I mean, it’s all down to personal preference, really. I’d hate to live somewhere where I couldn’t walk or get around by rapid public transport. Car oriented suburbs (or, worse, rural areas) are my idea of hell. And if I want to go to a mountain or a beach (which is something I want to do way less than, say, going to work or the supermarket or going for a drink with friends, all of which are walking distance) I can get on a train.

Mind you, this is a city of 1.5 million people; mega cities like Paris have their own challenges.