The French community in Barcelona continues to grow. The average profile of a French person in Barcelona tends to be that of a highly qualified professional, although in recent years more varied profiles have also arrived. The pandemic and the spread of teleworking have meant that the French community has continued to grow, even in times of decline in other nationalities. This growth is reflected in the emergence of numerous companies and services dedicated to the French and their greater integration into Catalan society. The French population in Barcelona has become a reflection of the cosmopolitan character of the city. An "inexorable" growth of the French community in Barcelona, which translates into the appearance of companies and services dedicated to the French and an increase in their readership of the magazine.
In the article of La Vanguardia Mathilde describes her new life in Barcelona as an escape from the stress and monotony of Paris. She decided to move to the city five years ago so that her husband could pursue his career. She has lived in different places, including 26 years in Paris, five years in Malta and finally Barcelona because of the climate, the quality of life, the proximity to France and the natural environment she missed in Malta. When she decided to move, her only condition was to feel good in her new home. After five years in Barcelona, she enjoys the life she has chosen with sun, sea and tranquillity. Mathilde is one of the 360,000 foreigners living in Barcelona, which gives the city a cosmopolitan character. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics in 2022, more than 25% of French people in Spain have chosen Barcelona to establish their lives. "Barcelona is a big city but on a human scale.
The influx of French people to Barcelona with increasingly varied profiles may be due to different reasons, such as the search for professional opportunities, cross-border mobility or the quality of life offered by the city. The presence of an employment service for French people in Spain has facilitated the integration and labour mobility of French citizens settling in Catalonia. Moreover, the fact that the unemployment rate in Catalonia is lower than the national average and that the border region of Occitania has a higher than average unemployment rate may be another factor behind the arrival of French nationals in Barcelona in search of employment.
French expatriates can easily find well-paid jobs in Barcelona and enjoy the convenience of life in the city, such as the possibility of going for a coffee on the beach before going to work. In short, the variety of profiles of French people settling in Barcelona shows a real integration and labour mobility that has been facilitated thanks to services such as the Employment Service for French people in Spain.
Barcelona offers great professional opportunities without the frenetic pace of other European cities, with an attractive climate and a more relaxed lifestyle. It also boasts a cultural and natural wealth unique in the world, an excellent French education system and Catalan hospitality. French people moving to Barcelona highlight the heavy social climate in their country, which pushes them to flee, and the health crisis that has accelerated the pace of relocations. Many people are rediscovering a certain softness of life, social cohesion and neighbourhood life that they no longer have.
The article talks about how the French in Barcelona are finding meeting points and community. Many frequent expat networks to meet other French people in the city, share experiences and make friends. Social networks, such as Facebook and Telegram, are useful for joining French groups and finding events. Although the French community is not very visible in the city, they have some favourite places such as the Palo Market Festival and French bars such as Tres Tíos and La Maison. They also have favourite neighbourhoods such as the Eixample, where most of the French community is located, and Gràcia, with its pedestrianised streets and trendy restaurants. In general, French people in Barcelona value the opportunity to find community and belonging in a foreign city.
These are the properties we offer at BARNES Barcelona in L'Eixample, one of the favourite neighbourhoods of the French and also of ours.
