aris is amazing, and the show highlights the best parts of it,鈥� says Elsa, joining Agathe outside their office. 鈥淥n Sundays, I like to go around the city, visit the Eiffel Tower, and be a tourist.鈥�

Plus, many French viewers say that, even if the stereotypes about them in 鈥淓mily in Paris鈥� seem to date back to the Middle Ages, they鈥檙e still hilariously true.

鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously an exaggeration, but yes, the French love to complain, and we pretend to be anti-American like [Emily鈥檚 boss], Sylvie,鈥� says Anis, taking a (stereotypically French) cigarette break with co-workers Agathe and Elsa. 鈥淭he stereotypes are funny.鈥�

As much as Emily makes us cringe, from her outrageous, wannabe-chic outfits to her obsession with getting Instagram likes, here鈥檚 hoping she decides to stay in the land of cheese and subpar coffee (Emily鈥檚 French co-worker said it, not me). The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, told Mr. Macron over the social platform X to 鈥渞elax鈥� and focus on 鈥渕ore pressing issues.鈥� Even some Italians are not convinced by her potential move.

鈥淣o, no, it has to stay here,鈥� says Matilde Mudadu, a tourist from the north of Italy, who came with her parents to take a photo in front of Emily鈥檚 famous door. 鈥淚 love Rome, but 鈥楨mily in Paris鈥� was born here and it has to stay here.鈥�

The French might be sad if Emily leaves, but Americans in Paris wouldn鈥檛 shed any tears; many of them have had enough of the Chicago native鈥檚 absent-minded cultural blunders.

鈥淔rench people assume you came here for the fantasy or the croissants, and it鈥檚 refreshing to them when they hear otherwise,鈥� says Emily Omier, an American tech consultant who moved to Paris in May 2023. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if the jokes will stop if Emily leaves Paris. Now, every conversation is the same: 鈥極h, your name is Emily? Like 鈥淓mily in Paris鈥�!鈥� I just say, 鈥榊eah, it鈥檚 me.鈥欌��