Colomiers in south-west France is fashionable, unfold out – and never very enticing.
Younger {couples} got here right here from the close by metropolis of Toulouse to have youngsters as a result of property costs are far cheaper. It grew quickly and now has a inhabitants of 40,000.
Nevertheless, fertility charges have just lately declined throughout France, and Colomiers has seen one of many largest falls – 31% since 2018.
France used to face out from its European neighbours for the excessive variety of youngsters born per girl throughout her child-bearing years.
Its fertility charge nonetheless stays above the European common, however it’s falling sharply.
The variety of births in France in 2024 was the bottom since 1919.
In January final yr, President Emmanuel Macron referred to as for a “demographic rearmament” with new reforms making it simpler for folks to have youngsters.
These included rising the monetary help each mother and father obtain whereas they give the impression of being after their new child infants, for as much as six months.
However it might take years for the insurance policies to have an effect on France’s demographic decline – particularly as there have been 4 totally different governments in little over a yr and the reforms haven’t but come into legislation.
In a midwife’s workplace in Colomiers, Laurence Loiseau is weighing three-week-old Léonie – Caroline and Teddy Rivat’s second baby.
The couple do not know whether or not they’ll have any extra youngsters, however already they’re nicely above the typical for the Occitanie area, the place the fertility charge stands at 1.53 in contrast with the nationwide 1.62.
Fertility charges in Colomiers have fallen by 31% since 2018, making it one of many largest falls throughout the entire of France [BBC]
Laurence Loiseau has been a midwife right here for 30 years and has observed a change in mindset. Hardly any of her 32-year-old daughter’s buddies have youngsters, she says.
“They’ll strive later in life however meaning they’ll have extra issue getting pregnant – and by the point they attain 40 it will likely be very tough to have a second baby.”
Ms Loiseau provides she nonetheless sees households with three or 4 youngsters, however that these normally come from poorer or immigrant backgrounds.
Elevating youngsters in France is pricey.
The final official authorities statistics a decade in the past put the associated fee at about €6,800 (£5,700) a yr to lift a toddler. Utilizing these figures and together with inflation, French economists say the determine now’s near €9,000 a yr.
Margaux Biscaye – additionally a midwife in Colomiers – meets a whole lot of younger girls who come to see her for contraceptive recommendation.
She says that for an rising variety of younger girls between the ages of 20 and 30 having youngsters is just not a precedence.
Some merely don’t desire any, says Ms Biscaye: “Typically due to the world we dwell in proper now. It isn’t a really optimistic interval. Perhaps they’ll change their thoughts however possibly not.”
Paola Godard, who’s 27 and works within the music trade, is adamant she won’t have youngsters of her personal, although she may think about adoption.
Though financially she would be capable to elevate youngsters, she doesn’t suppose she may present them with a secure future, she says.
She is nervous by the rise of far proper and by the potential impression of local weather change in 20 years’ time.
The Occitanie area is witnessing the second-fastest fall within the fertility charge throughout France.
Solely Corsica is increased, as a result of so many younger folks depart the island for job alternatives on the mainland.
Catherine Sourd from the Nationwide Institute of Statistics and Financial Research (Insee) advised the BBC the beginning charge in Occitanie fell by 8.5% in 2023, in contrast with 6.5% nationally.
Ms Sourd says the autumn is even steeper amongst girls aged between 24 and 35, who’re normally probably the most fertile.
Girls are delaying having their first baby in contrast with earlier generations and settling into long-term relationships later in life, she says.
On the similar time, the present financial uncertainty is weighing on younger folks’s minds.
The identical uncertainty throughout the monetary disaster in 2008 additionally had a huge impact on fertility in France and throughout Western Europe, with a pointy downward blip in births again then too, Ms Sourd says.
In Colomiers the variety of major college youngsters has fallen by 10% up to now seven years.
Xavier Vuiller works in academic administration on the Victor Hugo secondary college. He and his Spanish spouse, Noelia, have only one baby, 12-year-old Paolo – and that will not change.
“My spouse was very eager to pursue a private profession… in order that she would have the identical alternatives as I’d have as a person. So we took the time to have a toddler and only one,” Xavier says.
He provides that the falling pupils numbers will likely be felt in his personal college in a couple of years’ time because the dwindling variety of major college youngsters transfer as much as secondary colleges.
The image is analogous additional into the French countryside too, the place fertility charges was increased. That is not the case both, in response to authorities statistics.
Marion and Farid say 10-year-old Maelle will likely be their solely baby [BBC]
Within the cosy village of Gratens, south of Colomiers, Farid Achezegag, a sculptor, lives along with his accomplice Marion Savy, a trainer, their 10-year-old daughter Maelle and a really giant ginger cat.
Farid and Marion agreed to have only one baby.
“It is the mannequin I’m used to – and I used to be fairly completely happy as a single baby,” Marion says.
“I really like my work and once I thought of turning into a mom I wished to even have time for me. I’m not egocentric – I wished to supply my baby important time only for her and nonetheless have my girl’s life.”
Farid’s mother and father had been Algerian immigrants. That they had 4 youngsters, however he doesn’t need to go down the identical path.
“Like Marion I used to be set on having one baby,” he mentioned. “Your relationship with youngsters in an enormous household is just not the identical.”
