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Who lives where, at a glance
France hosts one of Europe's largest foreign populations. English-speaking expats are a smaller but highly visible group, concentrated in a handful of regions.
- ✓Largest English-speaking communities: UK ~150,000, US ~100,000+, with smaller Australian and Canadian groups;
- ✓Top regions: Île-de-France (Paris), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (Dordogne, Bordeaux), the Côte d'Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Lyon);
- ✓Brexit triggered sustained UK interest in residency — but no surge in arrivals, as the pre-Brexit pipeline closed at the end of 2020.
The total foreign population in France
According to INSEE data for 2024 , France had roughly 6 million foreign nationals resident in the country — about 8.9% of the total population, of whom around 0.9 million were actually born in France. Counting everyone born abroad, the immigrant population reaches around 7.3 million people, or 10.7% of the population.
The largest national communities by far are from the Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), Sub-Saharan Africa, and France's European neighbours (Portugal, Italy, Spain). English-speaking expats represent a smaller share but a visible one in specific regions.
English-speaking expats by nationality
Population estimates from embassy registers and INSEE residency data, indicative for 2026:
| Nationality | Estimated population | Main regions |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ~150,000 | Dordogne, Côte d'Azur, Brittany, Paris |
| United States | ~100,000-150,000 | Paris, Côte d'Azur, Provence |
| Ireland | ~10,000-15,000 | Paris, Brittany, Côte d'Azur |
| Australia | ~10,000 | Paris, Lyon, Côte d'Azur |
| Canada | ~15,000-20,000 | Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux |
| New Zealand | ~3,000 | Paris, alpine regions |
| South Africa | ~5,000 | Paris, Côte d'Azur |
Estimates compiled from embassy community registers and INSEE residency data, 2026. Figures are indicative and rounded.
UK numbers stabilised after Brexit: the pre-2021 cohort (around 150,000) is mostly settled and protected by the Withdrawal Agreement; new UK arrivals after 2021 follow standard non-EU rules and are smaller in number — though demand for the Talent Passport and visitor visas from UK applicants has grown steadily. Our guide for UK nationals moving to France covers the post-Brexit routes in detail.
Where English-speaking expats settle
Paris and Île-de-France
By far the largest concentration. Around 20-25% of all UK expats in France live in Île-de-France, with American expats even more concentrated (close to half). Paris's appeal: international jobs, English-speaking schools, healthcare, cultural life. The city's reputation cuts both ways — it's also the most expensive place to live in France by a significant margin, as our cost of living guide breaks down city by city.
Dordogne and Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Sometimes nicknamed "Little England", the Dordogne is the historic heart of the British retiree community in France. The département alone hosts an estimated 20,000 British residents, with concentrations in towns like Eymet, Saint-Cyprien, Sarlat and Bergerac. The wider Nouvelle-Aquitaine region — including Bordeaux — adds further communities of working-age expats.
Côte d'Azur and Provence
A high-end community of British, American, Russian and other international residents. Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Monaco and inland villages of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes attract retirees, second-home owners, and a smaller working population in luxury, finance and tech.
Brittany and Normandy
Coastal Brittany (Morbihan, Finistère, Côtes-d'Armor) and Normandy (Calvados, Manche) have long-standing British communities, particularly retirees, drawn by ferry and Eurotunnel access to the UK. The pace of life is slower than in the south, the climate cooler, and — as our guide to buying property in France shows, the property prices among France's most reasonable.
Lyon, the Alps and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Lyon hosts a growing English-speaking community working in tech, finance and pharma at the city's international firms — see our working in France guide for how to find a job and get hired. The French Alps (Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Isère) attract British and Irish ski-resort workers, instructors and second-home owners — concentrated around Chamonix, Morzine, Méribel and Val d'Isère.
Other regions
Smaller communities are also visible in Toulouse (around 10,000-15,000 English speakers, drawn by the aerospace industry), Strasbourg (linked to EU institutions), Languedoc-Roussillon (Hérault, Pyrénées-Orientales), and the Tarn in the south-west.
