After years of dreaming about having a foothold in France, Karen and Ed Bacig discovered that fractional ownership could turn that dream into something real—and even better than they’d imagined.

For Karen and Ed Bacig, Paris had never been just another city to check off a list. It was the place they returned to, again and again. But actually owning property there?

“We had dreamed of having some kind of footprint in France for years, but truly thought it was just that, a dream,” Karen admits.

Everything shifted at a chance encounter. Running into friends at an event, Karen and Ed learned they were fractional owners in a Marais apartment—and that a share had just become available. After looking into it more, they decided to go for it.

The Challenge: Making Paris Ownership Fit Real Life

Like many people who love to travel, Karen and Ed faced a dilemma. They were tired of hotels, or taking a chance on an airbnb, but traditional ownership didn’t fit their lives. “Given that we love to travel to many different places, owning something outright and fulltime just did not fit with our goals,” Karen explains.

The practical questions seemed insurmountable. How do you justify buying a property you’ll only use a few weeks a year? What about managing maintenance from thousands of miles away? When you love discovering new destinations, can you really commit to returning to the same place?

For years, these questions kept their Paris dream in the “someday, maybe” category.

The Solution: A Share of Paris That Actually Makes Sense

The fractional ownership opportunity changed everything. “Fractional ownership has been the perfect balance for us,” Karen says. “We honestly did not have any concerns or hesitations. We could not believe what a perfect set up it was.” In the heart of the Marais, a two-bedroom, two-bath jewel with something rare in Paris: a terrace opening onto a quiet courtyard. 

“Our first reaction was delight, and perhaps some disbelief, that we were so lucky,” Karen recalls.

“We were not necessarily focused specifically on the Marais initially, but once we spent time there, we were so happy,” Karen says. “The neighborhood was everything we hoped for and more.”

The Unexpected Ease of It All

“How easy it was!” Karen says when asked what was most notable about buying and owning this fractional apartment in Paris.

Each ownership share is a piece of a US nonprofit association Incorporated in California. So buying the share entailed only a US based financial transaction, not a lengthy two month process involving a French notary. 

The ease of buying transitioned seamlessly into the ease of ownership.The local management company handles maintenance and upkeep. The usage system—two fixed weeks and two floating weeks each year—allows both certainty and flexibility. “The two floating weeks have provided us the opportunity to experience Paris in every season and every time of year, which we have loved,” Karen explains.

The Results: More Than an Apartment—A Life in Paris

“Our first visit to the apartment after taking ownership was surreal,” Karen remembers. “We were pinching ourselves that we had really done it and that it was ours.”

Ten years later, that feeling has only deepened.

Finding Their Paris Rhythm

Of all the special qualities of the apartment none has more cachet than the private terrace in the enclosed courtyard. It’s not a showpiece with sweeping views, but something better: a private outdoor room where the city’s intensity softens into something intimate. Morning coffee there before the day begins, an afternoon break with a book when museum legs get tired, and evening drinks after a long day of exploration, recounting discoveries while the neighborhood settles into its evening rhythm.

“A respite from the hustle and bustle of Paris and a wonderful retreat,” Karen says. In a city where outdoor space is precious, having this courtyard terrace has changed everything about how they inhabit their time in Paris.

Over ten years, Karen and Ed have built rituals that turn each arrival into a homecoming. Grocery bags in hand, they make their way to Marché des Enfants Rouges, weaving through the neighborhood streets they now know by heart. The market itself is one of Paris’s oldest covered markets, and it’s become their first stop, their reentry into Paris life. They buy supplies for breakfasts and snacks and pick up that wonderful freshly-squeezed orange juice they crave between visits. Often they’ll grab lunch at one of the small stalls—letting the market’s energy and the mix of languages remind them they’re back. Then comes the leisurely walk home, stopping for wine, the bags getting heavier and the anticipation building.

First night’s dinner is always—always—at Au Bourguignon du Marais. It’s close enough to walk, but proximity isn’t why they go. “The servers recognize us now,” Karen says with obvious pleasure, and they have “the best Bœuf Bourguignon we’ve ever tasted.” That first meal, the “welcome back” greeting from the server, eating food they’ve been thinking about for months: it’s the moment when Paris stops being a destination and becomes a home.

The beauty of ownership is that it gives you permission to move slowly. Even after a decade, Karen and Ed still love to wander without agenda, letting the day unfold. They walk a few minutes to the banks of the Seine, the route changing slightly depending on mood or weather. The neighborhood museums have become old friends: the Picasso with its mansion setting, the intimate Musée Cognacq-Jay, the opulent Musée Jacquemart-André. They’ll stroll to Place des Vosges and watch Parisians and tourists alike, have a coffee at the Place Sainte Catherine, taking in the sights and sounds that define the Marais.

“Our restaurant list keeps growing,” Karen says. “Colimaçon, Ciore across the street, Au Petit Thai, Le Loir dans la Théière, Chez Julien, Kaviari, Casa San Pablo, Datil, Chez Ajia.” Some they return to religiously. Others are new discoveries, the kind of find that only comes from being in a neighborhood long enough to notice which places the locals favor, which ones have lines on Sunday mornings, which ones you stumble into on a rainy Tuesday and realize you’ve found something special.

“I don’t feel like a tourist” Karen explains. “I feel more a part of the city.” It’s hard to quantify that feeling, but it’s unmistakable. Maybe it’s knowing which boulangerie has the best croissants. Maybe it’s the nod from the woman who runs the wine shop. Maybe it’s just the confidence of knowing your way home without checking the map on your phone.

The apartment has also given them something they didn’t anticipate: the ability to share their Paris. Over the years, they’ve hosted friends and family, showing them not the Paris of guidebooks but their personal Paris. “It has been so special to show them around ‘our’ Paris,” Karen says. “There’s a particular joy in playing host in a city that once felt foreign, in being the one who knows where to go and what to see and do.”

What Would They Tell Others?

When asked what they’d say to someone considering fractional ownership but still hesitating, Karen’s answer is immediate and unequivocal: “You will not regret it.”

And if she could describe the feeling of having her own place in the heart of Paris?

“A privilege and a dream. Our Paris apartment has been our launching pad to explore throughout France and beyond into other parts of Europe. One of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”

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Your Paris Story Awaits

Interested in learning how fractional ownership in Paris could work for your lifestyle and travel patterns? Contact Paris Property Group to learn more.