Conde de Orgaz is a leafy residential enclave in the Hortaleza district of north east Madrid, a low rise grid of detached houses, gardens and quiet streets a short drive from the city centre and Barajas airport. It is one of the capital's most established neighbourhoods for international families, drawing expat parents with the combination of space, green surroundings and a strong cluster of schools, all within easy reach of the wider set of international schools in Madrid.
If you are weighing Conde de Orgaz for a move with school age children, the short answer is that it suits families who want a house with a garden, calm streets and excellent school access, and who can carry the premium that comes with both housing and the local private schools. The neighbourhood is home to the Lycee Francais de Madrid, which makes it a magnet for French speaking families, while parents who prefer an English language route can reach an IB school nearby. The M30 and A2 keep the centre, the business district and the airport close. The main compromise is cost, as Conde de Orgaz sits firmly at the top of the Madrid residential market.
The neighbourhood's school reputation rests first on the Lycee Francais de Madrid, a French national school within the AEFE network that takes pupils from early years through to the baccalaureate and delivers the French curriculum with English, German and Spanish as living languages. For families who want an English medium programme, International College Spain runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum a short drive away, and St Anne's School serves younger children with a British style early education. Several bilingual Spanish English private schools sit along the Hortaleza and La Moraleja corridor to the north. The breadth means you can compare the French route against the IB or a bilingual path without leaving the area. See curricula and fee bands across the capital on our Madrid international schools guide, and size up the early years through our guide to primary international school fees in Madrid.
| School | Curriculum | Location relative to Conde de Orgaz |
|---|---|---|
| Lycee Francais de Madrid | French (AEFE) | Conde de Orgaz campus |
| International College Spain | IB | Nearby, short drive |
| St Anne's School | British early years | North east Madrid, short drive |
School names and locations are indicative and intended to show the range near Conde de Orgaz, not a ranking. Admission, age ranges and travel times vary by school.
Conde de Orgaz is well placed for road travel even though it feels suburban. It sits just inside the M30 ring and close to the A2, so the city centre, the financial district along the Paseo de la Castellana and Barajas airport are all a short drive away, typically twenty to thirty minutes outside the rush hour. Buses and the Metro serve the wider Hortaleza district, but the enclave itself is car oriented and most international families drive the daily school run. International and private schools admit on their own assessment rather than a residential catchment, so a Conde de Orgaz address is about lifestyle and proximity rather than a guaranteed place. For most families the run to the Lycee, International College Spain or a nearby campus is a short and predictable drive.
Housing in Conde de Orgaz is among the most sought after in north east Madrid. The neighbourhood is built around detached and semi detached houses, many with gardens and pools, alongside modern townhouse developments and a smaller number of apartments. It is a premium market, and families typically pay for space, security and proximity to the schools rather than for a central postcode. Everyday costs are shaped by local supermarkets and the retail of nearby Hortaleza and the Castellana, with larger shopping at the edge of the district. To weigh housing against school fees, transport and the rest of a Madrid family budget, use our relocation cost calculator, and plan the wider move through the relocation hub.
Family life in Conde de Orgaz revolves around the home, the garden and the calm of the streets. The neighbourhood has its own parks and sports clubs, and the larger green spaces of north east Madrid, along with the Juan Carlos I park, are close by for weekends. The community is notably international, with a strong French presence around the Lycee and a steady mix of diplomatic and corporate families, which makes settling in straightforward. Healthcare is well served by private clinics across Hortaleza and the major hospitals of the city. The honest caveat is the cost of the Conde de Orgaz lifestyle, from housing to the local private schools, which can stretch budgets. If you are still choosing between Conde de Orgaz and other Madrid neighbourhoods, our school finder can match schools to where you plan to live.
Conde de Orgaz is one of north east Madrid's most settled residential pockets for international families, a quiet zone of detached houses and gardens within the Hortaleza district. It draws expat parents, and French speaking families in particular, because the Lycee Francais de Madrid sits in the neighbourhood and other international schools are a short drive away. The trade off is cost, as housing here sits at the premium end of the Madrid market.
The neighbourhood is best known for the Lycee Francais de Madrid, a French curriculum school within the AEFE network taking pupils from early years to the baccalaureate. International College Spain, an IB school, and St Anne's School are within easy reach, and several bilingual private schools serve the wider Hortaleza and La Moraleja corridor. The mix lets families choose between the French route, the IB and a bilingual Spanish English path without moving far.
Conde de Orgaz sits beside the M30 and close to the A2, giving quick road access to the city centre, the financial district along the Paseo de la Castellana and Barajas airport, which is only a short drive away. Public transport runs through the wider Hortaleza district by bus and Metro, though the neighbourhood itself is car friendly and most international families drive the daily school run. Travel times to the centre are typically twenty to thirty minutes outside peak hours.
Conde de Orgaz is a low rise residential enclave of detached and semi detached houses, many with gardens and pools, plus a number of modern townhouse developments. It is a premium market by Madrid standards, and families typically pay for space, quiet streets and proximity to the international schools rather than for a central location. Use our cost calculator to weigh rent or purchase costs against school fees and the wider family budget.
Weekly school and neighbourhood intelligence for families relocating to Madrid and beyond.