Where should you relocate in France depending on your lifestyle

People tend to see France as a whole, but it has many different regions that make life very different depending on where you choose to live and with which budget.

Of course, what is common to every place in the country is the school system, the health system, the laws etc, but besides that, people live very diverse type of lives, eat differently and have different life rhythm. So depending on your life stage, your aspirations and if you have a family or not, your choice may vary and it is useful to have insights before selecting a place to live.

1.        If you like luxury, fast life, being exposed to a huge network, attending events (concerts, clubs, film premiere), you should live in Paris because it is where main events happen. You will find great hotels, private parties, international connections, many expats also and a business life that is only available there. But a big city implies higher costs, smaller size of apartment (depending on your budget), a lot of traffic (that you can avoid with public transport), some pollution also and some level of noise. It is comparable to living in New-York. It may correspond to young professionals in their late twenties to thirties.

2.        If you need activity but more space, if you like great food and easy access to nature, Lyon might be the key. It is the third major city and it used to be the capital back in the days, before Lutèce (Paris) became the center of the state. It has a great culinary and wine tradition, it is situated close to the mountains (Alps), you can be by the countryside quite fast and the cost of living is less expensive than in Paris. It has all the equipments of a big city, you have universities, big companies, a dynamic professional environment, and it is maybe easier to manage work and family life in such city. Bordeaux may be a similar option (great food and wine, dynamic city + countryside nearby). Both have big trains stations and airports. You can reach Paris in 2 hours of TGV (fast regional train).

3.        You need a quieter environment, a small level of activity, beautiful landscapes and regional authenticity, many options are available. Smaller regional cities like Biarritz, Besançon, Dijon, Rennes, Quimper, La Rochelle, Nancy, Metz… all of which are located in different parts of France with specific regional styles. They are medium cities with commodities where you can live a quiet life with some level of social life, but nothing close to the major cities I spoke about before. They all are reachable by train and have a good access to the capital or other big cities depending on their location. Renting an apartment or a house is very affordable. Those cities are probably more suitable if you’re older, in the forties or fifties.

4.        When you’re a student, many other regional cities offer a great student life that is not available in Paris because the city is too big and expensive for students. Tours, Montpellier, Angers or Toulouse are interesting choices because they have good campuses, affordable housing fees, you can find a very dynamic student life there.

5.        For those who like the countryside, there is endless choice and rural life is what it is everywhere: Calm, a lot of space and very few activities (forest, walking…). But you need to be happy with yourself and your family if you have one, because it could be hard to make friends in environments where people have known each others for a long time, and strangers are rare. Depending on the region and your profile, you could be more or less welcome. It is necessary to go spend some time there to evaluate if it is relevant. It might be interesting if you are retired and willing to live a life of calm and contemplation.

I include more details on the specific lifestyles and costs in those regions in the relocation guide available on the website. Don’t hesitate to purchase, if you consider more seriously a relocation plan.