Is France good for digital nomads?

Lyon scores 69/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 148 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. France's 24 cities average 67.4/100. Strongest factors in Lyon: air quality and getting there & around; weakest: climate.

What is the cheapest city in France for a remote worker?

Lyon, at about $1,947 a month for one person including rent (WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages), 2026-09). Paris is the most expensive city-priced option at $2,953.

Does France have a digital nomad visa?

Not according to the sources the dataset uses. Short visits follow the entry rules for your passport.

How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in France without a visa?

US passport: 90 days visa-free. EU passport (Germany as reference): freedom of movement. UK passport: 90 days visa-free. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.

Which city in France has the fastest internet?

Reims, with a measured median download of 89.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.

France records 1.33 homicides per 100,000 people (Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2024) and sits at the 64th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.

Europe · 24 cities

France for digital nomads: 24 cities compared (2026)

France has 24 cities in the dataset. Lyon scores highest under balanced weights at 69/100. France has no digital-nomad visa.

Dataset 2026.10.7. How scoring works.

Best city: Lyon · 69/100
Cheapest city: Lyon · $1,947/month
Fastest internet: Reims · 89.7 Mbps
Nomad visa: none
US passport: 90 days visa-free
EU passport: freedom of movement

Cities in France, ranked

Balanced weights, every factor equal. Open a city for the full breakdown with sources, or rank them with your own weights.

#	City	Score	Cost/mo	Internet	Comfortable months	Known for
1	Lyon France's food capital with a startup scene	69	$1,947	73.4 Mbps	4/12	Gastronomy · Two rivers
2	Reims Champagne capital about 45 minutes from Paris by TGV	69	$2,450*	89.7 Mbps	4/12	Champagne houses · Gothic cathedral
3	La Rochelle Atlantic harbour town with bikes, islands and an easy pace	69	$2,450*	69.4 Mbps	5/12	Old Port towers · Île de Ré by bike
4	Tours Loire Valley base with a TGV to Paris in about an hour	69	$2,450*	73.2 Mbps	4/12	Loire châteaux · Vieux Tours and Place Plumereau
5	Toulon Working naval port on the Provence coast, cheaper than Nice	69	$2,450*	67.7 Mbps	6/12	French Navy base · Mont Faron cable car
6	Cannes Riviera resort town with a film festival and year-round sun	68	$2,450*	66.6 Mbps	6/12	Film festival and La Croisette · Îles de Lérins
7	Dijon Burgundy's wine capital, about 1 h 40 from Paris by TGV	68	$2,450*	78.1 Mbps	3/12	Burgundy wine route · Mustard and gastronomy
8	Nice Riviera sun with real city life	68	$2,450*	61.6 Mbps	6/12	Riviera beaches · 300 sunny days
9	Toulouse Aerospace city with a pink-brick centre	68	$2,510	69.1 Mbps	6/12	Airbus and space industry · Warm climate
10	Bordeaux Wine capital, flat and bikeable	68	$2,450*	66.4 Mbps	5/12	Wine country · Restored riverfront
11	Marseille Gritty Mediterranean port reinventing itself	68	$2,450*	61.7 Mbps	6/12	Calanques · Diverse food scene
12	Paris The capital of everything, at a capital's price	68	$2,953	64.2 Mbps	4/12	Museums and food · Métro density
13	Montpellier Young, sunny and car-free at the core	68	$2,450*	62.3 Mbps	6/12	Youngest big city in France · Beaches nearby
14	Aix-en-Provence Elegant Provençal university town half an hour from Marseille	68	$2,450*	59.4 Mbps	6/12	Cours Mirabeau and fountains · Cézanne's landscapes
15	Rennes Brittany's capital: a student city with a metro and a TGV to Paris	68	$2,450*	56 Mbps	4/12	Half-timbered old town · Two-line driverless metro
16	Angers Green Loire city that tops France's liveability rankings	67	$2,450*	66.4 Mbps	4/12	Château and Apocalypse tapestry · Parks and green space
17	Grenoble Alpine tech and university city with ski resorts under an hour away	67	$2,450*	54.6 Mbps	3/12	Mountains on three sides · Tech and research hub
18	Nantes Creative Atlantic city with a strong tech scene	67	$2,305	57.4 Mbps	4/12	Machines de l'île · Tech and creative jobs
19	Strasbourg European capital on the German border	67	$2,450*	76.8 Mbps	4/12	EU Parliament · Cycling city
20	Avignon Walled papal city in Provence, with a TGV to Paris in about 2 h 40	66	$2,450*	55.5 Mbps	5/12	Palais des Papes · July theatre festival
21	Annecy Alpine lake town an hour from Geneva	66	$2,450*	55.1 Mbps	3/12	Lake Annecy swimming · Hiking and skiing
22	Biarritz Basque surf town with Belle Époque style	66	$2,450*	46.8 Mbps	6/12	Grande Plage surf · Basque food
23	Lille Flemish-flavoured student city between Paris and London	65	$2,450*	79.2 Mbps	3/12	Eurostar and TGV hub · Big student population
24	Chamonix Mont Blanc resort town for skiers and climbers, an hour from Geneva	60	$2,450*	20 Mbps	0/12	Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi · Skiing and alpinism

* national estimate

National figures shared by every city

These come from country-level sources and apply to every city in France; city pages add the local numbers.

Figure	Value	Source
Homicide rate	1.33 per 100,000 people	Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2024
Political stability	64 (percentile, World Bank WGI)	Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), 2025
Health coverage index	82 (WHO UHC index, 0–100)	UHC service coverage index, 2023
Life expectancy	81.9 years	Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, 2021
Human Development Index	0.92	Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), 2023
English proficiency	moderate	EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), 2024
Starlink	available	Starlink availability map, 2026-10

Visas and entry

What three common passports get at the border, from the passport index. Pick your own passport on the ranker for the full picture.

Passport	Entry rule
US passport	90 days visa-free
EU passport	freedom of movement
UK passport	90 days visa-free

Rank France's cities for your passport →

No long-stay guide for France yet. Entry rules above are for short visits.

Compare cities in France

Head-to-head pages for the pairs people look at most.

Frequently asked questions

Is France good for digital nomads?: Lyon scores 69/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 148 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. France's 24 cities average 67.4/100. Strongest factors in Lyon: air quality and getting there & around; weakest: climate.
What is the cheapest city in France for a remote worker?: Lyon, at about $1,947 a month for one person including rent (WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages), 2026-09). Paris is the most expensive city-priced option at $2,953.
Does France have a digital nomad visa?: Not according to the sources the dataset uses. Short visits follow the entry rules for your passport.
How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in France without a visa?: US passport: 90 days visa-free. EU passport (Germany as reference): freedom of movement. UK passport: 90 days visa-free. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.
Which city in France has the fastest internet?: Reims, with a measured median download of 89.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.
How safe is France?: France records 1.33 homicides per 100,000 people (Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2024) and sits at the 64th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.

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