Call me crazy but I still think Paris could've worked

Her behavior was very implausible. She knew from her own work what it meant to meet a deadline. She was nearly 40 years old.

I think it could have worked if it were for a defined period, not more than a year at most. Carrie had been in NYC for nearly 20 years. In that time she had built up a support network of friends and suppliers, eg, dentist, dr, hairdresser, etc. She had a steady job. She was self-supporting. She understood the culture and fit in easily. And of course, she spoke the language.

In Paris, she had none of this. She had no experience of being financially dependent on a man. Additionally, her natural reactions were incompatible with Parisian/French norms. We see this in her inappropriate over-familiarity with hotel staff and Aleks' daughter. It would have taken her a long, long time to even approximate the life she had in NYC, if ever, because she would always be a foreigner there.

But as an interlude in her life, a learning experience, it would have worked.

I don't think she would've ever liked it, something would always be missing and would make her want to go back to NYC. She would've eventually broken up with Aleksander (Don't know if I'm spelling that right) and then she would be alone, most likely jobless since she quit her job before moving to Paris, homeless since she wouldn't be with Aleks anymore, it would've been a mess. I think that episode proved that she was a New Yorker at heart and she always would be.

Carrie had a romanticised view of her life in Paris. She built her expectations up to such a level that the reality could only disappoint. She didn’t think it through properly. She was a wide-eyed wanderer on a spur-of-the-moment adventure. Miranda could see this.

You keep on reminding me of a darkness only I can see

Dude, have you EVER relocated abroad?

I have (to Canada), and in the real world, a permanent relocation (meaning not a vacation, but one that implies you'll be allowed to establish residence and legally work) takes a LOT of logistics and planning.

It's about as complex and time consuming as running a space shuttle project.

My wife and I couldn't stop laughing at the idea of Carrie not realizing the enormity of the situation.

Clearly the Russian must have either work permit or EU passport to be able to so casually move between USA and Europe. And the money to do so (can't still get how he's so rich, with such ridiculous "art").

Carrie has neither. Unless her plan involves permanently depend on the Russian financially (and thus being her abject slave), how would she support herself if they were to break up (which they did within 2 weeks)?
- She can't work (has no work permit)
- She has no money (not for Paris that's for sure, her rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan is a one time miracle)
- She has no network of support
- She doesn't even speak the language!!!

Tell me exactly how it would have worked other than her being 100% dependent on the Russian and thus subject to his every whim?

I think it was because she was forcing it. I think she liked the idea but was probably "over" Alek far before they broke up. It was an exciting idea to move but not with someone so unsupportive emotionally.