Student cities in France

There are 12 cities in France with at least two universities in our index, 48 universities between them. Here is how they compare on the six things that decide how a year actually feels.

Every student city in France

Lyon7.7/10

Montpellier7.7/10

Rennes7.7/10

Toulouse7.7/10

Bordeaux7.5/10

Caen7.3/10

Champs-sur-Marne7.3/10

Palaiseau7.3/10

Besançon7.2/10

Gif-sur-Yvette7.0/10

Grenoble7.0/10

Paris7.0/10

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best student city in France?

Lyon scores 7.7/10 across the six City Life Index measures, the highest in France. The table above shows how close the others are.

Last updated 2026-09-15.