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Market Positioning
5 min
Mapping: Where to Position Yourself Geographically
Where you work directly impacts your opportunities, salary, and quality of life. Paris concentrates opportunities but also competition and cost of living. Regions offer other often underestimated advantages. This guide helps you make the right geographic choice for your career.
1
Paris: the essential hub
Paris remains the nerve center of the French economy, but is it always the right choice?
Advantages: • 40% of executive job offers in France • Headquarters of large companies • Most developed startup ecosystem • Easy networking • Highest salaries (+15-25% vs provinces)
Disadvantages: • Very high cost of living (housing ×2 to ×3) • Intense competition for positions • Quality of life (transport, pollution, stress) • Difficulty standing out
Ideal for: • Early career (0-5 years) • Highly concentrated sectors (finance, luxury, consulting) • Fast career ambitions • Intensive networking
Average executive salaries: • Junior: €42-50K • Mid-level: €55-70K • Senior: €70-100K+
Tip: Paris is often a must in early career, but not an end in itself.
Advantages: • 40% of executive job offers in France • Headquarters of large companies • Most developed startup ecosystem • Easy networking • Highest salaries (+15-25% vs provinces)
Disadvantages: • Very high cost of living (housing ×2 to ×3) • Intense competition for positions • Quality of life (transport, pollution, stress) • Difficulty standing out
Ideal for: • Early career (0-5 years) • Highly concentrated sectors (finance, luxury, consulting) • Fast career ambitions • Intensive networking
Average executive salaries: • Junior: €42-50K • Mid-level: €55-70K • Senior: €70-100K+
Tip: Paris is often a must in early career, but not an end in itself.
2
Dynamic regional metropolises
Several cities offer an excellent opportunity/quality of life balance.
Lyon • 2nd largest job market in France • Strong in: industry, pharma, tech, finance • Salaries: -10% vs Paris • Cost of living: -25% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★☆
Nantes • Fastest growing city in France • Strong in: tech, digital, aeronautics • Salaries: -15% vs Paris • Cost of living: -30% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★★
Bordeaux • Strong attractiveness post-high-speed rail • Strong in: aeronautics, wine, tourism, tech • Salaries: -12% vs Paris • Cost of living: -20% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★★
Toulouse • European aeronautics capital • Strong in: aerospace, tech, health • Salaries: -10% vs Paris • Cost of living: -25% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★☆
Lille • Gateway to northern Europe • Strong in: retail, e-commerce, industry • Salaries: -15% vs Paris • Cost of living: -35% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★☆☆
Lyon • 2nd largest job market in France • Strong in: industry, pharma, tech, finance • Salaries: -10% vs Paris • Cost of living: -25% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★☆
Nantes • Fastest growing city in France • Strong in: tech, digital, aeronautics • Salaries: -15% vs Paris • Cost of living: -30% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★★
Bordeaux • Strong attractiveness post-high-speed rail • Strong in: aeronautics, wine, tourism, tech • Salaries: -12% vs Paris • Cost of living: -20% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★★
Toulouse • European aeronautics capital • Strong in: aerospace, tech, health • Salaries: -10% vs Paris • Cost of living: -25% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★★☆
Lille • Gateway to northern Europe • Strong in: retail, e-commerce, industry • Salaries: -15% vs Paris • Cost of living: -35% vs Paris • Quality of life: ★★★☆☆
3
Remote work: new geographic rules
Remote work changes the rules. How to take advantage?
Possible models:
Full remote • Total location freedom • Salary often aligned with local market • Potential isolation • Suits autonomous profiles
Hybrid (2-3 office days) • Flexibility with anchoring • ~1-2h radius from office • Best of both worlds • Dominant model in 2025
Remote-first with gatherings • Distributed teams • Monthly/quarterly meetups • Salaries often Paris-aligned • Common in tech
Optimization strategy:
1. Negotiate a remote-friendly position based in Paris 2. Settle in a region (cost of living -30%) 3. Keep the Parisian salary 4. Net gain: +€500-1000/month
Warning: Check the company's long-term policy. Some are reverting back.
