The Spatial Distribution of the French Population

By Joanie Cayouette-Remblière, Julie Fromentin, Guillaume Le Roux, translated by Beatrice van Hoorn Alkema
English

The spatial distribution of the French population between rural and urban areas remains remarkably consistent. As of 2021, two-thirds of the French population (43.7 million) live in urban areas, a proportion that has remained stable for 10 years. Population growth is slowing everywhere but remains positive, thanks to the various dynamics at play in both types of space: in urban areas, growth is driven by natural population change, while growth in rural areas comes primarily from high net migration. In reality, both rural and urban areas present a high degree of internal heterogeneity. An analysis based on the structural typology of rural spaces (Acadie and Talandier, 2023) shows that all types of rural municipality (rural centres, production-based, residential, and tourism-based) have their own dynamics. Migration flows, varying by age and social position, are gradually altering the social and demographic structure of these territories. Residential and tourism-based rural municipalities are highly attractive, the former to families in particular and the latter to retirees. Furthermore, while professionals and executives remain a small minority of the population in rural spaces, their significant positive net migration to production- and tourism-based rural municipalities is resulting in their increased presence compared with other socioprofessional categories.

Keywords

  • recent demographic trends
  • rural spaces
  • urban spaces
  • internal migration
  • residential mobility
  • population distribution
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