There is no longer any doubt: Paris is no longer attractive. The multiple lockdowns were difficult for everyone, but it seems that the restrictive measures imposed by the health crisis have only highlighted the difficulties of urban life. As a result, a new wave is being felt: the inhabitants want to leave the city and more particularly, to leave Paris.
Formerly coveted internationally for its culture, its industry and its “art of living”, Paris seems increasingly disowned, both by its own inhabitants and by its neighbors. Small housing, at inaccessible prices, in an austere, even anxiety-provoking climate got the better of many people. While the quality of medical and school services is improving in the provinces, there are now few arguments left for the city of Paris to convince people to continue living there. The capital now seems to attract no more than its professional opportunities and its cultural dynamism, which has now stalled.
According to a ranking drawn up by RegionsJob and ParisJob, in partnership with lecabinetHays and published on December 5, 2020, Paris has become one of the least attractive cities of French metropolises, not reaching the top 5 cities with the best quality of general life. The only "gold medal" for Paris? The work market. However, with the democratization of teleworking and the numerous actions of medium-sized cities such as Grenoble to boost their business fabric, it is advisable to wonder how long Paris can maintain this advantage.
In an increasingly dematerialized and distanced professional world, is it now really necessary to "go to Paris"?
It seems that this issue is even more relevant. According to an Ipsos study for Icade published in the summer of 2020, 35% of Ile-de-France residents are considering a move in the coming months. However, the health crisis is not the only one responsible for this trend, this figure having been observed long before the pandemic. The Covid-19 crisis nevertheless remains a catalyst for this change, if we are to believe the founder of the blog querparis.fr, created in 2015, which has observed in recent months a marked increase in traffic on his domain. Teleworking has played a fundamental role in this, as it has made it possible to exacerbate desires for elsewhere, while emphasizing the importance between professional and personal life.
For the real estate market, how does this work out?
Despite this trend very present on social networks, it seems that this urban exodus is not yet quite underway. According to research by the SeLoger.com group, although searches for rentals in Paris have fallen (-23% between 2019 and 2020), searches for properties for sale have increased by 5%. We also note that the vast majority of Parisians who leave the metropolis do so in favor of the inner suburbs, as highlighted in a study conducted by the Order of Notaries of Paris. Over the last six months, the share of Parisians buying in the inner suburbs has increased by four points compared to the average of the last ten years to reach 34%. Over the same period, 11% chose to go to the inner suburbs against 8% so far. Moreover, Paris is not the only large French metropolis. SeLoger.com notes clear increases in searches in cities such as Lyon (30% more), Strasbourg (57% more) and Nice (70% more). Paris recorded a drop of 9% on this site.
Territorial competition
Another phenomenon linked to the rural exodus is underlined today: competition between territories to attract Parisians who leave their place of life. Thus, territorial marketing actions have multiplied in metro stations, and local communities compete in creativity to highlight their strengths. Public transport networks, move-in assistance, tutoring, ... there are many reasons and do not always revolve around larger living spaces or a calmer pace of life.
Paris then retaliated, wishing to keep its inhabitants. Projects are developing, in particular the "quarter-hour city", namely, to recreate local services, to avoid commuting to work and crowded transport. The goal is to find everything you need, within a quarter of an hour's radius of your home. Also, the multiplicity of green spaces, shared gardens and urban innovation allow the capital to develop a new argument: the sustainable city.