Two French Riviera towns rank in France’s top 10 places to live
Nice remains in 9th place in the national ranking of cities with more than 2,000 inhabitants © Pixabay
The association ‘Cities and Villages Where Life is Good’ has published its 7th edition, which ranks all French municipalities, placing two cities in the Alpes-Maritimes region in the national top 10.
Created in 2017, the association ‘Cities and Villages Where Life is Good’ publishes the most comprehensive ranking of municipalities in metropolitan France every year. The 2026 rankings are based on nearly 200 criteria divided into 11 categories: quality of life, safety, environmental protection, health, shops and services, transport, education, sports and leisure, local finances and taxes, solidarity and property attractiveness.
Théoule-sur-Mer, best village on the French Riviera
Nice remains in 9th place in the national ranking of towns with more than 2,000 inhabitants. The capital of the French Riviera confirms its attractiveness despite increased competition. The podium remains dominated by Biarritz, Annecy and Angers.
Théoule-sur-Mer, the small coastal town in the Alpes-Maritimes, has achieved a remarkable performance by climbing to 6th place in the national ranking of villages with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. Théoule-sur-Mer has thus established itself as the best village on the French Riviera.
This distinction places the Var commune ahead of hundreds of other French villages. Only five villages rank higher nationally: Épron in Calvados (1st place), Guéthary in Pyrénées-Atlantiques (2nd), Martinvast in Manche (3rd), Mazères-Lezons in Pyrénées-Atlantiques (4th) and Biard in Vienne (5th).
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Théoule-sur-Mer’s success can be explained in particular by its renowned quality of life, its unspoilt natural setting between the sea and the Esterel massif, and its privileged geographical location on the French Riviera. Its attractive real estate market and range of services also contribute to this flattering ranking.
Several towns in the south of France have risen more than 50 places in the rankings: Ajaccio, Fréjus, Saint-Raphaël and Mandelieu-la-Napoule are among the municipalities that have made significant gains.