SUMMARY
According to an opinion survey carried out by Villes de France and Ifop, in partnership with ANCT and Banque des Territoires, the appeal of medium-sized towns to the French is still strong (access to healthcare, services, proximity to nature...), but has waned slightly in the face of certain difficulties (cost of living, particularly housing, economic difficulties...). Programs such as Action Cœur de Ville seem to encourage French people's attachment to their town. However, city-center businesses are being weakened by new consumer habits (e-commerce) and out-of-town shopping areas.
Keywords: action cœur de ville, adaptation to climate change, attractiveness, barometer, living environment, shops, rail links, housing, quality of life, safety, public services, medium-sized towns.
Illustration: Villes de France © Ifop
Online survey methodology
The survey was carried out on a representative sample (quota method) of 1,000 French people aged +18, plus 689 French people aged +18 living in a medium-sized city (10,000 to 100,000 inhabitants). It was administered via an online questionnaire from April 29 to May 2, 2025.
Excerpts from the Baromètre des Territoires Villes de France 2025
