Looking for an apartment in a major city is often complicated. Between hard-to-find guarantors, mountains of paperwork to submit, and competing with 50 other applicants for the very same listing, it’s easy to get discouraged. That is precisely what coliving is here to change. Forget traditional flatsharing or overpriced studio apartments: here, you enjoy a stylish home, a vibrant community life, and a completely controlled budget. All you have to do is drop off your suitcase everything is already set up for you! In this article, we’ve decided to teach you more about coliving. What actually is coliving in France? Which profiles does this lifestyle suit? What can future tenants expect in an all-inclusive furnished room at Colivys? You’ll find out everything in this article!
Summary
What exactly is coliving?
A trend born to meet urban mobility
Before arriving in France, the coliving concept bloomed in the United States in the early 2000s. It quickly won over millions of people around the world. Why such a huge hit? Because our lifestyles have completely changed. According to Insee, France now has over 4 million self-employed workers and freelancers. Young adults aged 18 to 30 no longer want to be locked into a rigid lifestyle (often codified by a binding three-year lease).
Coliving: a hybrid lifestyle
At first glance, shared apartments, coliving, and hotels all seem completely different. But what is less known is that coliving sits right at the intersection of hotel comfort, the freedom of having your own place, and the social vibe of a traditional share house.
To help you understand this positioning, here is how coliving stands out from other options:
-
Traditional shared housing: It requires you to furnish the place, set up your own utility and internet contracts, and above all, manage shared bills. With a single joint lease, it often exposes you to a joint-and-several financial liability clause.
-
Hotels or extended-stay residences: This solution offers a turnkey experience, but the rates quickly become unaffordable over the medium or long term. Hotels also lack genuine shared living spaces designed for making connections.
-
Coliving: It brings together the best of both worlds. You get a fully equipped private room, stylish common areas, a community of residents (colivers) to connect with, and dedicated support throughout your stay. Everything is included in a single bill (rent, utility allowance, Wi-Fi) for a price far more affordable than an individual studio apartment. The best part? In coliving, every tenant signs an individual lease!
Who is coliving in France aimed at?
Students and young professionals: connection and flexibility
A tailored solution popular among 18-to-30-year-olds, coliving is perfect for:
-
Students, interns, and work-study students: No need to buy furniture, set up an internet plan, or set up electricity accounts that you’ll just have to cancel a few months later. Coliving fits the flexibility required for study semesters, inter-campus exchanges, or 3-to-6-month internships. With flexible leases and a short one-month notice period, coliving allows you to move out quickly as soon as your internship or academic term ends.
-
Young professionals and people on probation periods: You bypass the roadblocks of traditional rentals. While private landlords often require a permanent contract (CDI) past probation with income equal to three times the rent, coliving welcomes applicants on probation periods, fixed-term contracts, startups, or freelancing.
International profiles: a hassle-free arrival in France
Whether you’re an Erasmus student, on a V.I.E. program, a young expat, or a digital nomad, moving to a new country from abroad can be tough. France is well known for its complex administrative red tape, which deters many. The traditional real estate market is no exception, requiring local guarantees that are hard to secure from afar. Thanks to coliving, those barriers are a thing of the past:
-
Virtual tours, document submission, and online lease signing: Coliving lets you know exactly where you’ll be sleeping, just as if you were booking a hotel room.
-
Alternative guarantors accepted: Solutions replacing traditional guarantors—such as the Visale guarantee, bank guarantees, or partner organizations—are fully accepted.
-
An all-inclusive package that goes beyond rent: It saves you from having to rush into opening a French bank account or setting up utility contracts on day one.
In coliving, social connection is immediate: moving to a new city for studies or work is rarely easy. Sharing your daily life with other students and young professionals helps avoid isolation, settle into the city, and tackle administrative processes together—all while building a friendly and professional network from week one.
The Colivys experience: friendly coliving all across France
Present in France’s major cities (Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, and many others), Colivys offers housing designed to simplify moving in for mobile residents. The goal? To offer a turnkey living environment where community, independence, and peace of mind come together.
