Find your new life
Paris is a vibrant and dynamic city, but also noisy and congested. Many people are looking to leave the capital, without wanting to leave the centre, which has become too small and too expensive. And that's good: the surrounding area is full of charming towns and villages that offer an ideal alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city. Cities with a friendly atmosphere where you can find spacious apartments and houses with gardens, just a few dozen minutes from the center.
Discover with us the best cities to settle in around Paris!
Only 30 minutes from Paris, Versailles, known for its world-famous castle, is a pleasant city to live in, with beautiful parks and large forests, lively markets (the Sunday market attracts inhabitants from all the surrounding villages!) and a quieter atmosphere than the capital. With its wide and tree-lined streets, its houses lined with well-kept gardens, its many amenities and its quick access to Paris thanks to the RER C and the various transiliens that serve La Défense and the Saint-Lazare train station, the city offers an excellent quality of life!
The city of Versailles is itself surrounded by very pleasant towns and villages that are well served by the RER or the Transilien, which wind through the Paris suburbs. The towns of Chatou, Louveciennes, Bougival and Marly-Le-Roi are excellent examples: the streets are spacious and lined with pretty houses with gardens, the hilly and green spaces sometimes offer splendid views of the city and the Seine, the village atmosphere contrasts sharply with the capital, yet only about twenty minutes away by public transport. The catch: these cities, which are popular, are relatively expensive.
Located to the east of Paris, Nogent-sur-Marne combines the advantages of a green city, close to the Grand Bois de Vincennes, with very good accessibility to the capital via the RER A: it only takes 13 minutes to reach Châtelet, the heart of Paris, from Nogent station!
The banks of the Marne offer a pleasant setting with barges, guinguettes and restaurants, and are ideal for walks or bike rides in the middle of nature.
Nogent is known for offering the best of both worlds: a peaceful life surrounded by nature, with all amenities, a cinema, a swimming pool, restaurants and bars, while being a stone's throw from Paris. It is the ideal city for those who work in the center but do not wish to live there.
Located a little further than Versailles, in the heart of the Yvelines, Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a pretty town renowned for its green setting (thanks to its large forest!), its historical heritage, and its quality of life.
Its historic and charming town centre, partly pedestrianised, is full of small shops allowing you to have all the amenities. The city, safe and pleasant, attracts many expats thanks to its renowned international schools, and, as a rule, many families who want a peaceful setting while staying connected to the capital via the RER A!
To the west of Paris, Meudon stands out thanks to its large forest and village atmosphere, while being only 10 minutes from Paris. Its pretty banks of the Seine, its almost omnipresent greenery, its gentle way of life contrast strongly with the capital, even though it is just a stone's throw away!
The city is fortunate to be very well equipped: gym, cultural space, supermarket, bakery, sports facilities, swimming pool, basketball court, shops, museum, media library...
Very popular with families, Meudon benefits from a good connection with Paris via the Transilien and the RER C.
Located an hour south of Paris, Fontainebleau is a historic town, famous for its castle and forest (a bit like Saint-Germain-en-Laye, after all!) ideal for nature lovers. Because Fontainebleau is a real green setting, it is not uncommon to see Parisians flocking there at the weekend to take long walks in the forest! So, rather than living in the city and only having the forest once a week on weekends, more and more Parisians are choosing to turn things around and settle there for good!
Fontainebleau's reputation is well established: in addition to its extraordinary setting, the city is known for its more relaxed living environment, while being relatively close to Paris thanks to rail links. Fontainebleau has all kinds of real estate, although it is true that it is mainly mansions and waterfront properties that attract individuals.
Collés in Paris, in the far east of the city, Vincennes and its neighbour Saint-Mandé are very popular cities for their pleasant living environment and proximity to the capital, thanks to the 1 metro line and the RER A. The Bois de Vincennes, the cobbled streets and the village atmosphere, Vincennes and Saint-Mandé seduce families and young professionals looking for calm while remaining a few minutes from Paris.
Obviously, such comfort and proximity radically increase prices! The square meter in these two cities is equivalent to, or even higher than, the Parisian average. That's the cost of comfort and greenery just a stone's throw from Paris!
About 45 minutes from Paris, Rambouillet is a quiet town surrounded by forests and with a very large and well-maintained park. Highly prized for its natural environment, safety and provincial charm, it attracts both families looking for greenery and retirees looking for a more peaceful life.
At the cultural level, regular events animate and punctuate the year (funfair, lily of the valley festival, etc.). The swimming pool has been completely redone, and a cinema will be built soon.
Rambouillet station offers direct connections to the capital. With a train every 15 minutes (a generous pace in Île-de-France), it is possible to reach Paris in less than an hour!
Only 15 km from Paris, Le Vésinet is a residential town that seduces with its charm, parks and large houses. Ideal for families, this town offers a green living environment while being close to Paris thanks to the RER A.
Sceaux, south of Paris, is a city renowned for its park and its residential setting. It is particularly popular with families for its quality schools and its proximity to the capital thanks to the RER B. With its historic architecture and green spaces, Sceaux offers an ideal living environment for those looking for tranquility without straying too far from Paris.
Sceaux is also close to Orly International Airport, a very convenient proximity for those who travel often!
The towns and villages around Paris offer a more relaxed living environment than the capital, while remaining well connected to it. Whether you are looking to settle in a more natural setting, near the forest or on the banks of the Marne, these localities offer an excellent compromise between quality of life and proximity to Paris. In addition, prices are often more affordable than in the heart of the capital, even if some very popular municipalities, such as Versailles or Saint-Germain-en-Laye, remain relatively expensive.
Living on the outskirts of Paris allows you to enjoy the advantages of a dynamic city without suffering the disadvantages such as pollution or constant noise. These towns and villages offer you a peaceful living environment while being within a reasonable distance of the capital, whether for daily trips or for occasional getaways. This list is far from exhaustive, there are many localities with a good quality of life in the Paris region, so we invite you to go for a walk in the surroundings to see the one you like the most!
Photo: House for sale by the agency From the yard to the garden on Green acres
