This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Celina Tolbert, 31, a social media manager from North Carolina who is based in Paris. This piece has been edited for length and clarity. It started off as a joke. I'm not rich, so I didn't think I'd be able to afford to host a 30th birthday at a French chateau. Then I started browsing Airbnb and realized there are hundreds of small chateaux throughout France, some of which were pretty affordable to rent. So, in February 2025, I decided to