La Defense is greater Paris at its most modern, a high rise business district spread across the communes of Courbevoie, Puteaux and Nanterre, ordered around the Grande Arche and a long pedestrian esplanade. For relocating families, particularly those working in its towers, it offers something rare in the region: spacious contemporary apartments, green open space and a near zero commute, all within ten minutes of central Paris by RER and close to a cluster of bilingual and international schools in Paris in the western suburbs.
If you are weighing La Defense for a move with school age children, the short answer is that it works best for families who value modern living space, value for money and an exceptionally short commute over the classic Haussmannian charm of central Paris. The district itself is business focused, but the surrounding residential streets of Courbevoie and Puteaux are family friendly, and the schools families rely on sit nearby in those same communes and further west. Transport is a standout, with the RER A, Metro line 1 and the T2 tramway all meeting here, and the riverside and parks give children green space close to home. The main compromise is atmosphere, as this is a contemporary, tower lined quarter rather than a historic neighbourhood.
The anchor for international families is the European School of Paris-La Defense in Courbevoie, a publicly accredited European School that delivers a multilingual education leading to the European Baccalaureate and admits pupils free of charge, with its nursery and primary on one site and its secondary on another within the area. For younger children there are bilingual settings nearby, including Bim School in Puteaux, which runs a fifty fifty bilingual programme from age two to eleven, and EIB Paris, which blends the French system with an English learning by doing approach a short distance away. Families who want a fuller set of international sections can reach the well known Lycee International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye westwards on the RER A. The mix spans the European Baccalaureate, bilingual French and English programmes and the French national curriculum. Compare curricula and fee bands citywide on our Paris international schools guide, and size up the early years through our guide to primary international school fees in Paris.
| School | Curriculum | Location relative to La Defense |
|---|---|---|
| European School of Paris-La Defense | European Baccalaureate, multilingual | Courbevoie, in the area |
| Bim School Puteaux | Bilingual French and English (ages 2 to 11) | Puteaux, walking distance |
| Lycee International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye | French with international sections | West on the RER A |
School names and locations are indicative and intended to show the range near La Defense, not a ranking. Admissions and age ranges vary by school.
La Defense is among the best connected locations in the whole Paris region. The RER A reaches the centre of Paris in around ten minutes, Metro line 1 runs east to the Champs-Elysees and the historic core, and the T2 tramway plus Transilien lines L and U thread the western suburbs, so journeys to work and to schools across the western communes are short and predictable. The French state school system allocates places by residential sector, so a Courbevoie or Puteaux address determines the local public school, whereas the European School, bilingual settings and international sections admit on their own criteria. For most families the daily routine is unusually walkable for greater Paris, with the esplanade linking homes, shops and several schools on foot.
Housing around La Defense is predominantly modern, which sets it apart from central Paris. Courbevoie, Puteaux and Nanterre offer apartments in newer buildings with lifts, parking and balconies, including family sized flats that are hard to find inside the periphery, and prices and rents tend to sit below the prime central arrondissements for comparable space. That value, combined with the short commute, is what draws many families. Everyday costs are eased by the large Quatre Temps shopping centre, local markets and the full range of services in the surrounding communes. To set housing against school fees, transport and the rest of a Paris family budget, use our relocation cost calculator, and plan the wider move through the relocation hub.
Family life here is more relaxed than the office towers suggest. The pedestrian esplanade, the gardens at the foot of the Grande Arche and the riverside walks along the Seine give children space to play and families room to breathe, while Nanterre adds the large Parc Andre Malraux a short distance away. Cultural events, art installations and a busy calendar of markets and pop ups animate the district, and the Quatre Temps mall covers shopping and rainy day activities. Healthcare is well provided by clinics in the communes and hospitals across Hauts-de-Seine. The honest caveat is that La Defense can feel quiet at weekends when the offices empty, and families seeking the cafe lined streets of old Paris may prefer a central arrondissement. If you are still choosing between the western suburbs and the centre, our school finder can match schools to where you plan to live.
La Defense suits families who want modern apartments, green esplanades and an exceptionally short commute to one of Europe's largest business districts, spread across Courbevoie, Puteaux and Nanterre in the Hauts-de-Seine. It is less classically Parisian than the central arrondissements but offers space, value and fast RER and Metro links into the city. Families working in the towers often choose it for the near zero commute and the cluster of bilingual and international schooling options in the surrounding communes.
The European School of Paris-La Defense in Courbevoie offers a multilingual education leading to the European Baccalaureate, with nursery and primary and secondary sites in the area, and admits pupils free of charge. Bilingual options such as Bim School in Puteaux take children from age two to eleven, and EIB Paris runs a bilingual programme a short distance away. The Lycee International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is reachable westwards on the RER A for families wanting its international sections.
La Defense is one of the best connected places in greater Paris. The RER A reaches central Paris in around ten minutes, Metro line 1 runs to the Champs-Elysees and beyond, and the T2 tramway and Transilien lines link the western suburbs. For families this means a short, predictable journey to work and to schools across the western communes, with much of the daily routine walkable on the pedestrian esplanade.
Housing around La Defense is mostly modern apartments in Courbevoie, Puteaux and Nanterre, including newer developments with lifts, parking and balconies that are rare in central Paris. Rents and prices are generally lower than the prime central arrondissements for comparable space, which is a large part of the appeal to families. The trade off is a more contemporary, less Haussmannian setting, though the riverside and parks soften the business district feel.
Weekly school and neighbourhood intelligence for families relocating to Paris and beyond.