France is the most visited country in the world, and whether you’re wandering the streets of Paris with a pastry in hand, enjoying the lush scenery of Provence or sunning yourself in Marseille, it’s not hard to see why.
But what’s it like to live there? Well, Le Journal du Dimanche has just published its Top 500, a ranking of (you guessed it!) 500 French destinations based on extensive analysis of the quality of life in each. The newspaper ranked the towns and cities based on the quality of their infrastructure, services, environment and security.
So, where topped the ranks as the very best place to live? That would be Biarritz, the sunny coastal city just 35 kilometres from the country’s border with Spain. It’s so close to Spain, in fact, that it takes under an hour to drive to San Sebastian.
Biarritz is known as the birthplace of the surfing scene in Europe. The city launched a bid to host the Olympic contests during Paris 2024, and while that was sadly unsuccessful, it’s still considered one of the best surfing destinations in the world – check out Grand Plage and Cote des Basques if you’re looking to catch some waves.
But surfing isn’t the only draw to the seaside city. According to mayor Maider Arosteguy, there’s plenty being done to ensure quality of life is top-notch in Biarritz. Arosteguy said to Le Journal du Dimanche: ‘Since 2020, we have been working to enhance our heritage, improve daily life, all while preserving our way of life – close to nature and deeply rooted in our culture.
‘When you reinforce the cliffs, renovate schools, and repair roads, you are improving everyday life. The city’s activities also contribute to this improvement. What other city of 26,000 residents can claim to have six cultural festivals of national and international standing?’ she continued.
Major cities ranked a little lower on the list, with Toulouse coming in at number 74, Lyon at 79, Paris at 101 and Marseille in 127. Check out the top 10 below.
These are the 10 best places to live in France
- Biarritz, Pyrenees-Atlantiques
- Angers, Maine-et-Loire
- Annecy, Haute-Savoie
- Bayonne, Pyrenees-Atlantiques
- Rodez, Aveyron
- La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime
- Lorient, Morbihan
- Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Manche
- Anglet, Pyrenees-Atlantiques
- Brest, Finistère
For some more inspo, discover the best places to visit in France.
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