Moving: why climate risk is increasingly influencing the choice of one’s future home

Choosing one's future city based on flood or heatwave risks: this criterion, long considered marginal, is becoming central in the moving plans of the French. According to the latest barometer Ipsos.Digital for Nextories, reported by Le Parisien, the climate now asserts itself as a full-fledged decision factor when choosing where to put one's boxes.

The climate, a new criterion for choosing housing

According to this survey, 30% of French people who are considering a move cite the search for a “more pleasant environment” among their motivations, a figure up 3 points year on year. But the most striking findings concern specific climate risks:

• 68% consider the risk of flooding important when choosing their destination;
• 57% place significant importance on the risk of wildfires;
• 53% regard air pollution as a major factor;
• 44% take into account the intensity of summer heatwaves.

For Julien Bardet, CEO of Nextories, quoted by Le Parisien, “the climate is now part of the selection criteria” for a future place to live, on the same level as price or proximity to work.

Overall residential mobility is being curbed

This climatic shift comes as residential mobility among the French is slowing. The 2026 moving barometer published by Selectra indicates that only 22% of French people are considering a move in the next twelve months, ten points fewer than in 2025. Worse: 44% of households with an ongoing moving project had to postpone or cancel it over the past year, mainly for budgetary reasons.

Seasonality remains very marked: nearly one move out of two (48.7%) takes place between June and September, and the month of July alone accounts for about 19% of the annual volume. The median distance between the old and the new dwelling is 18.8 km, evidence that the majority of residence changes remain local.

Why this shift is likely to intensify

Several factors combine to explain the rise of this climate criterion: the multiplication of heatwave episodes in recent years, rising home insurance premiums in risk zones, and better availability of risk maps (flooding, shrink-swell of clay soils) that can be consulted before a property purchase. Industry professionals expect this parameter to weigh increasingly in searches, alongside price and housing size.

To deepen your démarches, find our other dossiers Moving & Transport, our analyses Ecology & Environment and our guides Real Estate, Buying, Selling & Renting.

Frequently asked questions

Has the climate really become a priority criterion for moving?

It does not yet surpass price or employment, but it is progressing strongly: according to the Ipsos.Digital/Nextories barometer, 68% of French people now consider the risk of flooding important when choosing their new destination.

Are the French moving more or less than before?

Less: only 22% are considering a move in the coming year in 2026, down ten points compared with 2025, notably because of budgetary constraints.

When do people move most in France?

Summer concentrates the bulk of moves, with 48.7% of operations carried out between June and September and a marked peak in July.

Sources

• Nextories / Le Parisien — When the climate disrupts moving projects
• Selectra — Moving barometer in France 2026
• Monimmeuble — Inflation and prices curb French mobility in 2026

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy