The majority of French people live in an apartment, but it is clear that between their dream surface and reality, the gap is considerable.
Whether by choice or by necessity, a large part of the main residences in France are apartments. And whether you are a tenant or owner, this type of accommodation remains a popular solution, in particular by lovers of urban life or households in a tighter budget, for whom access to a detached house often remains out of reach.
But living in an apartment is also to deal with a size constraint … the surface! Because even if the offer has diversified, the apartments are far from responding to dreams of greatness of the French. When the time comes to rent or buy, the area quickly becomes a central criterion. It must stick to the lifestyle, the number of inhabitants, but also to the desires of comfort or functionality. Project yourself, imagine the volumes, visualize the layout: it all starts there.
And according to statistics, if the French could choose the surface of their apartment, it would be between 160 m² and 180 m² for 38% of those questioned, while 25% of them would opt for a surface oscillating between 180 m² and 200 m² (Source INSEE).
But unfortunately, the reality is different, because still according to INSEE, the average surface of apartments in France in 2023 is 63.6 m², almost three times less than the ideal surface desired by a large number of French people. A striking gap, which illustrates the gap between expectations and market possibilities. Unsurprisingly, the accommodation is even smaller in the Paris region, while apartments in the provinces generally offer a few more square meters.
But beyond the figures, you must also know the minimum standards to be respected to guarantee comfortable accommodation. For example, a room must make at least 9 m² for a person, and 12 m² for two. These landmarks make it possible to avoid disappointments during visits, and especially to make enlightened choices before signing.
So, how can you reconcile space and reality of the market? Strategic choice of the neighborhood, optimization of volumes, space gain furniture … Many tracks exist to better live in a reduced space, without giving up comfort.