All-inclusive: between a private haven and shared living spaces
At Colivys, every home is designed to strike the perfect balance between community life and personal privacy. You get your own private space: a furnished, beautifully decorated room that’s ready to live in from day one. It includes a comfortable bed, a desk set up for work or study, ample storage for your clothes, stylish decor (picture frames, plants, candles), and a welcome kit waiting for you upon arrival.
Coliving is all about community life and shared spaces. At Colivys, the kitchen comes fully stocked with everything you need: oven, microwave, coffee maker, cookware, and tableware. Depending on the layout of the apartment, you can hang out with your housemates in a stylish living room, a dining area, or even work out together. To save you trips to the laundromat, our apartments come with an in-unit washing machine. We also provide cleaning kits to help keep the place spotless. High-speed internet, home insurance, and utilities are all included in your monthly rent.
|
The Colivys all-inclusive package |
|
|
In the apartment |
In your private space |
| • Electricity, water, and heating included | • Fully made bed, duvet, and pillows |
| • High-speed Wi-Fi internet | • Work desk and storage space |
| • Fully equipped kitchen | • Personalized decor |
| • Washing machine and dryer | • Welcome kit (soap, essentials, etc.) |
| • Cleaning kit provided |
Colivys: daily support throughout your stay
The Colivys experience isn’t just about providing a fully furnished apartment with all utilities included. Above all, it comes with dedicated human and administrative support throughout your entire stay. Thanks to our customer service team, every resident benefits from:
-
A dedicated point of contact: A local City Manager is on site to welcome our colivers. Our team is always on hand to answer questions and ensure everything goes smoothly throughout their stay.
-
Responsive maintenance management: If a breakdown or technical issue is reported, our teams (or qualified technicians) step in to resolve it as quickly as possible.
-
Help with your administrative applications: All rooms are eligible for CAF housing benefits (APL). That’s why at Colivys, we assist our tenants with setting up their application.
How to book your furnished room with Colivys
At Colivys, the booking process is 100% online and completely stress-free. And it only takes 5 minutes flat!
Step 1: Choose your city in France
Head over to our dedicated page and select your destination. Strasbourg, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and more: you get direct access to all our available room listings.
Step 2: Filter by your criteria
City, move-in date, budget: refine your search based on your must-haves to find available rooms tailored to your needs. Each room features its own transparent, detailed listing: real photos, full inventory, comprehensive descriptions, and a 360° virtual tour. Profiles of current residents are also included, so you can join a coliving space that truly fits your vibe.
Step 3: Book remotely
Once you’ve made your choice, select one of our booking packages and make a secure payment to lock in your room right away. As soon as your reservation is approved by our sales team, you’ll receive immediate confirmation along with the list of supporting documents to provide (an essential step to draft your lease agreement). All that’s left to do is plan your arrival and pick up your keys in person!
Adopting coliving in France means choosing freedom without compromising on comfort or budget. By combining rent, utilities, and services into one seamless package, you skip all the hassle. Whether you stay with Colivys for 1 month or 12, you join a vibrant community from day one.
Ready to jump into the adventure? Our available rooms are waiting for you! Book your room today.
FAQ – Colivys answers all your questions about coliving
Is coliving cheaper than an individual studio apartment in France?
Yes. With an individual studio, on top of the base rent, you have to pay for electricity, water, heating, internet, home insurance, and furniture. In coliving, all these services are included in a fixed, all-inclusive package.
Can you get APL housing benefits for a coliving room at Colivys?
Absolutely. All rooms offered by Colivys are eligible for APL housing benefits paid by CAF. You can run an online simulation and submit your application for housing assistance as soon as your lease is signed.
What is the minimum length of stay in a Colivys coliving room?
With Colivys, you can rent your room for a single month, an academic semester, or several years, depending on how your personal or professional plans evolve. The minimum stay is one month, which matches the standard notice period.
What if I'm an international student without a guarantor in France?
With Colivys, you don’t need a physical guarantor living in France. We accept guarantors residing abroad, as well as private guarantee platforms like Garantme. Thanks to our partnership and the promo code COLIVYS, you only pay 3% of your annual rent (utilities included), instead of the usual 3.5%. Submit your application directly on the dedicated page.
