Emily in Paris recap: What happened in the season 2 ending and what was Emily's decision?

Fans are seeking an Emily in Paris recap as the third season arrives on Netflix.

The wait is almost over, as viewers welcome the much anticipated Emily in Paris season 3 (opens in new tab) to Netflix this December - aka the perfect Christmas binge. There were many plot questions and storylines up in the air following the season 2 finale, which saw Emily having to think not just about her professional life but her love life too. Dropping last December, it's been over a year since some have watched the events of the previous season - so we've pulled this recap together on everything that went down ahead of your season 3 viewing.

For those who can't get enough of the Emily in Paris franchise and their beautiful cast members - fear not. The end of the year also sees Lucas Bravo in new romcom The Honeymoon (opens in new tab), that is sure to go down a storm with fans of the French star. 

Emily in Paris recap - what happened at the end of season 2?

The finale of Emily in Paris season 2 ends on a cliffhanger. The perky American has to chose whether to stay in Paris and join Sylvie's new marketing firm or return to Chicago with Madeleine as part of the Gilbert Group.

"Hi Sylvie, it's me. I've made my decision," Emily says into her phone overlooking the River Seine, before the action cuts and the end credits roll. At the Grégory Elliott Duprée fashion show at Versailles earlier, we see Sylvie, Luc and Julien dramatically announce they've quit Savoir after Madeleine's interference. "Consider this a French Revolution," Sylvie says, before the three make their exit.

Still reeling from the events of the day before, Emily returns to the office early the next morning where she meets Madeleine. Her pregnant boss promises Emily that despite recent events she will still receive the promotion that was promised pre-Paris - upon her return to Chicago. However, a lunch invitation from Sylvie presents another opportunity.

At their usual haunt, Emily joins the ex-Savoir employees for lunch and it's here that Sylvie announces she is setting up her own marketing firm. Pierre Cadault and new signing Grégory Elliott Duprée have both agreed to follow Sylvie to her new company - though the latter has specified he'll only join if Emily Cooper works there. Sylvie admits that Emily is good at her job and she wants her to join her new venture - the decision is just down to her.

Being in the city of love, predictably Emily has a romance dilemma of her own that she needs to make a decision on - Alfie or Gabriel? 

Earlier in the episode Alfie confirms he wants to try a long distance relationship with Emily - as his contract in Paris draws to a close and he's set to return to England.

"The project that bought me here ended," he admits to Emily during a drink together. "I was supposed to be back in London a week ago. I've been dragging my feet for as long as I could. I stayed for you. Because I want to see if this - we - can be something. And I think we could do it. I'll just be a train ride away."

Emily agrees to give things a go and all seems rosy. However, it's whilst discussing her career options of whether to stay in Paris or return to Chicago to her best friend Mindy, she lets slip her true feelings for a certain French chef.

"It's a giant mess. I just, I never used to be this person," she says. "In Chicago I had a career path and a life plan and I didn't fall in love with my friend's boyfriend."

"Did you say love?," responds a shocked Mindy. "I didn't mean it," Emily replies.

Mindy delivers a pep talk, telling Emily to stop people pleasing everyone else and decide what she wants. "This is your life," she says exasperated. Fuelled with a new sense of purpose, Emily makes her way to Gabriel's apartment ready to share her true feelings with him.

"I think i'm staying in Paris for longer than a year," she announces.

"When I came here, Paris was this fun little detour that I thought would be a good story but now I think that this detour is where I'm supposed to be, because my life is here now, you know? My friends, my career and you," she adds. "And I just need to say this okay, before I lose the nerve. I just need to tell you that the reason I said I couldn't be with you, it wasn't Alfie. Gabriel, I'm..."

Before Emily can finish, Camille appears at the door. It turns out Gabriel asked Camille to move in with him. "We wanted to tell you but it just happened," Camille beams. 

A disheartened Emily offers her congratulations before making a swift exit. Looking a little lost in life, she ends up strolling along the Seine and the season ends with her fateful phone call to Sylvie.

What is Emily in Paris's decision?

Annoyingly, the cliffhanger at the end of season 2 means the audience doesn't know what Emily's big decision is. However, from the trailer of season 3 it looks like Emily remains in Paris working for both Sylvie and Madeleine (though it seems neither of them know it!)

In true Emily in Paris style, we can only assume this is a temporary plan that will no doubt come back to bite Emily. So the audience are currently none the wiser on what her career decision was.

As for romance, we know that Gabriel is back with Camille and Emily has agreed to do long-distance with Alfie. So it looks like Emily has chosen Alfie - for now.

When is Emily in Paris season 3 out?

Emily in Paris season 3 is released at 8am on Wednesday 21 December, exclusively on Netflix. All ten episodes will be available to watch straight away, with each episode lasting for around 60 minutes each.

As to what audiences can expect from the upcoming season, actress Lily Collins teased details in an interview with Entertainment Weekly (opens in new tab): "Emily, every season, is becoming more and more grounded within her time in Paris and her surroundings, whether that's at work, whether it's in her personal life with her girlfriends, even her fashion, her French language." 

She adds: "So we are left with these huge life decisions stuck between two countries, two men, and two jobs. And I think we find her at those crossroads at the very beginning of the season, and we get to see her throughout it become more quietly confident, and solid in her decision-making process, and able to really focus on her instincts and her heart as opposed to thinking too much about things."

Collins has also teased that the end of season 3 will see another huge cliffhanger which "definitely will leave you guessing".

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