Intergenerational homesharing in Strasbourg and the Eurométropole

A border city with a European student body

Strasbourg sits on the Rhine facing Kehl in Germany, and tram line D crosses the river. The University of Strasbourg, with more than 50,000 students, belongs to Eucor, a European campus shared with Freiburg, Basel, Karlsruhe and Mulhouse, so many students study across borders.

For a newcomer, living with an Alsatian host offers daily immersion in French, sometimes with a few words of Alsatian, which international residences rarely provide. It also means a furnished room and a local contact from the first day, a real advantage for someone arriving alone.

Where to get information first

The Eurométropole runs the Maison de l'habitat, a housing information centre. Unusually, both its youth pages and its senior pages present intergenerational homesharing, alongside young workers' hostels, student residences, independent-living residences and family foster care.

That dual presentation helps both sides understand the option in context. A retiree sees it next to adapted social housing; a student sees it next to hostels for 16 to 30-year-olds. Either way, the centre points to the same local charity.

The charity that arranges the pairs

Ensemble 2 générations Alsace is based at 204 avenue de Colmar, in the Neudorf-Meinau area. It matches over-60s who have a free room with adults under 30, helps draft the contract and stays involved throughout. It also runs awareness campaigns against age-related prejudice.

Older people can register online or phone first; a project officer then visits their home. The national network offers three formulas, from evening and overnight presence to lighter companionship with a moderate contribution. The Eurométropole page publishes no fees, so ask at the first contact.

Does French law regulate these arrangements?

Yes, since 2018 a dedicated contract has framed homesharing, and the Maison de l'habitat notes that both owners and tenants can host. A host living across the Rhine in Kehl, however, would fall under German law and outside that French contract.

How expensive is Strasbourg?

ANIL's 2026 summary of local rent observatories put the median rent for a three-room flat in the Strasbourg area at 10.4 euros per square metre, excluding charges, in 2024. That was lower than Bordeaux, Lille or Nantes in the same publication.

Strasbourg does not apply rent control and was not on the list renewed for August 2026 to July 2027. Rents are therefore set freely when a lease is signed, within national limits on increases in high-demand areas.

Campuses and the best districts for a homeshare

The main university sites are the Esplanade campus near the centre, Cronenbourg in the north-west and Illkirch to the south, home to the engineering schools. INSA and EM Strasbourg business school add to the student population, as do many health training programmes.

Hosts in Krutenau, Esplanade or Neudorf are a few minutes from lectures by tram C or E. La Robertsau is green and residential with many family homes. Cronenbourg suits chemistry and physics students, Illkirch suits engineering students. Check routes on the CTS network.

Who can apply?

The Maison de l'habitat names students, apprentices and young workers under 30. Civic-service volunteers can also apply. European Union citizens need no residence permit, which simplifies registration for German or other EU students joining Strasbourg programmes.

Is there public support besides the charity?

The Eurométropole does not mention direct grants to pairs. Young people can, however, use CAF housing benefit, Action Logement support for under-30s and the FAJ'EMS youth fund for 16 to 25-year-olds, which can cover housing needs.

The wider Strasbourg housing landscape

Homesharing is one option among many. The table summarises the solutions presented by the Maison de l'habitat for young people and older residents, so you can see where it fits and which alternatives to pursue in parallel.

Getting started step by step

Timing depends on the season. Between July and September youth applications surge and hosts may receive a proposal quickly; in mid-year, young applicants usually wait longer. Students coming through Erasmus or Eucor should write before arriving.

1. Read the Maison de l'habitat pages or contact Ensemble 2 générations Alsace directly.
2. Register online, or by phone for older people who prefer it.
3. Host: welcome the project officer at home to present the room.
4. Meet the proposed match and agree on formula, hours and services.
5. Sign the cohabitation contract drafted with the charity's help.
6. Apply for CAF housing benefit and the Visale guarantee if relevant.
7. Keep in touch with the charity, which follows the pair throughout.

Local pitfalls to avoid

Strasbourg's geography and its cross-border student life create specific traps. Anticipating them prevents a promising arrangement from collapsing in the first semester, which disappoints the host and leaves the young person searching again mid-year.

• Living in Illkirch while studying at Cronenbourg, at opposite ends of the conurbation.
• Forgetting that a Eucor student may spend several days a week in Freiburg or Basel.
• Assuming Strasbourg's moderate rents make housing benefit pointless.
• Paying money before a visit to a so-called host found online, outside any charity.
• Confusing homesharing with paid family foster care approved by the European Collectivity of Alsace.

Local events in autumn 2026

The photo exhibition La cohabitation intergénérationnelle en images runs from 6 to 31 October 2026 at the Frida Kahlo media library in Schiltigheim. On 6 November 2026, Habit'âge workshops on future housing take place at Pixel, rue des Canonniers.

Frequently asked questions

These answers draw on information published by the Eurométropole. For specific legal questions, the Bas-Rhin ADIL provides free, neutral advice to hosts and guests, and the charity remains the reference for fees and availability.

Can a social housing tenant host?

The Maison de l'habitat says homesharing is open to tenants and owners. A tenant must still inform the landlord, social or private, before hosting, and check that home insurance covers a second occupant living in the dwelling.

Can a German student enrolled in Strasbourg be hosted?

Yes, as long as they are under 30 and study or work in the Eurométropole. As an EU citizen, no residence permit is needed. The charity mainly checks how long the student will actually be present each week.

How long does matching take?

No official delay is published. It depends on host numbers in the requested area and on everyone's flexibility. A young person willing to live outside the centre, in La Robertsau or Lingolsheim, improves their chances considerably.

Where does homesharing fit for older residents?

For an independent older person with a spare room, it can delay a move to a residence by adding presence at home. For someone losing autonomy, the Eurométropole points instead to SENIORLOGIS 67, independent-living residences or family foster care.