Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Lifestyles and Locational Choices—Trade-offs and Compromises: A Case-study of Middle-class Couples Living in the Ile-de-France Region

1994; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 31; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/00420989420080751

1360-063X

Jacques Brun, Jeanne Fagnani,

French Urban and Social Studies

We explore certain aspects of the 'gentrification' process in the city of Paris and try to explain the growing fashion among upper-middle-class families for the centre of the capital. Based upon data from a survey and in-depth interviews of couples who had recently moved, we focus on their trade-offs and compromises and identify their residential choices, by comparing various aspects of the lifestyle of those who live in a Paris neighbourhood with the lifestyle of those who live in the near and the more distant suburbs. Living in the centre often means the subordination of housing to the choice of a location which expresses a strong attachment to urban values. Commuting time is also a determinant factor in the choice of housing location.