Top 10| biggest cities | in France

Did you know France has a population of 65.27 millions(2020)? This includes 65 million in metropolitan France (that is mainland France located in Europe). The country is the 20th most populous in the world, representing 0.87% of the total world population.
Paris
The capital of France, is watered by the Seine River. One of Europe’s largest cities, Paris and its suburbs are also France’s most populous urban area with 12,292,895 inhabitants (2011 census). The history of the city dates back to the 3rd century BC when it became a Celtic town of the Parisii tribe, later conquered by the Romans who called it Lutetia (French: Lutèce). Paris is home to many famous monuments: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Palace and museum, the Orsay Museum, the Hôtel des Invalides, the Panthéon, the basilica of Sacré-Cœur…
Marseille
The town is located on France’s south coast and is the country’s largest port for commerce, freight and cruise ships. Marseille was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Massalia. Main sights include the Old Port (Vieux-Port), the Canebière main street, the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, the castle of If, and the 19th century basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde.
Lyon
Is a major tourist site with its old town (Vieux-Lyon, Presqu’Île) and a Unesco-World Heritage site. Founded by the Romans, Lyon grew where the Rhône and the Saône meet. This commercial and cultural hub in Eastern France is now reputed for being the French capital of gastronomy.
Toulouse
Located in the south-west of France, Toulouse has been affectionally nicknamed by the locals as the “Pink City” because it is mainly built from clay bricks. The main sights of Toulouse are the Capitole, the Old Town and the banks of the Garonne River (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site).
Nice
Located in the French Riviera, on the Mediterranean coast Nice lies at the foot of the Alps. The metropolitan area of Nice has a population of about 1 million. The city is nicknamed Nice la Belle – Nice the Beautiful. The natural beauty of Nice and its region, enjoying a mild Mediterranean climate, drew the English upper classes in the second half of the 18th century. Nice is famous for its main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais (“Walkway of the English”).
Nantes
Situated about 50kms from the Atlantic Ocean, Nantes is known as the most dynamic and attractive city in the western part of France. In 2004, Time magazine described Nantes as the ‘most liveable city in Europe’. Nantes was for a long time the capital city of the Duchy of Brittany although today it doesn’t belong to the administrative region of Brittany. Mains sights include the cathedral, the castle of the dukes of Brittany and the passage Pommeraye.
Montpellier
Situated in southern France near the coast of the Mediterranean sea, Montpellier is one of the France’s fastest-growing cities. The centre of the town is the Place de la Comédie. Other main sights include the historic centre with many hôtels particuliers (mansions built from the 16th-18th centuries), Saint-Pierre cathedral, the Porte du Peyrou and the Antigone district.
Strasbourg
The capital of the historic region of Alsace is situated at the border with Germany on the Rhine. The city is home to a couple of European institutions (European Parliament, Council of Europe). The old town (the ‘Grande Île’ boasts a number of popular sites including the Gothic cathedral and the Petite France district.
Bordeaux
he name of Bordeaux is famous worldwide for the reputation of its wine. Ideally located on the bend of the Garonne, and close to the Atlantic Ocean, Bordeaux remains a great maritime harbour and an active trading city. The historic town has been listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco. Bordeaux’ highlights are the luxurious Place de la Bourse, the very wealthy “golden triangle” district, the St. Andrew cathedral, the basilica of St Michel, pont de pierre, Porte Cailhau and the Grosse Cloche old belfry.
Lille
The once industrial Lille lies at the centre a triangle Paris-London-Brussels. Its restored old town is famous for its flamboyant architecture, a perfect harmony of brick and stone on richly decorated façades, is reminiscent of a prosperous past. Today, Lille, on the border with Belgium, is a thriving city with more than one million inhabitants and a plethora of restaurants, brasseries and cafés.