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Here is the ranking of cities in France where life is delightful!

undefined undefined 17 février 2025 undefined 17h00

The Editor

Biarritz © Roaming Pictures / Shuttertsock

New year means a new ranking of the Cities & Villages where it’s great to live in France. While the cities in the west are enjoying great success, some of the largest cities in the Hexagon, including the capital, are quite far down the list.

The verdict has been announced. For this 6th edition, the Villes & Villages association has established its ranking of cities where life is good, and the west of France is practically flawless. On the podium, Biarritz and Angers stand out among the 34,795 French municipalities, holding the 1st and 2nd places. Luckily, Annecy also makes a lovely appearance in 3rd place, helping to lift the vibe a bit in the east.


Very strict judging criteria

In total, 190 criteria divided into 11 categories are used to establish the final ranking. These include quality of life, safety, environmental protection, health, and many more.

Businesses and services, transportation, education, sports and leisure, local finance and taxes, solidarity, and even real estate attractiveness. And for the first time this year, natural risks have been added, particularly seismic, flooding, and the recurrences of natural disasters. So, we have a variety of very specific criteria that allow Biarritz to rise to the very top of the rankings, knocking Angers off the top spot that it held for 3 years.


Goodbye Paris

With its delicately polluted air, the sweet sounds of honking at any hour of the day and night, and its sky-high rents, it's no surprise that Paris isn't part of the top 10. However, we didn't expect the capital to be so low in the rankings, as it falls just outside the top 100 to land in 101st place. And even though we're not too proud, we still want to mention that the capital has gained 2 spots compared to last year, which is no small feat! Lyon comes in at 79th place while Marseille continues its downward trend year after year, settling in at 127th place.


Your Next Destination?

Well, now you know, big cities are apparently overrated, and nothing beats the charm of small towns in western France. So, we’re sharing with you the top 10, so you can pick your next vacation destination or perhaps, who knows, your next place to live!

Biarritz
Angers
Annecy
Bayonne
Rodez
La Rochelle
Lorient
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Anglet
Brest