ATLAS · UNIVERSITIES · FRANCE

Universities in France

France has 234 universities on the map. The oldest dates to 1150. 18 were founded before 1600. Below: how they spread across the centuries, and the country’s oldest institutions. From Wikidata, snapshot 2026-06-22.

UNIVERSITIES234

OLDEST1150

FOUNDED 1900+161

By founding era

Before 12001 · 0%

1200–159917 · 7%

1600–189928 · 12%

1900 or later161 · 69%

Date unknown27 · 12%

Oldest universities in France

The country’s earliest institutions — the deepest roots of higher education here.

1150University of Paris

1220University of Montpellier

1229University of Toulouse (1896-1968)

1303Avignon University

1333Scots College

1337University of Angers

1423Marie and Louis Pasteur University

1425Old University of Leuven

1431University of Poitiers

1432University of Caen Normandy

1460University of Rennes

1460Nantes University

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