Comparing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Between Urban and Rural Residents in France

French people are reluctant to pay carbon taxes due to perceived unfairness between urban and rural residents. However, they are committed to adapting to extreme weather and its consequences. This study aimed to analyze the incidence and impacts, and to compare adaptation strategies in urban and rural areas in France, using data from the EIB 2024-2025 survey and employing t-tests and stepwise multiple regression analyses. The results showed that urban areas experience more extreme temperatures and tend to employ infrastructure improvement strategies, while rural areas experience more storms and hail and employ ecosystem-based strategies. Both areas use education, awareness-raising, and relocation as adaptation strategies. Furthermore, those who have not experienced or been affected by extreme events are less likely to adapt. This study emphasizes the need to design adaptation strategies that account for differences between urban and rural areas, as spatial context is a key determinant of adaptation outcomes. New findings indicate that relocation strategies are a more important response for both groups than other strategies, suggesting a stronger response to severe disasters. However, they have distinctly different motivations for migration. Urban residents are more likely to migrate in response to fires and droughts, while rural residents are more likely to migrate when their health and quality of life are affected.