Cross-border workers in Franche-Comté face high housing costs

In the Franche-Comté region of France, approximately 44,000 people cross the Swiss border daily for work, representing 8.8% of the local workforce. In the Doubs department, this figure rises to 13.5%. Some areas, such as the Station des Rousses-Haut Jura community, see cross-border workers making up nearly 60% of the active workforce.

High housing costs near the Swiss border have led some individuals to adopt unconventional living arrangements. For example, one 37-year-old former baker living in the Doubs department has chosen to live in a fully equipped motorhome parked near the border to avoid exorbitant rents while seeking employment in Switzerland.

Switzerland remains a primary destination for cross-border workers compared to Luxembourg or Germany. Nationally, it is estimated that 520,000 people in France hold jobs across the Swiss border.