Where do the French want to live? The results of the 2nd edition of the Kantar Public barometer

While the climate crisis is becoming more concrete than ever in the eyes of the French, this second edition focuses more particularly on their perceptions and expectations in terms of the fight against the artificialization of soils in the territories, but also of the reindustrialization of the country.

Large conurbations in crisis: the revenge of small towns and medium-sized towns

The second wave of the barometer confirms the aspiration of the French to an ideal of calm life, in a natural and preserved environment, far from the big city and its inconveniences: promiscuity, cost of living and insecurity... As we observed at the end of 2020, the attractiveness of a territory is inversely proportional to its density: the Paris conurbation acts as a foil (only 11% of French people would like to live there), while 58% of French people aspire to live in a village or hamlet.

In two years, the appeal of small towns and agglomerations (less than 20.000 inhabitants) has increased further: they are an aspirational place to live for one out of two French people (an increase of more than 10 points), regardless of their age. 30% of their inhabitants say they are more likely to consider leaving their place of residence than before Covid-19, compared to 23% of inhabitants of medium-sized towns and only 13% of small towns and rural areas.

Top expectations: safety, proximity to nature and access to health services

The small town responds to the factors deemed most important by the French in choosing where to live: the feeling of security (cited as a determining factor by 61%), followed by access to health and care (57%) then three similar dimensions mentioned by more than one in two French people: proximity to nature (55%), air quality (55%) and the presence of green spaces (54%). On each of these dimensions (with the exception of access to health care), the inhabitants of rural areas or small towns are more satisfied than those of medium-sized cities, themselves more satisfied than the inhabitants of large cities. .

Small towns are perceived as the most suitable territory for raising children… but also for spending your retirement there. According to the French, it is also the scale that most favors the quality of social relations, offers better quality housing and where the cost of living is more accessible. Thus, with the village, the small agglomerations are for the French the territory which offers the best quality of life. On the other hand, employment appears to be the weakness of small towns and rural areas for the French, who mostly believe that large and medium-sized cities are the areas that offer the most employment opportunities.

Public services, shops and mobility: the arguments of medium-sized cities

Medium-sized agglomerations (from 20 to 200.000 inhabitants) seem to offer their inhabitants an appreciated balance between the quality of life and calm specific to cities on a human scale and the services they offer. Thus, six dimensions are both considered very important for the inhabitants of medium-sized towns and arouse widespread satisfaction: the presence of green spaces, proximity to nature and air quality, but also accessibility and variety of shops and finally the possibility of moving easily on foot or by car.

Ecological necessity in the face of imaginations

88% of French people believe that preserving natural soils and fighting against the artificialization of soils is something important, 59% even consider it a priority. However, behind this consensus, the means to achieve it are the subject of various assessments on the part of the French. In line with their aspirations to be close to nature, the French are above all in favor of the renaturation of artificial soils (84%). They also largely support the idea of ​​giving up new infrastructure projects (60%) or even being encouraged to renovate old housing (78%).

On the other hand, they are more divided when it comes to very strongly limiting the construction of isolated houses and housing estates (53% are in favor and 31% against) or even giving up single-family homes: 46% of respondents are against incentives to live in an apartment or a terraced house (compared to 33% who are in favor of it). Opposition that climbs to 51% among those who live in single-family homes. The French are indeed deeply attached to individual housing: for 79% of them, the house is the ideal accommodation. This aspiration exists in all categories of the population, but even more among employed and blue-collar households (81%) than among executives (73%).

Among the other actions to fight against the artificialization of soils, the very strong limitation of the construction of new commercial areas is mainly supported by the French (72%). A relative majority of French people (46%) also believe that in the years to come the priority must be to encourage the development of shops in town centres. However, at present, 57% of them say they favor commercial areas for their purchases, compared to 27% who prefer shops in town centres. While city center shops are perceived as more convivial and pleasant, shopping areas combine the following advantages: easily accessible, inexpensive, suitable for family shopping and meeting all needs.

Reindustrialization under conditions: the Nimby syndrome is never far away

The idea of ​​reindustrialising France is viewed positively by the French, and primarily as a means of creating jobs and guaranteeing the country's economic independence. They are however only 4% to consider the installation of a new factory near their home without condition. There are many concerns: various nuisances (noise, odors, dust and poor air quality), are feared by 1 out of 2 French people. The integration of the plant into the landscape, the job creation it generates and the he management of industrial risks are also conditions desired by around 4 out of 10 French people with a view to setting up a factory near their home.

On the question of reindustrialisation, as on that of the fight against the artificialisation of soils, there is a strong unresolved tension between the aspiration of the French to live in a preserved environment and the perception of a reindustrialisation beneficial for the jobs and the economy.

The infographic results.