Île-de-France
Paris sits at the heart of the region that more than 12 million people call home
Regional Capital: Paris
Departments: Essonne, Hauts-De-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Seine-Et-Marne, Val-De-Marne, Val-D’oise, Yvelines
Main Cities: Paris, Melun
More than 12 million people call the Île-de-France home – that’s nearly 20% of the country’s entire population. Not surprisingly, with elegant, chic tourist haven Paris at its heart, the region also has the greatest concentration of English speaking expatriates in France.
In common with areas immediately surrounding capital cities across Europe, the cost of living is high, but there is plenty of public transport and easy global connections.
Paris is the jewel in the crown of the region, with countless attractions including the Eiffel tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame Cathedral to name but a few.
Its cafe culture and designer shopping also help draw in millions of visitors.
Property prices
Median prices per m2 for non-newbuild apartments in the third quarter of 2025: Paris €9,700 +1.9%, Île-de-France n/a
Median prices for non-newbuild houses in the third quarter of 2025: Paris n/a, Île-de-France €330,800 -1.3%
(figures taken from the most recently available French property report (Jan 26) from the Notaires de France, % year-on-year change: July 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025 / July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024)
Character of the region
Paris is the focal point of Île-de-France, and is the capital both of the region and France as a country.
Population / density
12.4 million people across 12,012 sq km (Insee figures 2023 [latest available]) = approx. 18% of the population
Fact: of the total population in the region, 2.1 million live in Paris
Weather
Cool winters (January average 5C) and warm, pleasant summers (July average 20C).
Local industries
Île-de-France is the prime business region in Europe and is the largest employment area in the continent – in Paris, the business district La Défense sits 3km outside the city. The region is also the world’s leading tourist destination, receiving 49 million visitors a year.
Cities and towns
Paris is at the center of the region, while outlying cities and towns in descending order of size include wealthy Boulogne-Billancourt to the west (118,000), Saint-Denis to the north (111,000), and Argenteuil to the north-west (110,000). Beyond, Marne-la-Vallée is home to Disneyland Paris, while Versailles and Fontainebleau are locations of renown.
Food and drink
Pâtisserie (Paris-Brest, Saint-Honoré, Opéra cake), jambon de Paris, brie (Melun, Meaux). Baguettes – the capital is home to a number of boulangeries who since 1994 have each won the annual Concours de la meilleure baguette de Paris. The winner is given the honor of supplying the Élysée, the official residence of the President, for one year.
Cultural points of interest
Paris is the jewel in the crown of the region, with countless attractions including the Eiffel tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame Cathedral to name but a few.
To the west, Versailles is home to the spectacular Palais de Versailles, while to the east Fontainebleau is known for its château and surrounding forest encompassing outdoor activities and the historic pre-Impressionist artists’ village of Barbizon.
Major transport points
Airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Paris-Orly (ORY)
Trains: in Paris the main stations are Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, Gare Saint-Lazare, and Gare de Bercy. The public transport system in Paris includes the metro, bus and RER trains that connect to airports.
Motorways: key motorways include the A1, A3, A4, A6, A10, A13, and A14, radiating outwards from Paris. The A86 is a notable circular motorway around Paris, often referred to as the ‘rocade francilienne’, while the boulevard périphérique sits within this and is a dual-carriageway ringroad circumventing the capital.