Find your new life
It's challenging to rank the best places to live in France because they are so different from one another! How do you compare Paris and Biarritz, or Cannes and Annecy?
Whether a large metropolis or a small town, in Île-de-France or by the sea, the choice of city largely depends on your personal preferences. However, here's a sample of French cities that are highly rated in terms of quality of life, cultural influence, professional opportunities, or retirement potential.
Located on the famous French Riviera, in the Alpes-Maritimes department, Nice is renowned throughout France for its pleasant lifestyle. Though it's the fifth-largest city in France (with 340,000 inhabitants), Nice remains a city on a human scale, constantly bathed in sunlight, with colorful architecture, generous Provençal cuisine, and close to beautiful beaches. The city offers such a quality of life that many French people, whether working or retired, decide to permanently settle there!
Nice is ideal for sports enthusiasts: it offers a multitude of water activities in the Mediterranean, has two national parks, and kilometers of walking trails for those who love hiking in nature. It's located right next to the Alps for skiing enthusiasts...
Living in Nice means enjoying the sun, the sea, the mountains, a warm culture, eating sun-drenched local produce, without losing out on cultural dynamism: the city organizes numerous events, exhibitions, and concerts, as well as festivals and festivities, like the famous Nice Carnival in February.
All these wonderful aspects come at a cost: as with the entire French Riviera, prices in Nice are higher than the French average. This is not surprising for a city that combines so many qualities!
Angers has been elected the best city to live in France several years in a row*! Located in Maine-et-Loire, Angers offers a very high quality of life, with a green and pleasant environment, cultural dynamism, listed architecture, and many practical services.
"Best city to live," "first green city," "least stressful city," "least polluted city"... Angers leads many rankings! With a third of its territory green, 70 km of bike paths, numerous theaters and concert halls, but also a low cost of living and an accessible real estate market, Angers is unanimously recognized as the city to settle in, the city to invest in!
In Angers, 48% of the population is under 30 years old. But it can't be summarized as merely a student city: here, everyone finds their pace and activities!
We mentioned the listed architecture, and for good reason, the city is famous for its medieval castle and very well-preserved historical heritage. And to top it all off, Angers is renowned for its vineyard, producing some of the best wines in the region.
*Annual ranking carried out by the association "Villes et villages où il fait bon vivre".
Lyon, while being one of the largest French cities, maintains a human scale and closeness to nature. Getting to the countryside, the sea, and the mountains is very easy from this city of light, making it the ideal place for sports enthusiasts who enjoy hiking or climbing.
Lyon is known for being a city of gastronomy, especially thanks to its "bouchons Lyonnais" which offer a very traditional, quintessentially French culinary experience.
The city is also a cultural crossroads, with numerous festivals, museums, and events throughout the year. The most famous is the Festival of Lights, which attracts many tourists every December to admire the projections and enjoy the festivities!
Its real estate market is almost twice less expensive than the Parisian market, and its average cost of living encourages many individuals to settle here, in search of a better quality of life.
As befits a capital city, Paris is the central hub of culture, employment, and gastronomy. This history-rich city is the most dynamic in France: not a day goes by without a new exhibition, concert, conference, or event. New restaurants are constantly opening, offering not only traditional French cuisine but also Japanese, Mexican, Italian, or even Cambodian. Each district has its own atmosphere, and choosing where to live is like choosing between 20 very different villages.
This is without even considering the “Grand Paris”, i.e., the Parisian suburbs, which include as many dynamic cities as there are surprising villages. You could choose to live in large towns like Versailles, by the Seine to the south and west, or in atypical villages like Carrières-sur-Seine, full of cave houses and only 20 minutes from the center of Paris.
Of course, such cultural dynamism and a large job market mean high competitiveness and high prices on the real estate market. Inside Paris, the average price per square meter is 10 000€.
