The Ultimate Guide to Living in France

A big brown European style house in France

Making it Easier to Find Housing in France

France is a beautiful and diverse country, and I've yet to meet a visitor who hasn't fallen in love with it. Unfortunately, a common complaint is that the housing scene isn't quite as attractive as the countryside. From complex rules, to different terminologies, and widely varying price ranges, it isn't the easiest terrain for foreigners - let alone students. Luckily for you however, we've run the gauntlet and are here to pass our knowledge onto you! Below, we will take you through some of the legal requirements (and pitfalls), provide you with some need-to-know vocabulary, and share some of our favorite resources.

Average Rent Prices Around France

Like with most countries, living in the bigger cities will be more expensive. Furthermore, within these city areas there are districts which further fluctuate in price. In Paris for example, the districts are designated by number, starting with 1 at the heart of the city, and spiraling outwards - in general, the further from the center the more expensive it is. If you are on a budget and don't have to pick a large city, I'd recommend looking into smaller cities like Saint-Etienne, Mulhouse, and Brest, which are some of the most student budget friendly cities in the entire country. Beyond that, we have compiled the average rent ranges throughout all of France for you below - while in practice this will again vary based on exact city and region, it is a very good starting point for your budgeting.

Rent Per Month Average Min Max
 1 bedroom - City Centre   €        665.52  €   450.00  €   1,100.00
 1 bedroom - Outside of Centre   €        513.78  €   350.00  €      800.00
 3 bedrooms - City Centre   €     1,299.67  €   800.00  €   2,400.00   
 3 bedrooms - Outside of Centre   €        958.85  €   650.00  €   1,500.00   
floating bar chart visualizing the previous data on apartment rent ranges in france
Based on this data

Requirements and Documents for Living in France

You can find the official list of documents a landlord can request here, although it is in French. To summarize, the essentials are:
  •  A copy of your passport and visa.
  •  Recent pay slips or a signed job contract including wage details. 
  •  Acceptance letter from your university (if a student).
  •  Proof of a guarantor and their pay slips or bank statements.

    Guarantors can be Requested for Foreigners

    This was by far the most annoying aspect of finding accommodations for my exchange. A guarantor is (almost always) a French citizen who is signing that they will pay your rent for you, in the event that you don't. It is a great guarantee of payment for the landlord, but requiring them to be a French citizen means that many foreigners won't have any viable connections. The good news is some banks will act as your guarantor, and there are many online services offering to do so for a fee (although as we have not tested any of them, we don't feel comfortable providing any recommendations). If you are unable to find a guarantor, my tip is to use Airbnb or other personals (we list some below), as they generally do not ask for one! Make sure you know what is required for your housing application before you waste your time if you can't provide something.

    Deposit and Rental Contract

    Always ensure you have an official contract signed before you send any money - for Airbnb and other apps, they take care of this just by using the service. This is an important point whenever you are securing accommodations, but doubly so overseas. At minimum, your contract should outline rent, the term, whether or not you are required to have home insurance, how utilities will be handled, and the amount of the deposit. Note that in France, unless you give prior notice (usually 1 month), your contract will usually automatically renew. Damage deposits do not have a limit for furnished listings, but are limited to one month's rent for unfurnished ones - so make sure you know which one you are looking at and budget for it!
    Man signing a contract

    Helpful French Housing Vocabulary

    Here is a short list of useful words to know when house-hunting. If there's another word you'd like to know, or you have a suggestion to add, leave a comment at the bottom!
    • Arrondissement - district/borough
    • Bastide - rural, usually older, buildings - a country house
    • Fermette/ferme - a farmhouse
    • Domaine - an estate with land
    • Hôtel Particulier - a townhouse (not a hotel!)
    • Chambres d'hôte - bed and breakfast
    • Mas - a traditional farmhouse in Provence
    • Maison à colombages - a half-timbered house
    • Maison Bourgeois/de Maître - a mansion
    • Pavilion - a detached bungalow
    • Immeuble - apartment building
    • Pied-à-terre - a small unit/apartment
    • Propriétaire - landlord
    • A vendre - for sale
    • Calme - quiet
    • Hauteur sous plafond (HSP) - ceiling height
    • APL/CAF - housing assistance
    • Pièce - rooms (not including kitchen and bathroom)
    • Caution - damage deposit
    • Meublé/équipé - furnished
    • Salles de séjour - living room

    Street view of apartments in Paris

    Resources to Find Housing

    Here is a small collection of resources to check when trying to find somewhere to live in France - both long and short-term.Tip! Residence (Apartment) Hotels are like a combination between apartments and hotels, and often cheaper in the long-term.
    • Airbnb
    • Le Figaro - major French newspaper with a large classified section (French only)
    • Le Bon Coin - a classified site like craigslist
    • Particulier à Particulier - rentals between individuals
    • FUSAC (France-USA Contacts) - Serving English speaking communities around Paris
    • Seloger
    • Explorimmo
    • Your home and host university websites
    • Local newspapers, Facebook groups, and classifieds.
    Aerial shot of buildings in Paris



    At Le French Baroudeur we provide quality content for our readers that is Honest, Informative, and Entertaining. We aim to provide the best travel tips and travel guides for people looking to discover, explore, and live in France. Whether you are a university exchange student studying abroad or just someone looking to visit France, we are the blog for you. Our team of travel bloggers is dedicated to giving you the best information and tips based on our personal experiences and insights from others!