Is a millionaire middle class in France? That depends—where do they live? Real estate is the key variable. Outside Paris, home prices are half or less what they are in the capital, where properties can cost over €11,000 per square meter.
Consider this: an 800-square-meter apartment in Paris might sell for a million euros. Owning such a property mortgage-free technically makes you a millionaire. But what if you inherited it and work a middle-management job in retail? Your bank account says one thing, but your lifestyle might say another.
The real question is: how much do you spend, and what assets do you own? Wealth isn’t just about income. If you make over a million euros annually, you’re certainly not middle class. But if your wealth is tied up in property while your salary is modest, the label becomes less clear.
The French do use the term middle class (les classes moyennes,) but upper class (classes supérieures or aristocratiques) is more about birth and education than money. A self-made millionaire from a modest background isn’t considered upper class—they belong to the grande bourgeoisie. Meanwhile, a widow from an old aristocratic family, living in a tiny apartment, might still be upper class in social standing. So, what really defines class in France—wealth or heritage?