In summary, Paris offers an exceptional quality of life for those who aspire to a very active urban life, close to every conceivable gastronomic choice, the possibility to go to the theater, opera, or museum every day, and always discover new things. This abundance of activities comes with compromises: a high cost of living, a very high population density, noise, and traffic jams... even in the metro! In short, Paris is not a city for everyone, but it is certainly exceptional for those active and in love with culture!
Like Nice, Cannes offers all the advantages and beauty of the French Riviera: a warm and colorful city, rich cuisine, close to the mountains for hiking and winter sports, the sea, the beach and water sports, Italy, Corsica... People come here seeking a superior living environment and abundant sunshine.
Known for its highly publicized festival, Cannes is calm and peaceful for the rest of the year... without being a dead city! Thanks to the festival, the city benefits from worldwide fame and cultural dynamism throughout the year.
As expected on the French Riviera, the prices in Cannes are higher than the French average. Living in the Mediterranean comes at a cost!
Annecy was long considered the best city to live in before being dethroned by Angers. The city's beauty and its lake, its relaxed lifestyle, and its ideal location at the foot of the Alps, led Annecy to be one of the best cities in France !
The city is exceptionally pleasant, with a very pretty city center (it's one of the most beautiful cities in France!) and a mountain of outdoor activities, from hiking to skiing, including all the water activities on the lake.
The city is also a growing economic center, with employment opportunities in the engineering, technology, and tourism sectors!
Bordeaux is one of the favorite cities for those who love urban life. Smaller than Paris, this metropolis located in the southwest of France is known for its lifestyle, gastronomy, proximity to the ocean, and rich cultural heritage. Bordeaux is famous for its world-renowned wines, making it the wine capital of France. The quality of life in Bordeaux is very pleasant, with a cost of living relatively affordable compared to other major European cities.
The city boasts a magnificent historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offering sumptuous architecture, cobblestone streets, and picturesque squares. The banks of the Garonne River, the developed quays, and the numerous cultural and artistic events make Bordeaux a choice destination for lovers of culture and the good life.
Aix-en-Provence, nestled in the heart of the beautiful Provencal region, is a city where life is particularly good. Unlike its neighbor Marseille, the city is known for its calm atmosphere and peaceful pace of life, between the warmth of the sun and the singing of cicadas.
Its geographical location is enviable: in the heart of Provence, surrounded by renowned national parks and a stone's throw from the Mediterranean! It's an ideal city for nature lovers.
Its historic center is renowned as one of the most beautiful in France. Strolling along the streets, having a coffee in the shade of plane trees, browsing designer boutiques, or tasting a glass of wine in one of its reputed restaurants… Living in Aix-en-Provence feels a bit like being on vacation all year round!
Like all southern cities, its rich Provencal cuisine, sun-drenched fruits and vegetables, and fragrant spices are particularly appreciated.
Montpellier has long been included in the rankings of the best cities to live in. Its unique architecture, location close to the sea, delicious cuisine, and the melodic accent of its residents make this city one of the most charming in France.
Montpellier is far from being just a summer destination: its dynamic job market and student life make it a lively and energetic city, culturally rich and varied, hosting exhibitions, festivals, and various events throughout the year. Montpellier is the third-largest university hub in France: each year, about 70,000 students come to settle here!
Architecturally speaking, the city is famous for its forty fountains, from the oldest to the most modern, which adorn public squares and cool down the summer afternoons.
Bergerac is the second city of Dordogne, a department located in the southwest of France, in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Dordogne is particularly popular within the British community for its quality of life and very accessible real estate market.
But why Bergerac specifically? The city has more than one asset! First of all, Bergerac is famous for its surrounding vineyards and the many wine estates available for purchase. It’s an opportunity for new residents to learn a new craft or get involved in wine tourism.
Classified as a "city of art and history," it also boasts a rich heritage, a charming city center, and a range of historical museums.
The Dordogne (also called Périgord) appeals to those seeking a more rural, gentler, closer to nature way of life. It’s an ideal region for city dwellers looking for a peaceful second home, and for retirees in search of a new life!
