In addition to our ranking of the best student cities, l’Etudiant has also asked you to choose your favorite student city. Budget, accommodation or atmosphere: you have assigned a score to highlight the strengths and sometimes weaknesses of your city. Discover your 2022 winners and an anthology of your opinions.
Let’s go for the tour of France of student cities! For this new edition of the ranking of the best student cities, we have asked the opinion of students from March to July 2022 via a questionnaire.
If during the tournament on social networks in partnership with the Decentralized Memes account, La Rochelle (17) came out a big winnerin our questionnaire, Strasbourg (67) is the most recommended by students. Thus, 98.75% of Strasbourg students who responded would recommend their city to other students. She is closely followed by Angers (49) which is recommended by 98.57% of its students.
La Rochelle has nothing to envy to the most European of French cities, since 97.28% of La Rochelle students who responded recommend their city. In fact, 32 cities have a recommendation rate of more than 80%. Like what, the majority of cities in our ranking seem to satisfy young students. Or should we see a little chauvinism there?
| Rang | Ville | Recommendation rate | Highlight of the city |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strasbourg | 98,75% | Pleasant |
| 2 | Angers | 98,57% | Pleasant |
| 3 | Toulouse | 98,28% | Good student atmosphere |
| 4 | Rennes | 98,24% | Good student atmosphere |
| 5 | Lyon | 97,29% | Dynamic |
| 6 | La Rochelle | 97,28% | Pleasant |
| 7 | Caen | 96,92% | Pleasant |
| 8 | Tours | 96,22% | Pleasant |
| 9 | Lille | 95,86% | Good student atmosphere |
| 10 | Dijon | 95,28% | Pleasant |
| 11 | Clermont-Ferrand | 95,24% | Pleasant |
| 12 | Bordeaux | 94,95% | Dynamic |
| 13 | chamber | 94,72% | Pleasant |
| 14 | Besancon | 94,65% | Pleasant |
| 15 | Montpellier | 94,34% | Good student atmosphere |
| 16 | Metz | 93,22% | Pleasant |
| 17 | Troyes | 92,59% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 18 | Nancy | 92,17% | Good student atmosphere |
| 19 | Pau | 92,11% | Pleasant |
| 20 | Brest | 91,98% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 21 | Saint Etienne | 91,87% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 22 | Nantes | 91,10% | Dynamic |
| 23 | Limoges | 91,07% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 24 | Grenoble | 90,62% | Transports |
| 25 | Rouen | 90,00% | Good student atmosphere |
| 26 | Poitiers | 89,02% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 27 | Amiens | 87,17% | Good student atmosphere |
| 28 | Marseille-Aix-en-Provence | 86,11% | Pleasant |
| 29 | Orléans | 84,47% | Pleasant |
| 30 | Reims | 83,60% | Pleasant |
| 31 | Le Havre | 82,43% | Support for associations |
| 32 | Paris | 80,14% | Dynamic |
| 33 | Le Mans | 78,57% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 34 | Toulon | 73,84% | Health |
| 35 | Nice | 70,67% | Pleasant |
| 36 | Mulhouse | 63,53% | Adapted to the student budget |
| 37 | Perpignan | 55,32% | Sport |
| – | Arras | – | – |
| – | Avignon | – | – |
| – | Douai Lens | – | – |
| – | Fort de France | – | – |
| – | Nimes | – | – |
| – | Pointe-a-Pitre-Les Abymes | – | – |
| – | Saint-Denis (Reunion) | – | – |
| – | Valenciennes | – | – |
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The emblematic local prides of students
To read the comments left in our questionnaire, the pride of the students regularly comes from the local personalities. Starting with Caen (14), where rapper Orelsan is often mentioned. The artist also went to the Caen student carnival in April 2022. “He is loyal to his city as much as to the students”, writes a 22-year-old Caennaise. But the Norman artist does not have the monopoly of the heart. Jul, the Marseille superstar, also appears several times in the comments of young students from Marseille (13).
Artists are not the only emblematic symbols cited. Gastronomy is also part of the local pride. The quiche Lorraine is brandished as an emblem at Metz (57), Dijon mustard (21). In Alsace, and more particularly in Strasbourg, “we eat quality sauerkraut and stuff ourselves with spaetzles in Munster”, says a 26-year-old student.
If it is to be consumed in moderation, allusions to alcohol are numerous. In Caen, you mention “l’Embuscade”, the local cocktail. To Grenoble (38), Chartreuse. The wine war is also being played out between Besançon and Bordeaux students.
Under the benches of the university, the beach
The living environment also contributes to satisfying the students. In cities by the sea such as Marseille, Brest (29), La Rochelle, Le Havre (76), Montpellier (34), Toulon (83) or Nice (06), the students love “the holiday atmosphere when you get out of class“. At the same time, who would say no to “a trip to the sea after a long day of lessons”?
For those who prefer the mountains, head Clermont-Ferrand (63), where many students favor studying with “the view of the Puys chain”. In Grenoble and Chambéry (73) too, students appreciate being surrounded by mountains.
Nature is also the asset of Besançon (25) described as “a small green setting”. In “Little Rome”, “nature is accessible on foot even from the city center”, we are assured. This makes the city of Franche-Comté a “pleasant to live in” city.
The strengths of student cities
If you are looking for the most festive cities, according to our questionnaire, Toulouse (31), Montpellier, Lille (59) or Rennes (35) are renowned for their good student atmosphere. Evidence in Ille-et-Vilaine, Rennes students could be awarded the gold palm of self-mockery, those who cite “demonstrations and punks” as a local specificity. And it’s not just in the biggest student cities that the atmosphere is good. It is also the strength of Nancy (54), from Rouen (76) andAmiens (80).
For those looking for a city where the budget will not be exorbitant, students recommend Mulhouse (68), Le Mans (72), Poitiers (86), Limoges (87), Saint Etienne (42), Brest and Troyes (10). Moreover, it is also in these cities that the price of a pint of beer is the lowest.
It is in Saint-Étienne that glass costs the least according to your statements: 4.78 euros on average. You will also have it for less than 5 euros in Limoges, Le Mans and Rennes. To find the cheapest espressos, it will be towards Chambéry (1.58 euro). Then Grenoble, Brest, Dijon, Saint-Étienne and Orléans (45) where they are less than 1.65 euros on average.
The environmental action of student cities
This year, you emphasize again the environmental commitment of La Rochelle (4.53/5) and Strasbourg (4.35/5). Grenoble steals third place from Rennes with 4.23/5. Moreover, many people mention the ease of getting around by bike in the Grenoble metropolis.
Angers, Besançon and Tours (37) also stand out on this part, but this time it is rather the many parks that seem to delight young students. Perpignan (66) and Marseille on the other hand have efforts to make. Their rating is less than 3/5.
