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The first city in France where it's great to live in 2025 is just 2 hours from Bordeaux!

undefined undefined 17 février 2025 undefined 09h00

The Editor

The Basque Country is Popular!

Biarritz has claimed the top spot in the 2025 ranking of French cities and villages where life is good. This seaside city in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques is shining bright and has dethroned Angers, which has held the top position for three years. But this year, it's the gem of the Basque coast that is earning all the praise, moving up 2 places since last year. What’s behind this rise? The city stands out for its excellence in security and health, two major priorities for the French. Its success also reflects the growing appeal of places where the balance between city life and nature is still possible, far from the hustle and bustle of metropolises. These essential criteria make Biarritz a peaceful haven for its residents.


In general, the Basque Country scores all the good points and top places. Just behind Biarritz, Bayonne closely follows in 4th place (after Angers and Annecy), and we find Guétary in 2nd place in the parallel ranking of villages where life is great.

Big Cities Losing Their Shine

Behind this success, Biarritz's geographical location is key to its charm. Nestled between the sea and mountains, the city offers an idyllic living environment, perfect for impeccable air quality and a well-preserved natural setting. While the appeal of big cities like Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, or Marseille (completely absent from the top 20) seems to be waning, medium-sized towns are now catching the attention of the French looking for a calmer and more fulfilling daily life.

ert. For your information, the capital of Gironde ranks 37th in the classification... 


35,000 municipalities carefully studied 

Biarritz, in addition to its beautiful beaches and oceanic climate, embodies a new ideal of quality of life filled with sweetness, security, and well-being. The ranking, published this Sunday, February 16, ranking the 34,795 municipalities of metropolitan France according to 11 criteria such as quality of life, safety, health, transportation, sports and leisure, commerce, education, and even climate issues with seismic risks, flooding, and natural disasters that have now become priorities for the French.