Possible models:
Full remote • Total location freedom • Salary often aligned with local market • Potential isolation • Suits autonomous profiles
Hybrid (2-3 office days) • Flexibility with anchoring • ~1-2h radius from office • Best of both worlds • Dominant model in 2025
Remote-first with gatherings • Distributed teams • Monthly/quarterly meetups • Salaries often Paris-aligned • Common in tech
Optimization strategy:
1. Negotiate a remote-friendly position based in Paris 2. Settle in a region (cost of living -30%) 3. Keep the Parisian salary 4. Net gain: +€500-1000/month
Warning: Check the company's long-term policy. Some are reverting back.
4
International: opportunities and challenges
Working abroad can accelerate your career. Where to look?
Europe • Top destinations:
London • Finance, tech, consulting • Salaries: +30-50% vs Paris • Cost of living: very high • Post-Brexit: visa required
Berlin • Startups, tech, creative • Salaries: similar to Paris • Cost of living: lower (but rising) • Excellent quality of life
Amsterdam • Tech, finance, e-commerce • Salaries: +10-20% vs Paris • Advantageous taxation (30% ruling) • English-speaking
Switzerland (Geneva, Zurich) • Finance, pharma, luxury • Salaries: ×2 vs Paris • Cost of living: very high • Net remains very advantageous
Outside Europe:
Dubai • Finance, tech, consulting • Salaries: high, tax-free • Package often includes housing • Specific lifestyle
Singapore • Asia hub, finance, tech • Salaries: high • Springboard to Asia • Very competitive
Tip: International is ideal between 3-10 years of experience. Before, you lack value. After, roots complicate departure.
Europe • Top destinations:
London • Finance, tech, consulting • Salaries: +30-50% vs Paris • Cost of living: very high • Post-Brexit: visa required
Berlin • Startups, tech, creative • Salaries: similar to Paris • Cost of living: lower (but rising) • Excellent quality of life
Amsterdam • Tech, finance, e-commerce • Salaries: +10-20% vs Paris • Advantageous taxation (30% ruling) • English-speaking
Switzerland (Geneva, Zurich) • Finance, pharma, luxury • Salaries: ×2 vs Paris • Cost of living: very high • Net remains very advantageous
Outside Europe:
Dubai • Finance, tech, consulting • Salaries: high, tax-free • Package often includes housing • Specific lifestyle
Singapore • Asia hub, finance, tech • Salaries: high • Springboard to Asia • Very competitive
Tip: International is ideal between 3-10 years of experience. Before, you lack value. After, roots complicate departure.
5
Make the right choice for you
The best place depends on your personal and professional situation.
Questions to ask yourself:
Career • Is my sector geographically concentrated? • Where are the best opportunities for my job? • Is remote realistic in my function?
Personal • Do I have family constraints (spouse, children, parents)? • What quality of life am I looking for? • Am I ready to move?
Financial • What is my savings goal? • Salary vs cost of living: what trade-off? • Do I have a real estate project?
Decision matrix:
| Criterion | Weight | Paris | Lyon | Remote | Abroad | |-----------|--------|-------|------|--------|--------| | Opportunities | 30% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Net salary | 25% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Quality of life | 25% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Personal constraints | 20% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Weighted total | 100% | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Exercise: Fill in this matrix with your own scores.
Questions to ask yourself:
Career • Is my sector geographically concentrated? • Where are the best opportunities for my job? • Is remote realistic in my function?
Personal • Do I have family constraints (spouse, children, parents)? • What quality of life am I looking for? • Am I ready to move?
Financial • What is my savings goal? • Salary vs cost of living: what trade-off? • Do I have a real estate project?
Decision matrix:
| Criterion | Weight | Paris | Lyon | Remote | Abroad | |-----------|--------|-------|------|--------|--------| | Opportunities | 30% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Net salary | 25% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Quality of life | 25% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Personal constraints | 20% | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | ?/10 | | Weighted total | 100% | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Exercise: Fill in this matrix with your own scores.
Conclusion
There's no universal answer to "where to work". It all depends on your priorities, sector, and life stage. Paris remains essential for some career paths, but alternatives have never been more attractive. Remote work is reshuffling the cards. Take advantage of it to optimize your salary/quality of life equation.