Browse Topics
Tools
Editor's choice

Mysterious City of Gods comes to City of Light

Some 450 pre-Columbian pieces in Quai Branly museum.

France country factbook

Includes geography, people, government, economy and transnational issues.

Scandals from the 'The Wild West of Politics'

Basil Howitt on criminal investigations in the coastal resorts.

Renting in Paris

Useful information on renting accommodation in Paris.

Moving your marriage abroad

Relocating can have a big impact on your relationship.

Internaxx Stock Market
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2119.3 0.50
DAX 5252.45 1.50
IBEX 30 10726.8 0.59
CAC 40 3377.59 1.40
FTSE 100 4564.5 0.79
AEX 276.85 0.95
DJIA 9096.72 -0.13
Nasdaq 1975.51 0.39
FTSE MIB 20341.67 1.65
TSX Composite 10570.54 -1.74
ASX 4148.9 -0.60
Hang seng 20135.5 -2.37
Straits Times 0.00
ISEQ 20 442.48 0.27
You are here: Home Employment Employment Information Working in Paris, living in the country

30/07/2003Working in Paris, living in the country

Finding a home in the green suburbs or even the countryside outside Paris is an attractive idea, especially for families. Follow our guide to where the nicest areas are found, and what you should consider before making the choice.

Many people with jobs in Paris but with young families to bring up find living outside the city walls a more attractive choice: rent and property prices are generally less expensive, children have access to green spaces and the city's serious noise and air pollution problems are left behind.

house in field
Living outside the city is also an escape from its serious noise and air pollution
Because Paris itself is quite small, in comparison to other European capitals, living outside does not inevitably mean travelling vast distances. What's more, the transport links around the greater Paris region are very well developed and reasonably cheap. Few estate agents offer accomodation from outside their immediate neighbourhood, so this rough guide to the surrounding regions is designed to help you focus in on an area which largely corresponds to your needs. UNDERSTANDING THE MAP Excluding the overseas territories, France is administratively divided into 95 départements, the rough equivalent of a county or state, which are all given numbers as well as names. Paris is number 75, and its immediately surrounding départements are: the Essonne, 91, (south) the Hauts-de-Seine, 92, (south-west and west), the Yvelines, 78, (the outer south-west), the Val-d'Oise, 95, (the north), the Seine-St. Denis, 93, (north and north-east), and the Val-de-Marne, 94, (the east and south-east). The départements wider afield, but still within commuting distances, are the Seine-et-Marne, 77, (south east) and the Oise, 60, (north). The Paris ring-road is the easy visual guide to the Paris city walls. You may notice that the exit lanes are nearly all signposted with 'Porte de' something, which in fact indicate the city gateway to surrounding suburbs, like 'Porte de Vincennes' or 'Porte de Choisy'. The different départements begin here.

0 reactions to this article

Inside Expatica
Do the recent healthcare changes affect you?

Do the recent healthcare changes affect you?

Our expert Steven Grover delves into the murky waters of French healthcare for expats and asks how recent changes affect them?

Assurance Vie - An expatriate’s guide

Assurance Vie - An expatriate’s guide

Tax and estate planning figure prominently in the list of priorities of many financially secure expatriate residents of France.

Clubs, groups and associations in France

Clubs, groups and associations in France

From Gaelic clubs to Canadian Alumni organisations, there is bound to be an English-speaking club for you in France.

Should I buy or rent in France?

Should I buy or rent in France?

This is what you need to consider when making an early choice between purchasing or renting accommodation in France.