Lyon, the most gay-friendly city in France

May 28 2014

by misterb&b

Lyon is in 2014 the most gay-friendly city in France! This is the result of the ranking of the most gay-friendly French cities, published today by the magazine Têtu. Lyon regains the crown it had already held in 2009, the palm of the city where gays feel the most accepted. This ranking is based on five criteria: public policies, the level of commitment of elected officials towards the LGBT community, the LGBT cultural offer, the number of LGBT establishments in the city, a vote of the readers which establishes the quality of local life, and finally the associative dynamics.

Lyon thus dethroned Montpellier. With its important associative life and its numerous establishments, it is good to live for gays in the third city of France. The magazine underlines the success of the numerous parties, including "La Garçonnière", and the numerous establishments.

Toulouse is on the second step of the podium. The pink city turned blue during the last municipal elections. In an interview with the magazine, the new UMP mayor Jean-Luc Moundenc is reassuring about the city's support for LGBT associations and does not intend to change the line of the mayor's office in this respect.

In third place, Montpellier, the first city in the country to have hosted a gay wedding, is slightly down. The gayest city in the Languedoc is still popular with readers, but it seems to be slipping, probably due to the small number of establishments present there. The city is still extremely welcoming, thanks in part to its proximity to the sea and some of the most beautiful gay beaches in France, such as Espiguette.

Nantes is tied for third place. Considered one of the greenest cities in France and even in Europe, the capital of the Loire Atlantique is an open-minded city with a well-developed cultural, associative and social life.

At the bottom of the ranking, Avignon, Toulon and Douai/Lens, cities where the climate remains "heavy". One still remembers the Civitas demonstrations to denounce the exhibition of the Piss Christ (the photo of a crucifix bathed in urine) in a gallery in Avignon. Toulon was one of the first cities in the country to be led by the National Front. As for Douai and Lens, there are no LGBT establishments or associations.

Important clarification: Paris is out of the competition in the magazine's ranking.