Ile de France tops happiness survey

Economic evaluation group ranks which best regions have best quality of life

THE Ile-de-France, Rhône-Alpes and Pays-de-la-Loire are the best regions in which to live in France, according to a new study.

The economic evaluation group Globeco, which provides information on the impact of globalisation, has ranked the regions in France according to a ‘happiness index’.

Among the criteria are security, peace, respect of personal rights, quality of life, life expectancy, poverty levels and the levels of research, job training and innovation.

In the Ile de France, life expectancy, low rates of violent death, high earnings and the levels of job retraining and research put the region at the top. It lost points for low electoral turnout.

The Rhône-Alpes scored highly because of life expectancy, high earnings and low unemployment, but suffered in the category of equality between men and women.

Pays-de-la-Loire has a low level of poverty, and a good focus on sustainable development but also suffers in the category of gender equality.

The complete list :
1. Ile de France
2. Rhône-Alpes
3. Pays de la Loire
4. Alsace
5. Midi-Pyrénées
6. Aquitaine
7. Bretagne
8. Centre
9. Limousin
10. Franche-Comté
Joint 11-12 Auvergne and Poitou-Charente
13.Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
14. Basse-Normandie
15. Haute-Normandie
16. Bourgogne
17. Languedoc-Roussillon
18. Picardie
19. Corse
Joint 20-21 Nord-Pas de Calais et Champagne-Ardenne
22. Lorraine

Photo:Mariurupe