Demographics and profile
English-speaking expats in France skew towards three main categories:
- Retirees — particularly British (post-S1 system), drawn to rural Dordogne, Brittany and the Côte d'Azur. Often own property and benefit from bilateral pension agreements.
- Working-age professionals — Americans, Canadians, Australians and others on Talent Passport or work visas , ICT or local-hire contracts. Concentrated in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Sophia-Antipolis and aerospace hubs.
- Spouses and family-route migrants — typically EU partners or French nationals who married abroad and returned with their family.
Students are a fourth, large but transient, category — France hosts around 400,000 international students at any time, with the UK contributing fewer since Brexit (UK students lost Erasmus access in 2021) and other anglophone countries stable. Our studying at a French university guide covers enrolment for international students.
Trends since 2020
A few patterns shape the expat picture in 2026:
- →Brexit aftermath: a one-time bump in UK arrivals before 31 December 2020 to secure Withdrawal Agreement rights, then a slowdown; British first-time residence permits fell to around 7,900 in 2025 (down roughly 11% year on year), continuing a post-Brexit decline;
- →US digital workers: post-2020, a growth in American remote workers basing themselves in Paris, Lyon and the Côte d'Azur. France issued about 15,000 first residence permits to US citizens in 2025 — roughly double the British total, though more than half went to students. Our guide for Americans moving to France covers the routes;
- →Australian and Canadian Working Holiday Visa usage remains stable around 5,000-7,000 entrants per year — see our guides for Australians and Canadians;
- →Rural revival: post-pandemic, a noticeable shift towards smaller towns and rural regions, particularly in southwest France, where remote workers have settled away from Paris.
Recent permit figures are drawn from French Interior Ministry data reported by Connexion France . For the latest official data, INSEE publishes annual updates at insee.fr. The British, American, Australian and Canadian embassies in Paris also publish community estimates that complement the official statistics.
Buying property in France from abroad
Many English-speaking expats buy their French home before relocating — and it is entirely possible to do so remotely. The purchase always goes through a notaire, who secures the transaction and holds the funds in escrow; you can sign both the preliminary contract and the final deed by power of attorney (procuration) or, increasingly, by remote electronic signature, without travelling to France.
To buy from a distance safely, rely on professionals who handle the search, viewings and coordination on your behalf, have every document checked before you commit, and never transfer funds outside the notaire's account. Specialist buyer's agents such as Real Estate Experts like this website can manage the whole purchase for non-resident buyers, from the initial search to the signing of the deed.
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in France in 2026? Read more Close
According to INSEE, around 6 million foreign nationals lived in France in 2024 — about 8.9% of the population. Counting everyone born abroad, the immigrant population reaches roughly 7.3 million people, or 10.7% of the total population.
How many British people live in France? Read more Close
An estimated 150,000 British nationals live in France, mostly the pre-2021 cohort protected by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. New arrivals have slowed sharply: British first-time residence permits fell to around 7,900 in 2025, down about 11% year on year.
How many Americans live in France? Read more Close
Estimates range from 100,000 to 150,000 US citizens, concentrated in Paris, the Côte d'Azur and Provence. France issued around 15,000 first residence permits to Americans in 2025 — roughly double the British total — though over half went to students.
Where do most English-speaking expats live in France? Read more Close
The biggest concentrations are Île-de-France (Paris), the Dordogne and wider Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Côte d'Azur, and Lyon and the Alps. Paris draws working professionals and Americans; the Dordogne, Brittany and the south attract British retirees.
Has Brexit reduced the number of Britons in France? Read more Close
Brexit did not empty the existing community — the pre-2021 cohort is largely settled — but it sharply cut new arrivals. Since 2021, UK nationals follow standard non-EU rules, and first-time permits have fallen year on year, with Americans now the fastest-growing English-speaking group.